Rains and above-freezing temperatures throughout much of Tennessee are causing flooding and slick roadways.
Gov. Bill Haslam elevated Tennessee on Saturday to a higher level state of emergency, meaning hard-hit areas may be eligible for state and federal assistance.
Power outages spiked from less than 10,000 Saturday morning to 50,459 by the afternoon. About 33,000 of the electrical outages are in Cumberland and Fentress counties.
The Tennessee Emergency Management Agency says the melting snow and ice combined with one to three inches of rain was increasing the potential for flash flooding Saturday. The National Weather Service issued a flood watch for parts of East Tennessee through Monday and all of Middle Tennessee through Sunday morning.
State officials say the storms and freezing temperatures this week have caused 18 deaths, including nine attributed to hypothermia.
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To contact news editor Max Smith, email newseditor@mtsusidelines.com
