Advice on TN trip this weekend

[Tallygrl]

Hi.

I'm currently in Tallahasse and VERY thankful for the more westward forcast (so sorry for those who are under the gun!!) -- however I'm supose to go on a trip to Gatlinburg TN this weekend. What are the thoughts on the weather (we're supose to leave thursday night from Tallahassee) and the driving conditions?? Should we just cancle? I'm afraid of all the flooding talk.

Thanks!

[PurdueWx80]

Gatlinburg looks like one of the prime areas for major flooding. If not there, it will surely occur somewhere along the drive...although the rain wouldn't begin in earnest until Friday or so. Even if you go, it would be a nasty weekend up there.

[Brent]

Watch out for major flooding. NHC just stalls it over that area this weekend.

[floodprone]

Cancel. We are expecting massive rains. It won't make for a fun weekend.

[mf_dolphin]

I agree with the cancel. The flooding coming out of the mountains could be fierce especially if it stalls over the mountains.

[soonertwister]

There is a significant risk of very hazardous travel conditions in that area, even with the remnants of Ivan stalling somewhere near east Tennessee.

If you insist on traveling, be prepared for the potential of blinding torrential rain, heavily flooded roadways, hidden pavement washouts, flash flooding, landslides, collapsed bridges, severe lightning and tornadoes.

Other than those few details, driving weather shouldn't be bad at all.

[therock1811]

Before I tell you what I think, listen to this first-hand account of what can happen there in heavy rains...

I was there in April of 1996 for a spring break vacation with my family. On the Saturday night before we left for home, a heavy thunderstorm parked itself right over the mountains. By the next morning, over 5" of rain had fallen. The NWS of course issued flood and flash flood warnings for that immediate area. We were supposed to leave the next morning for home...hoping to get there around 4 or 5pm. Well there were two problems with that. One, the theme park there was open, and two, the Little Pigeon River...well it wasn't little that day. It was an absolute torrent. There wound up being significant flash flooding right along the river there and in the neighboring community of Pigeon Forge, TN...and I didn't arrive home until 10:00 that night, after leaving at 8am...so my advice is cancel, and re-book for another weekend...it will still be there another time...it's just not safe to go this weekend IMO.

[nativeflacracker]

My parents have a cabin rental in Gatlinburg and are not renting out this coming weekend at all. Floors are all cleared and sump pumps in place!

[njoynit]

my mom goes there regularly.& has been durring them rain times.sometimes main roads get closed due to rock slides mud.water over the road.A car can float on 2 inches of water.
Re book
go when is nice weather and take one of the mountain trail tours.Are some short ones.

[wxwatcher2]

I would say don't go as well.
Unless you are an extreme adventure loving person who doesn't mid braving the elements.

I do know that heavy rain in that part of the country is a very different thing than in Florida.
We tend not to understnd "flooding" in Florida because we don't experience it.

[Tallygrl]

Thanks for all the advice -- we've offically cancled the trip....maybe next year!