Great Smoky Mountains reopens visitor centers, but many areas closed due to weather

UPDATE: Great Smoky Mountains National Park and its Sugarlands and Oconaluftee visitor centers will reopen Wednesday, Jan. 17. However, Cades Cove, Twin Creeks and Tremont remain closed due to weather conditions in the park, the National Park Service says.

The original story is below:

Great Smoky Mountains National Park remains shuttered Tuesday, Jan. 16, due to a winter storm that is creating dangerous conditions, the National Park Service says.

All major roads and park facilities were closed Jan. 15 as a snowstorm approached the mountains, park officials said in a news release.

Conditions have since worsened, officials said.

“Park roads are covered with ice and snow. Sub-freezing temperatures are expected throughout (Tuesday),” the park said in a Jan. 16 news release.

The park was expected to get 4 to 8 inches of snow over the three-day Martin Luther King Jr. holiday weekend, “with higher amounts possible” in some areas, the National Weather Service said.

Bitter cold is also forecast, with a high of 21 degrees Tuesday and a low of 1 after dark, forecasters say. The low Wednesday night is projected to be 15 degrees, forecasters say.

Wind chills Tuesday evening could fall to 20 degrees below zero, forecasters say. That means people who stray outdoors for prolonged periods will risk getting hypothermia, officials say.

“Another round of snow and wintry mix is expected Thursday night and Friday. Very cold temperatures are likely again Friday night through the weekend with lows in the single digits and below zero wind chills,” the National Weather Service says.

It is the second time this month the park has announced widespread closures due to weather-related conditions.

On Jan. 9, a passing storm downed trees in multiple areas of the park, blocking key roads for days, the park reported.

This story was originally published January 15, 2024 at 10:55 AM.