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The Lakeway Area was covered with a light blanket of snow, the effects of which appear to be minimal, but the plummeting temperatures on Wednesday are causing area officials to urge caution when driving while the freezing conditions are in place.

“I would caution people to be aware and on the lookout for slick spots or black ice on the road,” Hamblen County Sheriff Chad Mullins said. “Slow down and be careful.”

National Weather Service Meteorologist Derek Eisentrout said the roads on Thursday have a good chance of being hazardous.

“I think that you’re going to have some issues on secondary and residential roads,” he said. “We have another chance for a little bit more snow overnight (Wednesday), less than an inch, but still a little bit more snow,” he said. “And with that, and with what we’ve already had, you’re probably looking at some black ice situations in the residential and secondary roads, at a minimum.”

The road conditions are not the only concern with this weather system; the freezing temperatures that create those conditions will be much colder than average.

“Looking at the Morristown area for Thursday morning, the morning low is going to be 20 degrees,” Eisentrout said. “But with gusty north wind, our wind chills are going to be 7 degrees tomorrow morning.”

The NWS website has a succinct instruction about dealing with the cold temps: “Dress appropriately.”