The Daybreaker: 12/30/2024
Good morning, Scott County! It’s New Year’s Eve Eve! Here’s a look at what’s happening in Scott County this week…
This Week’s Weather
🌤️ We'll have a reprieve from the rain today, with clearing skies and mild temperatures in the mid 50s. The wind will also lay down.
Almanac: Sunrise/Sunset: 7:48/5:33 • Records: 69° (2019), -7° (1983) • YTD Rainfall: 54.4” (Normal: 57.9”).
Details: Yesterday was another soaker, and we're now running a slight rainfall surplus for the month of December. We'll see more rain before the month ends at midnight tomorrow night, but today's going to be a decent day — clearing skies and temperatures in the mid 50s with a light breeze. Rain chances return tonight, however, and remain likely through the day tomorrow as a cold front approaches the region. Scattered showers won't move into our area until after midnight tonight, and although the threat of rain will be around into early evening tomorrow, we shouldn't see much rain. In all, we might see a quarter of an inch of additional rainfall tonight and tomorrow. The other story tomorrow will be falling temperatures. We'll probably go from around 50° at sunrise into the upper 30s by sunset.
Further Out: The rest of the week after tomorrow will be much chillier, with temperatures struggling to get out of the 30s each day. There's a very slight chance of snow in the forecast for Friday morning, though nothing of consequence is expected. Otherwise we should be dry for the remainder of the week once tomorrow's scattered rain showers get out of the picture. Nighttime temperatures will drop into the teens by the end of the week. Even colder weather will invade the region this weekend, and next week looks very cold. Some days may see temperatures stuck in the 20s...or even in the teens if some long-range projections pan out!
Snow Watch: There are strong winter storm signals for next week. The GFS model is pretty consistent in keeping a strong snowstorm to our north, dumping big snows across parts of the Midwest and down into Kentucky, while throwing only light accumulations towards the northern Cumberland Plateau in a few different waves beginning Sunday into Monday. The ECMWF model has been more consistent with a disruptive snowstorm for the northern plateau. But it's far enough out that nothing should be taken as the gospel just yet. The details will become clearer over the next three or four days.
You can find daily weather forecasts and analysis on our website, Eye to the Sky.
News Updates
• The Big South Fork National River & Recreation Area has one of the highest winter death rates of all of America’s national parks, according to a new study. An Atlanta-based law firm says the Big South Fork ranked ninth from 2007 to 2023, among 432 national parks across the U.S. The leading cause of death during that time: drowning.
• The coldest weather of the winter season is likely on the way for the northern Cumberland Plateau region. We’ll begin to feel the turn to cold on Wednesday, when we only get to around 40°, but it’ll really get cold next week. And, as we alluded in this morning’s Eye To The Sky forecast update, there could be some snow. (But don’t count on it just yet…just know it’s a possibility.)
• Scott County’s unemployment rate was unchanged in November, at 4.3%. Overall, the employment picture in Scott County is slightly better than it was one year ago, in November 2023.
• Drought is worsening across the region, with Scott County in a moderate drought and much of Morgan, Roane and Cumberland counties in an extreme drought. But last week’s rainfall will help.
The Week Ahead
» Monday: The Scott County Senior Citizens Center (Main Street, Oneida) will serve lunch from 11:30 a.m. until 1 p.m. The cost is $7 for dine-in or carry-out. Phone: (423) 569-5972.
» Monday: Scott High’s Lady Highlanders will be in basketball action in Strawberry Plains today, playing at 3:30 p.m. as they try to bounce back from a loss to Coalfield on Saturday that snapped a seven-game winning streak.
» Tuesday: The Scott County Senior Citizens Center (Main Street, Oneida) will host exercise from 10 a.m. until 11 a.m.
» Tuesday: Pinnacle Resource Center’s food pantry (1513 Jeffers Road, Huntsville) will be open beginning at 10 a.m. There are no income guidelines; however, a photo ID and a piece of mail with a Scott County address are required.
» Tuesday: Boy Scout Troop #333 will meet at the Oneida War Memorial Building on Alberta Street in Oneida beginning at 6 p.m.
» Tuesday: Wall Builders will meet from 7 p.m. until 9 p.m. at Trinity Baptist Church (1611 Glass House Road, Helenwood) for those struggling with addiction or striving to keep off drugs. There will be preaching, teaching, food, fellowship and personal counseling.
» Tuesday: Alcoholics Anonymous meets at the Highway 27 Unity Club in Oneida at 7 p.m.. For more information: highway27unityclub.com.
» Thursday: The Scott County Senior Citizens Center (Main Street, Oneida) will host exercise from 10 a.m. until 11 a.m.
» Thursday: The Gerry McDonald Mission House, located on Church Avenue, directly behind First United Methodist Church, is open from 9 a.m. – 12 p.m. Thursday mornings, except on the first Thursday of the month, hours are from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.. You are eligible to receive food once per month. Operating procedures have been modified in order to comply with governmental requests for social distancing. For more information or requirements, call the church office at (423) 569-8828.
» Thursday: The Oneida Special School District Board of Education will not meet today. Instead, the meeting will be delayed until next week, Jan. 9, at 6 p.m. at the Central Office Training Center.
» Thursday: Narcotics Anonymous meets at the Highway 27 Unity Club in Oneida at 7 p.m. For more information: highway27unityclub.com.
» Friday: Basketball teams return to action, and we’ll be there! Oneida will be at Wartburg and Scott High will host Midway. Tipoff in both locations is 6:30 p.m., and the Baby J’s Pizza Pregame Report will begin at 6:15 p.m.
Have a great week! Our next newsletter will be The Weekender, published Friday morning. This week’s publications will include our regular E-Edition on Thursday, and Varsity on Sunday. Our annual Year in Remembrance video tribute will publish at midweek, and you can find it on our social media channels. — Sam Voss, IH
Want to subscribe to this newsletter? It’s free!
Have an event to submit? Email newsroom@ihoneida.com or visit indherald.com/community-calendar-2.