TENNESSEE — While Tennessee is better known for colorful autumn foliage in October than for winter weather, history shows that measurable snowfall during the month has occurred, though it remains a rare event.
According to records from the National Weather Service, snowfall in Tennessee has been documented in October on multiple occasions, particularly in higher elevations of the Great Smoky Mountains.
Mount Le Conte, which rises to 6,593 feet in Sevier County, frequently sees its first snowflakes of the season earlier than the rest of the state. At such elevations, measurable October snowfall is not unusual, as colder mountain air can support wintry precipitation even when lower elevations experience milder fall temperatures.
Outside the mountains, October snow is much less common, but it has happened. Weather records show that parts of East Tennessee have occasionally received measurable snowfall before Halloween.
For example, Knoxville recorded measurable snow as early as October 20, 1913, when 0.5 inches fell. Chattanooga also saw an October snowfall that same year, highlighting how unusual weather systems can bring wintry precipitation into the Tennessee Valley earlier than expected.
Farther west, middle and western Tennessee experience October snow with much less frequency due to their lower elevations and generally warmer conditions.
Still, historic records confirm that even these regions are not entirely exempt. On October 22, 1913, Memphis reported trace amounts of snow, underscoring how widespread that particular storm system was across the state.
Overall, Tennessee’s climate makes October snowfall a rare but possible occurrence, with the likelihood strongly tied to elevation.
The mountains of East Tennessee see it the most, while lower elevations encounter it only during exceptional weather patterns. When it does happen, October snow is often light and short-lived, quickly melting as daytime temperatures rise.
Though Tennessee residents are far more likely to see crisp fall days than snowflakes in October, history demonstrates that measurable snowfall in the state during the month is possible and has indeed occurred.
