Tennessee Climatology

Tennessee is divided into four unique climate divisions.

There are 344 climate divisions in the continental United States. Tennessee is divided into four unique climate divisions. Click here for more information .
Topographic Features – The topography of Tennessee is quite varied, stretching from the lowlands of the Mississippi Valley to the batch peaks in the east. The westernmost part of the state, between the bluffs overlooking the Mississippi River and westerly valley of the Tennessee River, is a region of lightly rolling plains sloping gradually from 200 to 250 feet in the west to about 600 feet above sea level in the hills overlooking the Tennessee River. This area is defined as division 4 ( West Tennessee ). The cragged Highland Rim, in a across-the-board circle touching the Tennessee River Valley in the west and the Cumberland Plateau in the east, together with the insert Central Basin make up the whole of Middle Tennessee. The Highland Rim ranges from about 600 feet in elevation along the Tennessee River to 1,000 feet in the east and rises 300 to 400 feet above the Central Basin which is a rolling plain of about 600 feet average elevation, but with a crescent of hills reaching to over 1,000 feet south of Nashville. This region is defined as division 3 ( Middle Tennessee ). The Cumberland Plateau, with an modal elevation of 2,000 feet extends approximately northeast-southwest across the country in a belt 30 to 50 miles wide-eyed, being bounded on the west by the Highland Rim and overlooking the Great Valley of East Tennessee on the east. This region is defined as part 2 ( Cumberland Plateau ). The Great Valley, paralleling the Plateau to the west and the Great Smoky Mountains to the east, is a funnel-shaped valley vary in width from about 30 miles in the south to about 90 miles in the north. Within the valley, which slopes from 1,500 feet in the north to 700 feet in the south, is a series of northeast-southwest ridges. Along the Tennessee-North Carolina bound lie the Great Smoky Mountains, the most broken and raise part of Tennessee, with numerous peaks from 4,000 to 6,000 feet. This region is defined as class 1 ( East Tennessee ) .
Tennessee, except for a little area east of Chattanooga, lies wholly within the drain of the Mississippi River system. The extreme western section of the state is drained through several relatively small rivers directly into the Mississippi River. Otherwise, drain is into either the Cumberland or Tennessee Rivers, both of which flow north near the end of their courses to join the Ohio River along the Kentucky-Illinois edge. The Cumberland River, which drains north-central portions of Tennessee, rises in the Cumberland Mountains in Kentucky, flows southwest, then south into Tennessee reaching the Nashville area before tuning north to re-enter Kentucky. The Tennessee River is formed by the juncture of the Holston and french Broad rivers at Knoxville. It flows southwesterly along the Alabama-Mississippi line, and then flows north across the submit into Kentucky. Besides the headwater stream, other authoritative tributaries include the Clinch, Nolichucky, Watauga, Little Tennessee, Hiawassee, Elk, Duck, Obion, and Hatchie Rivers.

Temperature – Most aspects of the state ’ s climate are related to the wide varying topography within its borders. The decrease of temperature with elevation is quite apparent, amounting to, on modal, three degrees Fahrenheit ( °F ) per 1,000 feet increase in aggrandizement. frankincense, higher portions of the department of state, such as the Cumberland Plateau and the mountains of the east, have lower average temperature than the Great Valley of East Tennessee, which they flank, and other lower parts of the country. In the Great Valley temperature increases from north to south, reaching a value at the south end comparable to that of Middle and West Tennessee where elevation variations are a generally minor consideration. Across the express, the average annual temperature varies from over 62° F in the extreme southwest to near 46° F atop the highest peaks of the east. It is of pastime to note that average January temperature atop a 6,000-foot point in the Great Smoky Mountains ( for example, Mt. LeConte ) is equivalent to that in Central Ohio, while average July temperature is comparable to the southerly edge of the Hudson Bay in Canada. While most of the state has warm, humid summers and meek winters, this must be qualified to include variations with elevation. frankincense, with increasing natural elevation, summers become cool and more pleasant while winters become cold with increasing winds and dangerous snow events. Most of Tennessee is in the Humid Subtropical climate type, while higher elevations are in the Oceanic/Highland climate character. extremely little areas over 6,000 ’ in elevation may be considered part of the Humid Continental ( Dfb ) climate type .

This addiction of temperature on acme is of considerable importance to a variety of interests. temperature, together with precipitation, plays an important character in determining what plant and animal life are adaptable to the sphere. In the Great Smoky Mountains, for case, the variations in natural elevation from 1,000 to 6,000 feet with accompaniment variations in temperature contribute to a noteworthy assortment of establish life. You can explore plant robustness zones in Tennessee using the USDA Interactive Map. There are presently six zones in Tennessee ( 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, and 8a ). The relative chilliness of the mountains besides contributes to the popularity of that area during the heater part of the year .

length of growing season is linked to topography in a way like temperature, varying from an median of 237 days at low-lying Memphis to a about 130 days on the highest mountains in the east. Most of the express is included in the range of 180 to 220 days. Shorter growing seasons than this are confined to the mountains forming the state ’ second eastern border and to the northerly part of the Cumberland Plateau. Longer growing seasons are found in counties bordering the Mississippi River, parts of the Central Basin of the Middle Tennessee, and the southern end of the Great Valley of East Tennessee ( around Chattanooga ) .
Precipitation – Since the chief generator of damp atmosphere for this area is the Gulf of Mexico, there exists a gradual decrease of average precipitation from south to north. This effect is largely obscure, however, by the overruling influence of topography. Air forced to ascend, cools and condenses out a assign of its moisture. Thus, average precipitation in West Tennessee ranges from 46 to 54 inches, increasing from Mississippi bottomlands to the flimsy hills farther east. In Middle Tennessee, the variation is from a minimum of 45 inches in the Central Basin to 50 to 55 inches in the surrounding cragged Highland Rim. Over the lift Cumberland Plateau, average annual haste is by and large from 50 to 55 inches. In line, average annual precipitation in the Great Valley of East Tennessee increases from near 40 inches in northern portions to over 50 inches in the south. The northern minimum, lowest for the entire state, results from the shielding influence of the Great Smoky Mountains to the southeast and the Cumberland Plateau to the northwest. The cragged eastern margin of the state is the wettest, having average annual precipitation ranging up to 80+ inches on the higher, and well-exposed peaks of the Great Smoky Mountains .

Over most of the express, the greatest haste occurs during the winter and early spring due to the more patronize passing of large-scale storms over and near the express during those months. A secondary utmost of haste occurs in summer solstice in reply to thunderstorm action. This is particularly pronounced in the mountains of the east where July rainfall exceeds the haste of any other calendar month. Lightest precipitation, observed in the descent, is brought about by the prevalence of behind go, rain suppressing high coerce areas. Although all parts of Tennessee are broadly well supplied with precipitation, there occurs on the average one or more prolong dry spells each year during summer and fall. Studies illustrate the beneficial effects of supplementary irrigation of crops, despite normally bountiful annual precipitation. irrigation can be particularly significant during ‘ flaunt drought ’ events, which occur from time to clock time and can have major agrarian and economic impacts.

average annual snow varies from four to six inches in the southerly and western parts of the country and in most of the Great Valley of East Tennessee to more than 10 inches over the northern Cumberland Plateau and the mountains of the east. Mt. LeConte ( 6,594 ’ ), on average, receives ~75 inches of snow each year, although some years receive over 100 inches of snow. Over most of the express, due to relatively balmy winter temperatures, snow cover rarely persists for more than a few days .
The most important flood tide season is during the winter and early bounce when frequent first gear pressure systems bring general rains of high intensity. During this period both widespread flood and local dart floods can occur. During the summer, heavy thunderstorm rainfalls frequently result in local brassy flood. In the fall, while flood-producing rains are rare, a significant tropical system on occasion causes serious floods. The numerous dams constructed along the Tennessee and Cumberland rivers are major features in the control of floodwaters in the state .
The dam of the Tennessee and Cumberland River systems and consociate lakes, in accession to vastly reducing flood damage have facilitated urine transportation system, provide abundant low-cost hydroelectric power, and create extensive diversion areas. fish, boating, swim, and camping along the many lakes, together with the respective state of matter and national parks/forests/wildlife management areas, make tourism one of the major industries in the state .
Climate and the Economy – water resources of Tennessee have been a major factor in the state ’ s industrial growth. The big and good quality body of water provision influenced the location of industry, particularly chemical action plants. Three major waterways, the Mississippi, Cumberland, and Tennessee Rivers, are desirable for commercial traffic. last, the handiness of low-cost hydroelectric baron from the multipurpose dams of the Cumberland and Tennessee rivers and tributaries spurs industry of all types. The principal types of manufacture products are fabric mill products, elementary metals, fabricated metals, and log products .
Although surpassed in monetary value by industrial action, department of agriculture remains a vital have of Tennessee ’ s economic animation. The broad range of climates and environments in Tennessee, from river bottom to mountaintop, coupled with a wide roll of soils, has resulted in many crops that thrive in the state .
Forests represent an extra important segment of Tennessee ’ s natural resources related to the climate of the state. Timberland, containing chiefly hardwood types, covers approximately one-half of the total area of Tennessee. This has led to a highly diversify woodworking industry and made the area around Memphis the center of production for wood shock. The moderate climate of the state is very golden for logging operations, allowing all-out action during nine months of the year and to a lesser extent during the winter months .
Climate descriptions of Tennessee – broadly, Tennessee has a temperate climate, with ardent summers and mild winters. however, the state ‘s change topography leads to a wide rate of climatic conditions .
The warmest parts of the state, with the longest grow season, are the Gulf Coastal Plain, the Central Basin, and the Sequatchie Valley. In the Memphis area in the southwest, the median date of the last kill frost is March 22, and the growing season is about 235 days. Memphis has an annual intend temperature of 63°F ( 17°C ), 41°F ( 4°C ) in January and 83°F ( 28°C ) in July. In the Nashville area, the median date of the stopping point toss off frost is April 6, and the growing temper lasts about 204 days. Nashville has an annual bastardly of 59°F ( 15°C ), ranging from 38°F ( 3°C ) in January to 79°F ( 26°C ) in July. In the Knoxville area the median death kill frost is April 6, and the growing season lasts about 211 days. The city ‘s annual mean temperature is 59°F ( 15°C ), with averages of 38°F ( 3°C ) in January and 78°F ( 26°C ) in July. In some parts of the mountainous east, where the temperatures are well lower, the growing season is deoxyadenosine monophosphate curtly as 130 days. To explore extra frost/freeze data Click here. The record high gear temperature for the state is 113°F ( 45°C ), set at Perryville on 9 August 1930 ; the commemorate low, –32°F ( –36°C ), was registered at Mountain City on 30 December 1917. A choice of climographs developed using long-run climate data, where available, can be viewed below. These include Memphis, Jackson, Clarksville, Nashville, Chattanooga, Crossville, Knoxville, and Bristol ( the Tri-Cities ).