Tennessee winter weather: Will it snow in Nashville this weekend?

It will snow in Nashville this weekend.

 At least, the National Weather Service is "pretty confident" that it will, Matt Reagan, NWS Nashville meteorologist said. 

Previous forecasts predicted the true winter weather would hold off until Sunday, but the NWS said Friday that a wintry mix of freezing rain, sleet and snow could arrive Saturday night and last through Sunday evening. 

"At some point, the rain will change over to snow, likely sometime Sunday evening into Sunday night, and this storm will wrap up as snow on Monday," Reagan said. 

Middle Tennessee sits north of the expected path of a large wintry low pressure front making its way along the gulf coast this weekend and threatening the southeast and mid-Atlantic for days. 

"This is pretty normal for this time of year. In the late fall, we get these lows that track along just north of the coast. Like usual, it seems like we'll be right on the edge of rain or snow," Reagan said. 

Will it rain this weekend?

"There is still great uncertainty with this storm, but we will know more as it comes closer and into focus. Stay tuned for advisories and warnings" senior NWS Nashville meteorologist Jason B. Wright said. 

Whether it snows or not, a moderate to heavy rainy front will hover over Middle Tennessee starting Saturday morning, Reagan said. The lightest rain will be near the Kentucky border, the heaviest near the Alabama state line, with Nashville somewhere in the middle — geographically and for rainfall.

The area could see one to two inches of rain accumulation. 

The question of what happens Saturday night is still up in the air, Reagan said. It is likely that areas north of I-40 will see a wintry mix as temperatures drop that evening, although the precise location of those flakes is still fluctuating. 

Areas along the I-40 corridor could see the ground covered in white, especially northwest of Nashville along the east ridge of the Cumberland Plateau. Fentress County could see up to three inches of sleet and snow accumulation, Wright said. 

On a broader scale, the fronts affecting Nashville are part of a coast-to-coast storm this week. 

How big is this winter storm?

The weather system that gained strength California will become a powerful six-day, coast-to-coast storm — one that's forecast to roar all the way from the Southwest to the mid-Atlantic, USA TODAY said.

Along its 2,500-mile journey, the storm will affect tens of millions of people as it unleashes heavy snow and ice, flooding rains and potentially a tornado or two, the National Weather Service warned. 

At least a dozen states will see snow and more than 20 states will see rain from the powerhouse storm. Widespread air and road travel headaches and significant power outages are likely.

Will my flight be cancelled due to the weather?

The weekend forecast is still coming into focus, but — so far — it appeared that most major hubs were expected to see only rain. The big exception was Charlotte, where several inches of snow were possible on Sunday. That may likely create significant problems at the airport, a hub for American Airlines.

Weekend travelers also should keep an eye on Atlanta. Current forecasts showed the rain-snow line remaining north of the city, but rainy and blustery weather could still affect operations there.

Reach Mariah Timms at mtimms@tennessee.com or 615-259-8344 and on Twitter @MariahTimms.