🌡️ Near-Record Warmth Through Thursday, Then a Frosty Weekend Turn — Your Valley Weather, Garden & Farm Tuesday

Or: Two Days to Burn-Permit Season, a 49-Degree Market Morning and UT’s Garden Chores for This Very Week

By Thomas Seest, Dunlap.Today · Tuesday, October 13, 2026

Good morning, neighbor. Pour the coffee and take your time. If the road out front looks like a bowl of milk, you are not alone. The National Weather Service has a fog statement out for our river valleys until about 9 a.m. Central.

Since Monday’s edition, the forecast has nudged a little warmer. National Weather Service Dunlap (updated about 6 a.m. Central today) now shows highs near 87 today and 88 on Wednesday and Thursday. That is close to Chattanooga’s record highs for these dates. Then a breezy Friday front brings real fall air, and forecasters in Morristown now list widespread frost potential for the region this weekend.

Here is the short version: use the three warm days for harvest and garden chores. Free burn permits begin in two days, on Thursday, Oct. 15. The Dunlap Farmers Market opens Saturday at 9 a.m., when it should be about 49 degrees. And Saturday night is the night to cover or bring in tender plants.

⏱️ What this means for you in 30 seconds

• This morning: Fog in the valleys until about 9 a.m. Visibility may drop below a quarter mile at times. Low beams, slow down.
• Tue.–Thu.: Sunny and summer-warm, highs near 87–88. Dry. Good chore days.
• Friday: High near 81, turning breezy from the northwest. Gusts could reach about 25 mph.
• Weekend: Saturday high near 65; Saturday night low near 40. Colder hollows and higher ground could see patchy frost.
• Burns: Free TDF permit required starting Thu., Oct. 15. Get it the day you burn.
• Market: Sat., Oct. 17, 9 a.m.–1 p.m., Harris Park, with Young Entrepreneurs Day.

📝 Jot This Down

1. Finish warm-weather chores by Thursday. Pick peppers and ripe or nearly ripe tomatoes, water new garlic, and stack storm limbs while it’s sunny and calm.
2. Burn permits start Thu., Oct. 15. Free at BurnSafeTN.org or 1-877-350-BURN (2876). Get one the day you burn. Breezy Friday is a poor day to burn.
3. Saturday: jacket for the market, covers for the garden. About 49 degrees when the market opens at 9 a.m. Saturday night’s low is near 40 in town and may be colder in low spots. Bring in or cover tender plants by suppertime.

🌡️ Three Near-Record Days, a Breezy Friday, Then True Fall

Before sunrise today, the National Weather Service in Morristown issued a Special Weather Statement for fog across the Tennessee Valley, including Sequatchie, Bledsoe and Marion counties. Visibility could drop below a quarter mile at times, especially near rivers and lakes. It runs until about 9 a.m. Central.

Beyond the fog, the Morristown Hazardous Weather Outlook shows no hazardous weather expected today or tonight, and a low chance of widespread hazardous weather Wednesday through Monday.

The Dunlap point forecast (updated about 6:06 a.m. Central) looks like this:

• Tue., Oct. 13: Areas of fog before 9 a.m., then sunny. High near 87. Tonight clear, low around 60.
• Wed., Oct. 14: Sunny. High near 88. Low around 63.
• Thu., Oct. 15: Sunny. High near 88. Low around 63.
• Fri., Oct. 16: Mostly sunny. High near 81. Northwest wind 10–15 mph by morning, gusts up to 25 mph. Friday night low around 44.
• Sat., Oct. 17: Sunny. High near 65. Saturday night low around 40.
• Sun., Oct. 18: Sunny. High near 70. Sunday night low around 44.
• Mon., Oct. 19: Mostly sunny. High near 75.

For comparison, the forecasters list Chattanooga’s record highs as 88 for Oct. 13 (set in 1954), 87 for Oct. 14 (1954) and 85 for Oct. 15 (1950). Local 3 News meteorologist Clay Smith said this morning that temperatures are running about 15 degrees above normal, and that no meaningful rain is expected over the next seven days.

What it means for you: Do the heavy outdoor work in the morning, once the fog lifts, and the lighter work late in the day. Drink water and take breaks — 88 in mid-October still feels like July in the garden. Thursday afternoon is your last warm, calm window. Friday’s wind is the start of the change, so tie down anything light on the porch before then.

👉 Read more (NWS Dunlap forecast) · NWS Morristown forecast discussion · Local 3 News

❄️ Saturday Night: A Practice Run for the First Frost

On Monday the frost talk was a maybe. This morning, NWS Morristown made it one of its three key messages: “Widespread frost potential for this weekend. Consider bringing frost sensitive plants indoors.” The forecasters say to bring them in definitely Saturday night, and to consider Friday and Sunday nights, too. The best odds are farther north in East Tennessee.

Dunlap’s official low is near 40 Saturday night. That number is for town. Cold air slides downhill and settles in hollows and creek bottoms on clear, calm nights. Local 3 News says higher elevations could drop into the 30s, with patchy frost possible.

UT Extension’s season-extension guide says lightweight floating row covers can go right on top of plants without a frame. An old bedsheet works too. Take covers off in the morning once it warms so plants don’t overheat.

What it means for you: Use Wednesday or Thursday to pick all your peppers and any ripe or firm, nearly ripe tomatoes. Ferns, geraniums and other tender porch pots can come inside Saturday afternoon. Lay covers on the garden before dark Saturday — think of it as tucking in the grandkids. Kale, cabbage and other cool-season greens can take a light frost.

👉 Read more (NWS Morristown key messages) · UT: Season extension and row covers

🧄 UT’s Garden Calendar Has a Chore for Nearly Every Day This Week

UT Extension’s 2026 Home Fruit and Vegetable Garden calendar (W436) has a short note for each day of October. This week’s notes read like a sensible to-do list:

• Tue., Oct. 13: Clean up finished warm-season crops to keep disease from spreading.
• Wed., Oct. 14: Bring your tools in from the garden and clean them well.
• Thu., Oct. 15: Sharpen and oil tools to make them last.
• Fri., Oct. 16: Make sure late crops have enough water and nutrients, but not too much.
• Sat., Oct. 17: Write down your favorite pepper and tomato varieties from this year.
• Sun., Oct. 18: Have you had a frost yet? Write the date down.
• Mon., Oct. 19: Cabbage-family greens often taste better after a little frost.

Garlic is still on. UT’s garlic guide (D75) says East Tennessee gardeners often plant from Sept. 1 to Nov. 1. Plant larger cloves upright, about 1 to 1½ inches deep, in well-drained soil. The guide also warns that fall is often the driest time of year, so check moisture soon after planting. With no meaningful rain in the forecast, a slow soak on new garlic is a good idea this week.

Soil tests and cover crops are still on, too. The UT calendar calls October a great time for soil samples: 10 to 15 small samples about 6 inches deep, mixed together and air-dried. It also says many cover crops can still do well in East Tennessee if planted in mid-October. Soil boxes and advice are at UT Extension Sequatchie County, 170 Church Street, Dunlap, 423-949-2611, open 8 a.m.–4:30 p.m., closed noon to 1 p.m.

What it means for you: Pick one small chore a day and you’ll finish the week ahead of the cold. If you seed a cover crop now, water it in — dry ground won’t wake the seed. Keep a pencil by the back door for Sunday’s frost note.

👉 Read more (UT 2026 Garden Calendar) · UT: Garlic for the Tennessee Garden · UT soil testing guide

🐄 Pasture Notes: Still Dry Underfoot, and a Frost Rule for Cattle

Saturday’s rain softened the low spots, but the ground is drying fast in this heat. The most recent U.S. Drought Monitor map (dated Oct. 6, drawn before the weekend rain) showed all of Sequatchie County in at least moderate drought, with about 6 percent of the county in severe drought. The next map comes out Thursday, Oct. 15, and should show whether the weekend rain made a dent.

If frost touches your fields this weekend, remember one rule from the UT Beef & Forage Center. Frost makes johnsongrass, sudangrass and sorghum-sudangrass release prussic acid, which can kill cattle within minutes. UT recommends waiting 10 to 14 days after a frost before grazing areas where those grasses are common. New shoots that come back after a light frost are also high in prussic acid, so keep cattle off them, too.

What it means for you: Walk the fence rows and creek banks this week and note where johnsongrass grows thick. If frost comes, write the date on the barn calendar and count forward two weeks. Move the herd or feed hay in the meantime. UT Extension Sequatchie says Sequatchie Valley Master Beef Producer classes are planned for this fall — call 423-949-2611 for dates.

👉 Read more (UT: Prussic Acid After Frost) · U.S. Drought Monitor · UT Extension Sequatchie: Livestock & Forage

🔥 Two Days to Burn Season: Stack the Storm Limbs Now, Burn on a Calm Day

Starting Thursday, Oct. 15, Tennessee requires a free burn permit to burn leaves, brush or other natural debris, or to do a prescribed burn. The season runs to mid-May. Permits are issued at BurnSafeTN.org or through the MyTN app, seven days a week, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. local time, according to the Tennessee Department of Agriculture’s Oct. 7 release. If you don’t use the internet, call 1-877-350-BURN (2876), Monday through Friday, 8 a.m.–4:30 p.m. Central. Wait times can be long on busy days.

The state’s Division of Forestry pauses permits on dangerous days — high winds, very low humidity or very dry brush. This week is dry, and Friday’s gusts near 25 mph are the kind of wind that makes a burn hard to control. If you are inside Dunlap city limits, check with City Hall (423-949-2115) first; cities can have their own rules. The state also suggests asking your local government about alternatives to burning for storm debris.

What it means for you: Use today and Wednesday to drag Saturday’s fallen limbs into a pile, well away from buildings, fences and trees. Clear a ring of bare dirt around it. When you’re ready, pick a calm day, get the permit that morning, keep a hose and rake handy, and stay with the fire until it’s completely out.

👉 Read more (TDA burn-permit reminder) · BurnSafeTN

🛒 Saturday Market: Bring a Jacket, a Basket and a Few Dollars for the Young Vendors

The Dunlap Farmers Market is open Saturdays 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Central at the Jeff Johnson Pavilion, Harris Park, 245 Cedar Street, April through October. This Saturday, Oct. 17, is also Young Entrepreneurs Day, when young people sell things they made or grew themselves. The announcement did not give an age range or deadline; families can apply at dunlapfarmersmarket.com and should mark the application for the kids market.

The hourly forecast shows about 49 degrees at 9 a.m. Saturday with a northeast breeze near 10 mph, warming to the upper 50s by noon. After a week near 88, that will feel brisk.

A few blocks away, the free Days of Yesteryear Antique Tractor Show has a new home at Coops Creek Commons, 287 Pine Street, Saturday and Sunday. Gates open at 8 a.m. Dunlap.Today reports heritage farm demonstrations and a “Parade of Power” of vintage tractors.

What it means for you: Wear layers, bring a market bag and plan a morning of eggs, honey and late produce. Buy a little something from a young vendor — it means more than you know. Confirm on the market’s Facebook page or by email (dunlapfarmersmarket@gmail.com) before you drive in.

👉 Read more (Dunlap Farmers Market) · Young Entrepreneurs Day · Days of Yesteryear

📅 Week-Ahead Weather, Garden & Farm Calendar

• Tue., Oct. 13: Fog until about 9 a.m., then sunny near 87. Clean up spent tomato and bean plants.
• Wed., Oct. 14: Sunny near 88. Pick peppers; stack limbs; bring tools in.
• Thu., Oct. 15: Sunny near 88. Burn permits required starting today. New Drought Monitor map. Last warm, calm chore afternoon.
• Fri., Oct. 16: High near 81, breezy, gusts near 25 mph. Poor day to burn. Friday night near 44.
• Sat., Oct. 17: Sunny, about 49 at 9 a.m., high near 65. Farmers Market + Young Entrepreneurs Day, 9 a.m.–1 p.m. Days of Yesteryear, gates 8 a.m. Saturday night near 40 — cover or bring in tender plants.
• Sun., Oct. 18: Sunny near 70. Check the garden; write down any frost date.
• Mon.–Tue., Oct. 19–20: Monday mostly sunny near 75. If frost touched johnsongrass, keep cattle off for 10–14 days.
• Looking further: Market Saturdays continue through October. Garlic window runs to about Nov. 1.

✅ Your Weather, Garden & Farm Checklist for This Week

• ✅ Drive slowly with low beams in morning fog.
• ✅ Do heavy outdoor work early; drink water in the near-88 heat.
• ✅ Pick all peppers and ripe or nearly ripe tomatoes by Thursday.
• ✅ Plant or water garlic; it’s still in the window.
• ✅ Take a soil sample and drop it at Extension, 170 Church St.
• ✅ Clean, sharpen and oil garden tools before you put them away.
• ✅ Stack storm limbs; get a free burn permit the day you burn, starting Thu., Oct. 15.
• ✅ Skip burning on breezy Friday.
• ✅ Tie down light porch items before Friday’s wind.
• ✅ Bring a jacket to Saturday’s market.
• ✅ Cover or bring in tender plants by Saturday evening.
• ✅ Mark where johnsongrass grows; wait 10–14 days after frost to graze it.

Practical rule: Work in the warm, burn on a calm day with a permit, and tuck the garden in Saturday night.

— Dunlap.Today

📚 Plain-English Weather, Garden & Farm Glossary

• Special Weather Statement: An NWS notice about something worth watching, like dense fog, that isn’t serious enough for a warning.
• Record high: The warmest temperature ever measured at that station on that calendar date.
• Cold front: The leading edge of cooler, drier air. It often brings wind and a quick drop in temperature.
• Frost: Ice crystals that form on plants and grass on clear, calm, cold nights. It can form even when the official low is in the upper 30s.
• Floating row cover: A light, see-through garden cloth laid right on top of plants to hold warmth overnight.
• Moderate / severe drought: U.S. Drought Monitor categories (D1 and D2) that describe how dry the land is compared with normal.
• Prussic acid: A poison released by frosted johnsongrass and sorghum-type grasses. It fades as the plants dry.
• Cover crop: A plant grown mainly to protect and feed the soil over winter.
• Burn permit season: In Tennessee, mid-October to mid-May, when a free permit is required for debris burns.

❓ Frequently Asked Questions

Will it really get near record heat this week?

Dunlap’s forecast highs are near 87 today and 88 Wednesday and Thursday. Chattanooga’s records for those dates are 88, 87 and 85, so the airport could tie or break one. Dunlap itself isn’t the record station.

Will it frost in Dunlap this weekend?

Maybe in low spots. Dunlap’s official Saturday-night low is near 40. NWS Morristown lists widespread frost potential for the region, with the best odds farther north. Cold hollows and higher ground can run colder, so cover tender plants Saturday evening.

When can I burn my storm limbs?

Starting Thursday, Oct. 15, with a free permit obtained the same day at BurnSafeTN.org or the MyTN app (8 a.m.–4:30 p.m., seven days), or by phone at 1-877-350-BURN (2876), Monday–Friday. Choose a calm day; avoid breezy Friday. Check city rules if you live inside Dunlap.

Is it too late to plant garlic or a cover crop?

No. UT says East Tennessee gardeners often plant garlic through Nov. 1, and its 2026 calendar says many cover crops can still do well if planted in mid-October. Water them in, because no meaningful rain is expected this week.

How long do cattle stay off johnsongrass after frost?

UT’s Beef & Forage Center recommends 10 to 14 days after a frost, and keeping cattle off fresh regrowth.

What time does the market open Saturday, and how cold will it be?

9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Harris Park. The hourly forecast shows about 49 degrees at opening, warming to the upper 50s by noon. Confirm on the market’s Facebook page before you go.

🔗 Other Resources

• UT Extension Sequatchie County — 170 Church St., Dunlap · 423-949-2611
• National Weather Service: Dunlap forecast
• NWS Morristown Hazardous Weather Outlook
• NWS Morristown forecast discussion
• U.S. Drought Monitor
• Burn Safe TN · 1-877-350-BURN (2876)
• UT: 2026 Home Fruit and Vegetable Garden calendar (W436)
• UT: Garlic for the Tennessee Vegetable Garden (D75)
• UT: Season extension and row covers
• UT Beef & Forage Center: Prussic Acid After Frost
• Dunlap Farmers Market
• Dunlap.Today

🏡 Enjoy the Last Warm Days, Then Welcome the Sweater

Weeks like this are a gift. Three warm afternoons to finish the garden, a two-day head start on burn season, and then the first sweater morning of the year at the pavilion. Do a little each day, keep the covers handy for Saturday night, and save a smile for the young vendors.

When you want the next calm, practical update for Sequatchie Valley readers, pull up a chair at Dunlap.Today.