🌊 Isaias Is a Major Hurricane, and the Valley Flood Watch Still Holds: Your Weather & Outdoors Ahead

Or: The Coast Gets 120 mph. We Get a Wet, Breezy Saturday — and a Sunny Week After That

A hurricane can change overnight the way a Valley creek changes after a hard rain — same water, louder voice. Thursday evening, Isaias was a hurricane with 100 mph winds. By Friday morning the National Hurricane Center said it had become a major hurricane with 120 mph winds.

That strength is still for the Gulf Coast, not for our ridges. What changed for us overnight is quieter and more practical: the Flood Watch is still up, Dunlap’s Saturday looks a little windier than it did Thursday, Friday morning is your last easy outdoor window, and next week already looks sunny again.

Here’s the Friday update: Isaias is a major hurricane aimed at the northern Gulf Coast tonight or early Saturday, the Flood Watch for Sequatchie, Marion and Hamilton still runs from 1 a.m. Saturday until 7 a.m. Sunday, Dunlap’s day-by-day forecast, who is and isn’t in the High Wind Watch, outdoor notes on burn permits and archery season and a short Friday checklist so Saturday can be a stay-in day.

⏱️ What this means for you in 30 seconds

• Friday: Mostly cloudy and mild, high near 81 in Dunlap. Finish outdoor chores before dark.
• Tonight into Saturday: Showers become likely after 5 a.m., then Saturday is heavy rain with gusts up to 45 mph. Flood Watch: 1 a.m. Saturday–7 a.m. Sunday.
• Sunday: Showers mainly before 1 p.m., then it eases. Monday, Columbus Day, looks sunny near 83.
• Wind watch: Possible gusts up to 50 mph remain in the watch for Marion, Hamilton, Bradley and Polk. Sequatchie and Bledsoe are still not named.
• The rule: If water is over the road, turn around. Don’t try to guess the depth.

🌀 Overnight Update: Isaias Is Now a Major Hurricane

As of Friday morning, the National Hurricane Center’s homepage said Hurricane Isaias had become a major hurricane, with maximum sustained winds near 120 mph, located about 27.0°N, 87.6°W and moving north-northeast near 15 mph. An intermediate advisory at 7 a.m. Central still listed 110 mph and said Isaias was “on the cusp of major hurricane strength,” with landfall inside the Hurricane Warning area expected tonight or early Saturday.

The Hurricane Warning still runs from Ocean Springs, Miss., to the Bay and Gulf County line in Florida. A Storm Surge Warning covers the mouth of the Mississippi River to the Suwannee River. Coastal rainfall of 4 to 8 inches is expected across southern Alabama, the Florida Panhandle and Big Bend, with higher local amounts possible. The serious tornado discussion remains for the Gulf Coast and parts of Georgia and the Carolinas — not for Tennessee.

What it means for you: Stronger on the coast does not mean a hurricane for Dunlap. For the Valley, this is still a rain-and-gust story. If family or customers are inside the warning area, preparations there should already be finished, and they should follow local officials. For us, the rain arrives overnight into Saturday.

👉 Read more (National Hurricane Center) · 7 a.m. Central intermediate advisory

🌧️ The Flood Watch Was Not Cancelled Overnight

The National Weather Service in Morristown’s Flood Watch remains in effect from late tonight through Sunday morning for Sequatchie, Marion, Hamilton, Bradley and Polk counties, plus Cherokee and Clay counties in North Carolina. Dunlap’s point forecast still times that watch from 1:00 a.m. Saturday until 7:00 a.m. Sunday.

The Friday morning watch text expects moderate to heavy rain early Saturday through early Sunday, with rainfall totals of 1 to 2 inches and locally heavier amounts. High rainfall rates and repeated rounds of rain can still support flash flooding in creeks, streams and low places. Morristown’s Hazardous Weather Outlook and Area Forecast Discussion both point to the remnants of Isaias for Saturday and Sunday, with heavy rain possible on the southern Plateau and in southeast Tennessee.

Bledsoe County is still not named in this Flood Watch. Pikeville will still see the same system, so the same creek caution applies. A separate Nashville office watch continues for much of Middle Tennessee, including Grundy County, on similar hours.

What it means for you: Think of a flood watch like a pot that’s not boiling yet. Nothing is wrong this minute. You just don’t walk off and forget it. Move cars off low spots today, clear leaves from drains and culverts, and keep kids and pets away from ditches once the rain starts. A watch is not a warning. If a Flood Warning is issued later, flooding is happening or about to happen — then act on your plan.

👉 Read more (National Weather Service Morristown watches) · Hazardous Weather Outlook · Area Forecast Discussion

📅 Dunlap, Day by Day, as of Friday Morning

The National Weather Service point forecast for Dunlap, updated at 8:41 a.m. Central Friday, looks like this:

• Today: Mostly cloudy, high near 81. Calm wind becoming southeast around 5 mph.
• Tonight: Showers likely, mainly after 5 a.m. Cloudy, low around 57. Gusts as high as 40 mph. Rain chance 60 percent.
• Saturday: Showers and possibly a thunderstorm. Some storms could produce heavy rainfall. High near 70. East wind 10 to 15 mph, gusts as high as 45 mph. Rain chance 100 percent.
• Saturday night: Showers and possibly a thunderstorm. Gusts up to 30 mph. Rain chance 100 percent. Low around 61.
• Sunday: Showers likely, mainly before 1 p.m. High near 71. Gusts up to 25 mph. Rain chance 60 percent.
• Sunday night: Mostly cloudy, low around 57.
• Monday, Columbus Day: Sunny, high near 83. Tuesday looks sunny and near 87.

That’s a change from Thursday evening’s Dunlap forecast, which topped Saturday gusts at 35 mph and called Friday partly sunny. Friday is still a good outdoor day — just cloudier — and Saturday is a little breezier than yesterday’s number.

What it means for you: Friday is still the porch-sweeping day. Saturday is soup and a puzzle. Sunday afternoon may dry enough for a short walk, but don’t plan a picnic. Monday looks like a bright reset for school buses and anyone who put off a chore. Numbers can still shift. Check the forecast once more this evening before you lock in Saturday plans.

👉 Read more (National Weather Service forecast for Dunlap)

💨 The Wind Watch Is Still Next Door, Not on Dunlap’s Name

Morristown’s High Wind Watch from Saturday morning through Sunday morning still covers Marion, Hamilton, Bradley and Polk counties, plus two counties in North Carolina. It says east winds of 20 to 35 mph, with gusts up to 60 mph possible in the watch text for those counties. A separate mountain watch farther east talks about even stronger gusts in the Smokies. Sequatchie County and Bledsoe County are still not listed.

Morristown’s Friday morning discussion says the threat of 60 mph gusts near Chattanooga has diminished some as the storm tracks a little farther west, but gusts of 50 mph remain possible, especially on Lookout and Signal mountains. That still lines up with Dunlap’s own forecast topping out near 45 mph gusts Saturday — higher than Thursday’s 35, but not the stronger watch next door.

What it means for you: If you live in Dunlap, this is a tie-down-the-trampoline breeze, not a take-cover wind. If you live or work in Marion or Hamilton, or you have family there, take the watch more seriously. Put away light outdoor things today, charge phones and know how you’ll report an outage. Sequachee Valley Electric Cooperative posts outage information online. Don’t go near a downed line, and run any generator outdoors, away from doors and windows.

👉 Read more (High Wind Watch text) · Sequachee Valley Electric Cooperative outages

🦌 Outdoor Notes: Hunting This Weekend, Burn Permits Next Week

Statewide archery deer season remains open through Oct. 30, with Young Sportsman weekend Oct. 31–Nov. 1 (TWRA). Sequatchie County is in Deer Management Unit 4. This weekend is a poor stretch for a long sit in the woods — wet, gusty and hard on visibility — so many hunters will wait for Monday’s sunshine.

On the burn side, Tennessee Division of Forestry reminds residents that starting Wednesday, Oct. 15, a free burn permit is required statewide to burn leaves, natural debris or conduct prescribed burns (through May 15). Permits are free at BurnSafeTN.org or the MyTN app. As of this writing there is no statewide burn ban, but this weekend’s wind and rain are the wrong conditions for debris piles anyway. Wait for a calm day after the storm, and after Oct. 15 get the free permit first.

What it means for you: Skip the leaf pile this weekend. If you’re hunting, treat Saturday like a washout day and circle Monday instead. If a neighbor asks about burning storm limbs later, point them to the Oct. 15 permit start date so nobody gets surprised.

👉 Read more (TWRA deer seasons) · TN burn permit reminder · Burn permit rules

🚧 Creeks, Ditches and the One Driving Rule That Matters

The first big rain after a dry spell can run off fast, because hard ground drinks slowly at first. The Flood Watch specifically mentions creeks, streams and low places. The National Weather Service says just 12 inches of moving water can carry away most cars, and 6 inches can knock a person down.

What it means for you: Saturday is a bad day to “see if you can make it” across a dip in the road. Turn around and use another way, even if it adds 10 minutes. That’s also true for farm paths and creek crossings. If you were headed to an outdoor market or a ball game Saturday, check with the organizers today. Monday’s sunshine is the better day for anything that can wait.

👉 Read more (Turn Around, Don’t Drown)

✅ Your Friday Checklist Before the Rain

• ✅ Finish mowing, gutter cleaning and limb pickup Friday, while it’s still dry.
• ✅ Put up lawn chairs, trash cans, trampolines and sidewalk signs before dark Friday.
• ✅ Clear leaves from storm drains, culverts and downspouts so water has somewhere to go.
• ✅ Park off low ground. If a creek has flooded your road before, have another route in mind.
• ✅ Charge phones and set a flashlight where you can find it in the dark.
• ✅ In Marion or Hamilton counties, treat the High Wind Watch as a real chance of tree and power-line trouble Saturday.
• ✅ Skip debris burning this weekend; mark Oct. 15 for free burn permits.
• ✅ Keep weather alerts on overnight Saturday. A watch can become a warning.
• ✅ If water covers the road, turn around. No errand is worth it.

Practical rule: Use Friday to button up, stay off flooded roads Saturday, and let Monday’s sun dry things out.

— Dunlap.Today

📚 Plain-English Weather Glossary

• Major hurricane: A tropical system with sustained winds of 111 mph or more (Category 3+). Isaias reached about 120 mph Friday morning.
• Hurricane Warning: Hurricane conditions are expected in that area. The warning is on the Gulf Coast, not here.
• Flood Watch: Flooding is possible. It is a heads-up, not a statement that water is already in the road. A Flood Warning means flooding is happening or about to.
• Flash flooding: Water that rises quickly, often within a few hours, in creeks, ditches and low roads.
• High Wind Watch: Damaging wind is possible. Near us, the watch still covers Marion and Hamilton counties. Dunlap’s forecast is lower.
• Remnants: What’s left after a hurricane moves inland and weakens. For the Valley, that means rain and gusty wind, not a hurricane.
• Storm surge: Seawater pushed onshore by a storm. It’s a coastal danger. It does not happen in the Sequatchie Valley.
• Burn permit season: In Tennessee, a free Division of Forestry permit is required Oct. 15–May 15 to burn leaves or natural debris.

❓ Frequently Asked Questions

Is a hurricane going to hit Dunlap?

No. As of Friday morning, Isaias was a major hurricane expected to come ashore on the northern Gulf Coast tonight or early Saturday, then weaken inland. What reaches us is rain and gusty wind.

Was the Flood Watch cancelled overnight?

No. Sequatchie County, which includes Dunlap, is still in the Morristown office’s Flood Watch from 1 a.m. Saturday until 7 a.m. Sunday. Marion and Hamilton counties are in it too. Bledsoe County is still not named in that watch.

Are we in the High Wind Watch?

Dunlap is not. The High Wind Watch near us still covers Marion, Hamilton, Bradley and Polk counties. Dunlap’s Friday morning forecast calls for gusts up to 45 mph Saturday.

How much rain should we expect?

The Friday Flood Watch text says widespread totals of 1 to 2 inches from early Saturday through early Sunday, with locally heavier amounts. The exact amount still depends on the storm’s track. Check the forecast again this evening.

Will Monday be all right for school and outdoor plans?

The Friday morning forecast for Monday shows sunny skies and a high near 83. Schools make their own calls. Follow your district if anything changes.

Do I need a burn permit this weekend?

The statewide free permit requirement starts Oct. 15. There is no statewide burn ban right now, but this weekend’s wind and rain are poor burning weather. Wait for a calm day, then get the free permit when season starts.

What if the power goes out?

Sequachee Valley Electric Cooperative posts outage information on its website. Keep the fridge closed, keep generators outside and away from the house, and stay clear of downed lines.

🔗 Other Resources

• National Weather Service: Dunlap forecast
• National Weather Service Morristown
• National Hurricane Center
• Isaias maps, including rainfall
• Flood safety
• Sequachee Valley Electric Cooperative outages
• Tennessee burn permits
• TWRA deer hunting seasons
• Ready.gov: a simple family plan

🌤️ Button Up Friday, Then Let It Rain

There’s no need to fear this storm from a Dunlap porch. The major-hurricane part stays on the coast. Our job is the ordinary one: pick up what the wind could toss, give the water a clear path, and stay off a flooded road. Monday looks like a bright reset.

Check on a neighbor who might need a hand with a tarp or a ride, and check the forecast once more this evening. We’ll keep the sky in plain English. Read Dunlap.Today for the next update.