🏆 Chattanooga Sets a Record 90, Burn Permits Start Tomorrow, and Frost Weather Arrives Saturday Night: Your Weather & Outdoors Ahead

Or: Two More Record Highs in Reach, a Calm Thursday for Burning, and a Windier, Chillier Weekend Than We Thought

By Thomas Seest, Dunlap.Today · Wednesday, October 14, 2026

This week’s weather is like a pickup truck with the cruise control stuck on “summer.” It hums along fine through Thursday, then Friday somebody finally taps the brakes, and everybody in the cab reaches for a jacket.

Here’s what’s new as of Wednesday morning. Chattanooga’s airport hit 90 degrees Tuesday, breaking a daily record that had stood since 1954. National Weather Service Morristown says today and Thursday could set records too, and Dunlap’s forecast is near 88 both days. Burn permits start tomorrow, Thursday, Oct. 15, and Thursday’s calm, sunny weather makes it the best burning day of the week. Friday’s cool-down now looks a little sharper and windier, with gusts up to 30 mph Friday night. Forecasters have fine-tuned the frost outlook, and Dunlap’s Saturday-night low is now 39. We’ll also look at what the rain did (and didn’t) do for the drought, and Saturday’s fall turkey opener. Wednesday’s Hazardous Weather Outlook expects no hazardous weather for Sequatchie, Marion, Hamilton or Bledsoe counties through Tuesday, and as of 9 a.m. there were no watches, warnings or advisories for Dunlap.

⏱️ What this means for you in 30 seconds

• Heat: Sunny and near 88 in Dunlap today and Thursday, with calm to light winds. A normal mid-October high in Chattanooga is 75.
• Burning: Free permits are required starting Thursday, Oct. 15. Get it the day you burn, and have the fire out by midnight.
• Wind: Friday gusts to 25 mph, Friday night to 30, Saturday to 20. Not burning days. Tie down light porch and yard decorations.
• Chill: Friday high near 78, Saturday high near 63, Saturday night near 39, Sunday near 67.
• Plants: Bring tender plants in or cover them Saturday evening. Higher ground should watch Sunday night too.

🏆 Tuesday Made the Record Book, and Two More Days Are in Play

The Weather Service’s official climate report for Chattanooga’s airport shows Tuesday’s high reached 90 degrees at 3:17 p.m. Eastern. That beat the Oct. 13 record of 88, set in 1954, and it was 15 degrees above normal. Records at the airport go back to 1879.

Today and Thursday look just as warm. Morristown forecasters wrote early Wednesday that “we will be again near daily record highs both today and tomorrow.” Chattanooga’s airport forecast is 89 today, above the record of 87 (1954), and 89 Thursday, above the record of 85 (1950). Dunlap’s own forecast, updated at 6:06 a.m., calls for sunny skies and a high near 88 both days, with a mostly clear night near 65 in between. Dunlap doesn’t have an official record-keeping station, but we’re under the same warm air.

What it means for you: Same game plan as early September. Do the heavy work in the morning, take water breaks in the afternoon, and check on older neighbors who may not expect October to feel like this. Never leave kids or pets in a parked car. Keep fresh water and shade handy for livestock and pets. And remember, this heat has an end date: Thursday is the last hot day.

👉 Read more (NWS Chattanooga climate report) · Chattanooga October normals and records · NWS heat safety tips

🔥 Burn Permits Start Tomorrow: Your Thursday Game Plan

From Thursday, Oct. 15 through May 15, the Tennessee Division of Forestry requires a free burn permit for leaf piles, brush and other natural debris. A few practical details from the state’s permit page:

• Get it the same day. A permit is good for one day only, and your fire must be completely out by midnight.
• Where: Online at BurnSafeTN.org or in the MyTN app, seven days a week starting at 8 a.m. Or call 1-877-350-BURN (2876), Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Central. The phone lines can get busy, so the state suggests going online.
• No permit needed for grilling, campfires, or a burn barrel with a half-inch mesh screen on top.
• Never legal: burning trash. Only natural material from your own property.
• Town rules come first. Some cities and counties have stricter rules, so check with yours if you live inside city limits.

Thursday’s forecast is about as friendly as it gets for burning: sunny, calm wind turning southwest around 5 mph. Friday is a different story, with northwest gusts up to 25 mph, and the state pauses permits when it’s dry and windy.

What it means for you: If that brush pile has been waiting all summer, Thursday is your day. Get the permit in the morning, rake a bare strip of ground around the pile, keep a hose or rake close by, and stay with it until it’s cold. Keep the pile small and add to it as it burns down. If you can’t get to it Thursday, wait for next week’s calmer days. That pile has waited this long; it can wait a few more.

👉 Read more (Tennessee burn permits) · How to burn natural debris safely

🌬️ Friday’s Cool-Down Comes In Sharper and Windier

Compared with Tuesday’s forecast, the front now looks a touch cooler and breezier in Dunlap:

• Friday: Sunny, high near 78 (down from 81). Northwest wind 10 to 15 mph, gusts to 25 mph.
• Friday night: Partly cloudy, low near 44. North wind 10 to 15 mph, gusts to 30 mph.
• Saturday: Sunny, high near 63 (down from 65). Northeast wind, gusts to 20 mph.
• Sunday through Tuesday: Sunny to mostly sunny, highs near 67, 69 and 73. That’s a slower warm-up than we expected Tuesday.

Don’t count on rain from it. Forecasters say the light showers on Friday will mainly fall north of Knoxville, and that rain amounts will be “pitiful” even there. Dunlap’s forecast stays dry.

What it means for you: Friday evening’s wind is the kind that sends a lawn chair across the yard like it has somewhere to be. Before Friday afternoon, tie down or bring in patio umbrellas, trampolines, light porch furniture and any inflatable or lightweight fall decorations. Grab the jackets for Friday night ballgames. Saturday will feel crisp, and plain beautiful.

👉 Read more (Dunlap 7-day forecast) · NWS Morristown forecast discussion

🥶 Frost Watch, Fine-Tuned: Saturday Night Is the One for Dunlap

Morristown’s frost message got more specific Wednesday. Forecasters now point to “widespread frost potential north of the Knox Metro in the valley and for elevated locations Saturday and Sunday nights.” They wrote that the best chances for temperatures below 37 degrees are “in elevated terrain and north of the Knoxville Metropolitan area,” and they still advise bringing sensitive plants in, “definitely for Saturday night, as well as Sunday night.”

For Dunlap, that means Saturday night is the night to watch. The forecast low is now 39 under clear skies. Sunday night is milder, near 44. Dunlap’s forecast doesn’t use the word “frost,” but cold air settles into low spots and creek bottoms on clear, calm nights, and our neighbors up on the plateau sit higher, where frost is more likely.

What it means for you: Going from 88 on Thursday to 39 on Saturday night is a 49-degree slide, like going from the hayfield to the walk-in cooler. Pick the last tomatoes, peppers, squash and basil by Saturday afternoon. Bring hanging baskets and pots onto the porch or into the garage Saturday evening, and cover in-ground plants with an old sheet or blanket (not plastic touching the leaves). Uncover them Sunday morning once the sun’s up. If you live on higher ground, do it again Sunday night. And give the furnace or space heater a quick test Friday.

👉 Read more (NWS Morristown frost guidance) · Dunlap forecast

💧 The Rain Helped, but the Drought Map Hasn’t Caught Up Yet

The U.S. Drought Monitor map is unchanged since last week. It still shows conditions as of Oct. 6: all of Sequatchie County in moderate drought, with about 6% in severe drought, and all of Marion County in drought, with about 19% severe. About half of Hamilton County and about a third of Bledsoe County are in moderate drought.

The rain numbers tell a mixed story. Chattanooga’s airport has had 2.71 inches so far in October, more than the normal 1.54 for this point in the month. But since Sept. 1, it’s still about 2.4 inches behind. The next map comes out tomorrow, Thursday, and it should be the first to count last weekend’s rain. Forecasters expect “a below average precipitation stance for the foreseeable future.”

What it means for you: October’s rain was like a good meal after a long fast. It helped, but one meal doesn’t make up for a missed month. Keep giving new trees, shrubs and fall gardens a deep morning drink during these last two hot days. Top off water troughs, and keep an eye on ponds and creeks your animals use.

👉 Read more (U.S. Drought Monitor, Tennessee) · Chattanooga rainfall totals

🦃 Saturday’s Turkey Opener, and Where the Color Is

The statewide fall turkey shotgun/archery season opens Saturday, Oct. 17, and runs through Oct. 30, according to TWRA. The fall bag limit is one male turkey, with no bearded hens. During fall turkey season, you can’t carry both archery equipment and a shotgun or rifle at the same time. Archery deer season continues through Oct. 30, and the Young Sportsman deer hunt for ages 6 to 16 is Oct. 31 to Nov. 1, with a non-hunting adult 21 or older.

The opener’s weather looks like a gift: a sunny Saturday morning in the 40s, warming to the low 60s, with a northeast breeze. In Chattanooga, Thursday’s sunrise is 7:47 a.m. Eastern (6:47 Central) and sunset is 7:06 p.m. Eastern (6:06 Central). Dunlap runs within a minute or two of that.

As for leaves, one online foliage tracker puts the Great Smoky Mountains at peak this week at middle elevations. It says most of Tennessee peaks between about Oct. 28 and Nov. 7. Our ridges are lower, so the Valley’s best color is likely still a couple of weeks away. The crisp weekend nights should help it along.

What it means for you: Hunt the cool hours, and wear layers Saturday. You’ll start cold and end comfortable. If you take game during the hot days today or Thursday, get it cooled down fast. For leaf-looking, a Sunday drive to the Smokies would catch peak color there. Closer to home, plan your drive up the plateau for late October.

👉 Read more (TWRA hunting seasons summary) · Tennessee fall foliage tracker

✅ Your Wednesday-to-Sunday Checklist

• ✅ Wednesday–Thursday: Work early, drink water, and rest in the afternoon heat. Check on older neighbors.
• ✅ Water new plantings and fall gardens deeply in the morning. Top off troughs.
• ✅ Thursday, Oct. 15: Burn permits begin. Get yours that day at BurnSafeTN.org, in the MyTN app, or at 1-877-350-2876. Have the fire out by midnight.
• ✅ Friday morning: Tie down umbrellas, trampolines and light decorations. Test the furnace or heater. Skip burning in the wind.
• ✅ Friday night: Bring a jacket to the ballgame. Gusts could reach 30 mph.
• ✅ Saturday afternoon: Pick the last of the garden. Bring pots in and cover tender plants before dark.
• ✅ Saturday: Fall turkey shotgun/archery opens. Dress in layers.
• ✅ Sunday morning: Uncover plants once the sun is up. Higher ground: cover again Sunday night.

Practical rule: Burn on calm Thursday, batten down on windy Friday, and tuck the plants in Saturday night.

— Dunlap.Today

📚 Plain-English Weather Glossary

• Daily record high: The warmest temperature ever measured on that date at an official station. Chattanooga’s airport records go back to 1879.
• Climate report: The Weather Service’s daily scorecard for a station: high, low, rain and how they compare with normal. An “R” means a record was set or tied.
• Cold front: The leading edge of cooler, drier air. Friday’s brings wind and a big temperature drop, but little or no rain here.
• Gust: A quick burst of wind, stronger than the steady wind speed. A 30 mph gust can move lawn furniture and push embers.
• Frost: Ice crystals that form on grass, cars and plants on clear, calm nights. It can form even when the official low is in the upper 30s, especially in low spots.
• Burn permit: A free, one-day permit from the Tennessee Division of Forestry, required Oct. 15 through May 15 to burn leaves or brush outdoors.
• Moderate drought (D1): The U.S. Drought Monitor’s first drought level. Severe drought (D2) is the next step up.

❓ Frequently Asked Questions

Did we really break a record?

Yes, in Chattanooga. The airport reached 90 degrees Tuesday, beating the Oct. 13 record of 88 from 1954. Forecasts of 89 today and Thursday are above those dates’ records of 87 and 85, so more records could fall.

Is any severe weather expected?

No. Wednesday’s Hazardous Weather Outlook expects no hazardous weather today or tonight, and says the chance of widespread hazardous weather Thursday through Tuesday is low. As of 9 a.m., there were no watches, warnings or advisories for Dunlap.

Do I need a permit to burn on Thursday?

Yes. Starting Thursday, Oct. 15, you need a free permit from the Tennessee Division of Forestry to burn leaf or brush piles. Get it the day you burn, and have the fire out by midnight. Grills, campfires and burn barrels with a half-inch mesh screen don’t need one.

Can I burn Friday or Saturday?

It’s not a good idea. Gusts are forecast up to 25 mph Friday, 30 mph Friday night and 20 mph Saturday, and the state may pause permits when it’s windy and dry. Thursday or a calm day next week is a better choice.

Will it frost in Dunlap this weekend?

Maybe in spots. Dunlap’s forecast low Saturday night is 39, and the widespread frost is expected mainly north of Knoxville and on higher ground. Low spots and the plateau can run colder, so cover or bring in tender plants Saturday night to be safe.

Will Friday’s front bring rain?

Not much, if any, for Dunlap. Forecasters expect light showers mainly north of Knoxville, and Dunlap’s forecast stays dry.

Has the drought ended?

Not on paper yet. The latest map, from Oct. 6, shows all of Sequatchie County in moderate drought. The next map comes out Thursday and should reflect last weekend’s rain.

🔗 Other Resources

• National Weather Service: Dunlap forecast
• National Weather Service Morristown
• Morristown Hazardous Weather Outlook
• Chattanooga daily climate report
• NWS heat safety
• BurnSafeTN: free burn permits
• Tennessee burn permit information
• U.S. Drought Monitor: Tennessee
• TWRA hunting seasons summary
• Sequachee Valley Electric Cooperative outages

🌤️ Two More Warm Days, Then Sweater Weather

There’s nothing in this forecast to lose sleep over. There are no storms and no watches, just two more record-flirting afternoons, a calm Thursday to start burning season, a windy Friday and the first truly cold night of fall. Work early, burn on the calm day, tie down what can blow, and tuck the plants in Saturday night. Then pour some coffee, grab a blanket, and enjoy that first frosty-looking sunrise from the porch.

We’ll keep watching the sky so you don’t have to. Read Dunlap.Today for calm, practical weather in plain English.