🐝 Drier Midweek, Colder Weekend: Weigh the Beehives, Read the Soil Report and Meet Tennessee’s Only Native Cactus

by Tom Seest | Nov 10, 2026 | Weather & Alerts | 0 comments

🐝 Drier Midweek, Colder Weekend: Weigh the Beehives, Read the Soil Report and Meet Tennessee's Only Native Cactus

Or: Wednesday Night’s Rain Chance Drops to 30%, Lows Near 28 Friday and Saturday Nights, Tennessee Topsoil Got a Real Drink Last Week, a UT November Checklist for Beekeepers, a Prickly Pear for the Sunny Rock Bed and the Farm Dates That Still Count

By Thomas Seest, Dunlap.Today · Tuesday, November 10, 2026

Good morning. Monday was a fine fall day at the Chattanooga airport, with a high of 73, a low of 38 and no rain. The National Weather Service forecast for Dunlap, updated at 5:06 a.m. CST today, keeps it sunny through Veterans Day. Two things changed since yesterday’s report. The rain chance for Wednesday night dropped from 70% to 30%. And both Friday night and Saturday night now look a little colder, near 28.

Yesterday’s report covered tulip bulbs, figs, strawberries, a heifer sale and the storm-loan deadline. Today we look at what’s new. First, the updated forecast. Next, some good news from USDA’s weekly crop report about Tennessee soil moisture. Then a November checklist for beekeepers from UT Extension, just in time for this week’s wind and cold. After that, a sunny-spot plant from UT Gardens, the eastern prickly pear. Last, the farm paperwork dates that still count now that Monday’s deadline has passed. A short checklist is at the end.

⏱️ What this means for you in 30 seconds
Weather (local): Sunny, high near 72 today and 69 on Veterans Day. Only a 30% chance of showers Wednesday night now.
The cold (local): Lows near 28 Friday night and 28 Saturday night. Highs only near 48 Friday and 50 Saturday.
Soil (statewide): Tennessee topsoil rated “very short” fell from 36% to 20% in a week, after the Nov. 4 rain. Still dry underneath, but better.
Bees (statewide UT advice): Put a weight on the hive lids before Thursday’s gusts, and make sure each colony has at least 40 pounds of honey.
Garden (statewide): UT Gardens’ November Plant of the Month is the eastern prickly pear, Tennessee’s only native cactus.
Paperwork (federal): USDA offices are closed Wednesday for Veterans Day. Drought emergency loans run to Jan. 6, 2027.

🌤️ A Drier Veterans Day Night, Then Two Nights Near 28

This is local for the Dunlap forecast, with regional context from the National Weather Service office in Morristown.

Here’s the Dunlap forecast, as of its 5:06 a.m. CST update:

Today: Sunny, high near 72. Tonight: Partly cloudy, low around 43.
Veterans Day (Wednesday): Sunny, high near 69. Wednesday night: A chance of rain showers, 30%. Low around 48.
Thursday: Partly sunny, high near 57. Northwest wind with gusts as high as 25 mph. Low around 35.
Friday: Partly sunny, high near 48, gusts as high as 20 mph. Friday night: Partly cloudy, low around 28.
Saturday: Sunny, high near 50. Saturday night: Mostly clear, low around 28.
Sunday: Sunny, high near 56. Low around 33.
Monday: Sunny, high near 58.

The Morristown forecasters’ key messages this morning call for “pleasant fall afternoon conditions” through Wednesday, then “high confidence in much colder temperatures” for the latter part of the week. A cold front crosses Wednesday night, with showers into Thursday and “a few rumbles of thunder” possible. They say light snow accumulations are “looking likely” over the higher elevations, and a flurry or light snow shower “may at least briefly mix in over some valley locations especially across the northern half of the area.” Valley highs will likely stay in the 40s Friday and Saturday. Sunday and Monday look dry. Their Hazardous Weather Outlook lists no hazardous weather today or tonight.

We’re still behind on rain. Since Sept. 1, the Chattanooga airport has had 5.04 inches, which is 4.01 inches below normal.

What it means for you: Yesterday the forecast promised a good drink Wednesday night. Today it’s more like a sip. Don’t plan your week around that rain. Plan it around the cold. Two nights near 28 is colder than anything we’ve had this fall, so think of Thursday as moving day: tender plants under cover or indoors, hoses put away, and the animals’ water checked Saturday morning.

🌱 Good News in the Weekly Crop Report: Tennessee Soil Got a Real Drink

This is statewide information from USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service, which released its weekly Crop Progress report Monday, Nov. 9, for the week ending Sunday, Nov. 8. It is a Tennessee-wide survey, not a Sequatchie County count.

Topsoil moisture: 20% very short, 42% short, 36% adequate and 2% surplus. A week earlier it was 36% very short and only 20% adequate. That’s the Nov. 4 rain showing up.
Subsoil moisture: Still on the dry side, with 28% very short and 40% short, down from 39% and 39% the week before. Deep moisture comes back slowly.
Fieldwork: Farmers had 5.1 days suitable out of 7, down from 6.5 the week before because of the rain.
Harvest: Soybeans are 93% harvested statewide, ahead of the five-year average of 79%. Cotton is 90% harvested, ahead of the 75% average. Tennessee’s corn harvest was already finished.

What it means for you: Topsoil is like the top layer of a cake, and subsoil is the bottom. Last week’s rain frosted the top nicely, but the bottom layer is still dry. That’s why grass greened up a bit while ponds and springs may still look low. Keep your winter hay plan as it is, and enjoy seeing the top of the ground looking healthier.

🐝 For Beekeepers: Weigh the Lid Down Before Thursday’s Wind

This is statewide advice from UT Extension’s handbook Beekeeping in Tennessee (PB 1745), plus the Tennessee Department of Agriculture’s apiary rules.

UT’s November list: Cut tall grass around the hives to cut down on moisture and wood rot. Check that all tops are waterproof. Place a weight on the outer cover so the wind can’t blow the top off. With gusts up to 25 mph Thursday, this week is the time.
Enough food for winter: UT says each colony should go into winter with at least 40 to 50 pounds of honey, and to feed colonies that don’t have at least 40 pounds.
Quick math: UT says a deep-brood frame holds about 6 to 7 pounds of honey, a medium frame about 4½ pounds and a shallow frame about 3½ pounds. A medium hive body full of honey weighs about 45 pounds.
Heads-up on feeding: UT notes that colonies typically slow down or stop taking syrup after the first hard frost. If a hive is light, this warm Tuesday and Wednesday may be the best feeding window for a while.
Later in winter: UT says to lift the hive from the back to estimate stores, and not to disturb the cluster of bees on cold days.
Register your bees: Tennessee law requires all honeybee colonies to be registered with the state apiarist. TDA says registered beekeepers get disease alerts, notice of aerial spraying and free inspections if they’re selling or moving bees. Registration cards are available at county Extension offices.

What it means for you: Getting a hive ready for winter is a lot like packing a cooler for a long drive. Make sure the lid is on tight, put something heavy on top, and pack plenty of food. Do the work on a warm afternoon, then leave the bees alone once the cold sets in.

🌵 Yes, Tennessee Has a Native Cactus, and It Might Like Your Rock Bed

This is statewide garden news from UT Gardens, which named the eastern prickly pear (Opuntia humifusa) its November Plant of the Month in a Nov. 2 release.

Tennessee’s only native cactus: UT says it’s best known from the sunny, rocky cedar glades of Middle Tennessee, but it grows well in many areas across the state and is hardy here.
Where to plant it: A rock garden or a raised spot that’s very well drained, in full sun. It’s evergreen and spreads into a low, dense patch.
The show: Big, bright yellow flowers with 8 to 12 petals bloom from about May to July. UT says each flower lasts only one day, and native bees love them.
Dry spells: The pads store water. In drought they may shrivel, then fill back out after the next rain.
Handle with care: The pads and the fruit, called tunas, are edible, but UT says to remove all spines and the tiny bristles first. Wear thick gloves.
See one: UT Gardens in Knoxville has prickly pear in its rock garden cactus display.

What it means for you: If you’ve got a hot, dry, rocky corner where nothing else will grow, this plant is like the neighbor who’s happy with a lawn chair and a glass of water. Mark the spot now and plan to plant in spring. It doesn’t ask for much, and it gives the bees a summer treat.

🗂️ Farm Paperwork: The Storm Loan Window Closed. Here’s What’s Still Open

This is federal information that applies here, plus one statewide note.

Passed — Monday, Nov. 9: The FSA emergency loan window for the January 2026 winter storm has closed.
Wednesday, Nov. 11 — closed: Veterans Day is a federal holiday, so USDA Service Centers are closed.
Thursday, Nov. 12: The next U.S. Drought Monitor map comes out. It will be the first one that counts the Nov. 4 rain.
Friday, Nov. 20: The NRCS Tennessee date to apply for fiscal 2027 conservation funding, including EQIP and the Conservation Stewardship Program.
Monday, Dec. 7: Last day to return FSA county committee election ballots, which FSA mails to eligible voters in early November.
Wednesday, Jan. 6, 2027: The deadline for FSA emergency loans under this year’s drought designation. Sequatchie and Marion are primary counties, and Bledsoe, Grundy, Hamilton and Van Buren are eligible as contiguous counties.
For the young folks (statewide): UT announced Nov. 9 that its agricultural business degree, with a finance and risk management concentration, now counts toward a big share of the coursework needed to become a licensed real estate appraiser. UT says rural and farm appraisers are in demand.

What it means for you: Missing one bus doesn’t mean you’re stuck at the station. If you had drought losses this year, the January date may still fit you. The Jasper USDA Service Center (3709 Main St., 423-942-2244) serves Sequatchie County. It’s closed tomorrow, so call today or Thursday.

📌 Sticky Notes for the Fridge

Today, Tuesday, Nov. 10: Sunny, high near 72. Good day to check and feed light beehives.
Wednesday, Nov. 11: Veterans Day. USDA offices closed. Sunny, high near 69. Showers possible that night (30%).
Thursday, Nov. 12: Gusts up to 25 mph. Weights on the hive lids. New drought map comes out.
Friday night, Nov. 13: Low near 28.
Saturday, Nov. 14: Straight-walled single-shot rifles allowed on private land for deer through Nov. 20. Low near 28 that night.
Monday, Nov. 16: UT Plateau bred-heifer preview, 9 a.m.–5 p.m. CST, Crossville.
Friday, Nov. 20: NRCS fiscal 2027 conservation application date.
Saturday, Nov. 21: Deer gun season opens.
Monday, Dec. 7: FSA county committee ballots due.
Wednesday, Jan. 6, 2027: FSA drought emergency loan deadline (Sequatchie, Marion and neighbors).

👉 USDA Service Center locator · TWRA: Deer season dates · Dunlap.Today

✅ Your Farm & Garden Checklist for This Week

✅ Don’t count on Wednesday night’s rain. Count on the cold.
✅ By Thursday, get tender plants covered or inside for two nights near 28.
✅ Beekeepers: lift the back of each hive. If it feels light, feed today or Wednesday.
✅ Set a brick or rock on every hive lid before Thursday’s wind.
✅ Not registered with the state apiarist yet? Pick up a card at the Extension office.
✅ Pick a sunny, rocky spot for a spring prickly pear.
✅ Have drought losses? Call the Jasper USDA office today or Thursday. It’s closed Wednesday.

Practical rule: Work while it’s warm, weigh down what the wind can grab, and plan for the cold instead of the rain.

— Dunlap.Today

📚 Plain-English Farm & Garden Glossary

Crop Progress report: A weekly USDA survey report, released on Mondays, that shows how crops and soil moisture are doing in each state.
Topsoil and subsoil moisture: How much water is in the top few inches of soil, and in the deeper soil below it. “Short” means drier than plants would like.
Days suitable for fieldwork: How many days in the week the ground was dry enough to work.
Colony: One family of honeybees living in one hive, with one queen.
Cluster: The tight ball bees form inside the hive in cold weather to keep warm.
Outer cover: The top lid of a beehive, the part the wind can lift.
Apiary: A place where beehives are kept. A state apiarist is the state’s bee inspector.
Cedar glade: An open, rocky, sunny patch of limestone ringed by cedar trees, common in Middle Tennessee.
Tunas: The fruit of the prickly pear cactus.
Contiguous county: A county that borders a county named in a USDA disaster designation. Farmers there are often eligible too.

❓ Frequently Asked Questions

Are we still getting rain Wednesday night?

Maybe a little. The Dunlap forecast dropped the chance to 30% for Wednesday night, down from 70% in Monday’s forecast. Morristown forecasters still expect showers with the cold front Wednesday night into Thursday, but the numbers for Dunlap are lower now.

How cold will it get this weekend?

The Dunlap forecast shows lows around 28 both Friday night and Saturday night, with highs near 48 Friday and 50 Saturday. Sunday and Monday warm a little, into the upper 50s.

Will it snow in Dunlap?

The Dunlap forecast doesn’t call for snow. Morristown forecasters say light snow is likely in the higher elevations, and a flurry could briefly mix in over some valley spots, mostly across the northern half of their area.

Is the drought over after last week’s rain?

Not yet. Statewide topsoil is much better, but subsoil is still mostly short, and Chattanooga is about 4 inches behind since Sept. 1. Thursday’s new Drought Monitor map will be the first to count the Nov. 4 rain.

How much honey does a hive need for winter?

UT Extension says each colony should have at least 40 to 50 pounds of honey. A deep frame holds about 6 to 7 pounds, a medium frame about 4½ pounds and a shallow frame about 3½ pounds.

Do I have to register my beehives?

Yes. Tennessee law requires all honeybee colonies to be registered with the Tennessee Department of Agriculture. You can register online, by email at plant.certification@tn.gov or by calling 615-837-5137. Registration cards are also at county Extension offices.

Can a prickly pear survive a Tennessee winter?

Yes. UT says the eastern prickly pear is hardy in Tennessee and grows throughout much of the eastern United States. Give it full sun and very well-drained soil.

Are USDA offices open on Veterans Day?

No. Veterans Day is a federal holiday, so USDA Service Centers are closed Wednesday, Nov. 11.

🔗 Other Resources

🏡 Keep Learning, Stay Calm and Come Back to the Porch

A smaller rain and a colder weekend is just November changing its mind, the way it does. The ground is in better shape than it was a week ago, the bees only need a heavy rock and a full pantry, and there’s a tough little cactus waiting for that dry corner come spring. Do the warm-day jobs today and tomorrow, and let the cold come.

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

Know about an upcoming event or story in the Dunlap, TN area? Submit it here.

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Written By Tom Seest

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