RUTHERFORD COUNTY, TN (WGNS) - Weather forecasters—from the national desks to our local Middle Tennessee meteorologists—are unusually united this week, and that alone is enough to make folks sit up a little straighter. Predicting weather isn’t an exact science, but it has become impressively accurate, and right now the models are all pointing to a massive winter storm stretching from Texas to Maine. Texas is already bracing for freezing rain, sleet, and bitter cold that could knock out power and glaze highways. As the storm marches east, Pennsylvania and the Northeast are preparing for heavy snow and wind chills that will bite well into next week.

Here at home, Middle Tennessee sits right in the storm’s projected path. Snow, sleet, and freezing rain are all possible from Saturday into Sunday, and a Winter Storm Watch is already posted. Forecasters keep mentioning “south of I‑40,” but that’s several miles north of Murfreesboro, Smyrna, and most of Rutherford County. We’re an I‑24 community, and a slight shift in the storm track could mean the difference between a pretty snowfall… or a sheet of dangerous ice. And of course, there’s always the chance we dodge everything except the cold. That’s the mystery of winter weather in Tennessee. The smartest move is the one you learned back in your scouting days—be prepared.

So how ready are Rutherford County’s municipalities for whatever this storm becomes?

In Murfreesboro, the county’s largest city with an estimated 2026 population of 168,397, Public Works crews stand ready with five dump trucks outfitted with plows and salt spreaders. The city maintains a hefty stockpile of 800 to 1,000 tons of salt, and all personnel are on deck when winter weather hits.

Smyrna, home to more than 60,000 residents, follows a strict priority plan. Their Public Works Department aims for “dry pavement” on primary routes first—major roads, arterials, and access to StoneCrest Medical Center and emergency services. Secondary and neighborhood routes follow as conditions allow, supported by the town’s salt supply and plow fleet.

La Vergne, with roughly 41,430 residents, is urging early preparation. City crews are monitoring forecasts and will focus on keeping main and secondary roads open, using five fully equipped trucks. Officials encourage residents to stay connected through city communication channels.

And in Eagleville, the county’s smallest municipality at just over 1,000 residents, winter road safety is a shared effort. TDOT handles major routes with brine, plows, and salt, while the city and county manage local streets, giving priority to hills, bridges, and ramps.

Whether this weekend brings snow, ice, or just a deep chill, Rutherford County’s crews are gearing up—and hoping, like the rest of us, that the storm’s bark ends up worse than its bite.

As with any other weather challenge, WGNS Rutherford Weather is by your side on-the-air, on social media and on this website as we all make it through the storm together. Get reports and information through the various Rutherford Weather video channels (YouTube, Facebook, X), through WGNSRadio.com and over the air on radio. In the Murfreesboro area tune to AM 1450 and FM 101.9. For listeners to the north in Smyrna and LaVergne, tune to FM 100.5.