March 12, 2022 snowstorm
The March 12, 2022 snowstorm was a winter storm that dumped up to nine inches of snow on Scott County. It was unique in that it occurred on the 29th anniversary of the Blizzard of ’93, and was the largest March snowstorm to impact Scott County since that 1993 storm.
Background
Winter 2021-2022 was very snowy in Scott County. Much of the county received close to 30 inches of snow for the season, making it the snowiest winter for the northern Cumberland Plateau region since 58 inches of snow fell during Winter 1995-1996.
However, very warm temperatures led up to the March 12, 2022 winter storm. On Friday, March 11, the temperature topped out at 64° in Oneida. Less than 12 hours later, it was snowing.
That was similar to the Blizzard of ’93, when a temperature reading of 60° was recorded the day before snow began to fall.
A Winter Storm Warning was issued by the National Weather Service on Friday, March 11.
The Storm
Rain began to transition to sleet and then to snow across the northern Cumberland Plateau around 1 a.m. on Saturday, March 12, 2022. A band of heavy snow crossed the Cumberland Plateau around 4:30 a.m., resulting in significant accumulation.
The total snowfall in Scott County was measured at 7.5 inches by the NWS in Oneida. Some areas reported as much as 9 inches of snow.
In Knoxville, 6.6 inches of snow were reported by the NWS, the single-snowiest day there since the Blizzard of ’93.
By the night of Saturday, March 12, temperatures plunged to a record-breaking 9° in Oneida.
Aftermath
Road conditions deteriorated while snow fell, but began to improve almost immediately after the snow stopped falling, due to warm ground temperatures. By the middle of the day on Saturday, March 12, the main roads were dry and secondary streets were mostly free of snow. By that evening, only isolated slick spots remained on shaded backroads.
The quick melting occurred even though temperatures were not above freezing. The high temperature on Saturday was 27°, but the warm ground temperature was aided by the early spring sun angle.
Temperatures rebounded to nearly 50° on Sunday, March 13, and were in the low 60s by Monday, March 14. Despite as much as nine inches of snow falling just 48 hours earlier, both the Oneida Special School District and the Scott County School System were open and on time on Monday, March 14.