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Today, Tennessee Governor Bill Lee announced that President Trump has approved Tennessee’s request for a Major Disaster Declaration following Winter Storm Fern that impacted West and Middle Tennessee counties on January 24-27, 2026. This approval makes FEMA Public Assistance available for eligible government entities and certain private nonprofit organizations, including houses of worship, in 15 counties to support response and recovery efforts, including reimbursement for qualifying disaster-related costs. This is in addition to the eight counties that have already been approved for Category B, Emergency Protective Measures, Public Assistance.

Many Tennesseans affected by Winter Storm Fern are continuing to transition from immediate response into recovery, and now is the time to stay alert to remaining hazards while beginning cleanup and repairs. Use caution around downed power lines, unstable trees or limbs, and debris. If you’re using a generator, operate it outdoors only—never in a garage or enclosed area—to avoid carbon monoxide poisoning. Keep checking on neighbors who may still need help, especially older adults and people with medical needs, and continue keeping phones charged as power and services return to normal.

Many Tennesseans impacted by Winter Storm Fern are transitioning from immediate response to recovery, and now is the time to take practical steps to stay safe while beginning cleanup and repairs. Continue using caution around lingering hazards—watch for downed power lines, unstable trees or limbs, and use generators outdoors only, never in a garage or enclosed space, to prevent carbon monoxide poisoning. Check on neighbors who may still need assistance, particularly older adults and those with medical needs, and keep phones charged as restoration and services continue to normalize.

In response to Winter Storm Fern, state and local partners continue working together to support communities most impacted by prolonged power outages. Thanks to a generous donation from Elon Musk and xAI, the state received 500 generators, and they have now been fully distributed to the most impacted communities across Tennessee to help residents meet urgent needs. Distribution is being coordinated locally to ensure resources reach the people who need them most. In Davidson County, Nashville Office of Emergency Management is coordinating delivery to residents. In other impacted counties, local emergency management agencies are managing distribution through established recovery operations and community partners.

In response to Winter Storm Fern, state and local partners are working together to help communities most impacted by prolonged power outages. Through a generous donation from Elon Musk and xAI, the state received and distributed 500 generators to local partners across Tennessee to support residents with urgent needs in the most impacted counties.

The Tennessee Emergency Management Agency continues to urge Tennesseans whose homes have been damaged due to Winter Storm Fern to report their damages through TEMA’s Damage Assessment Survey. Examples of reportable damage include burst pipes, water damage, and trees that have fallen on your home. These survey results are a critical step in the validation process for FEMA Individual Assistance but does not guarantee assistance.

On Jan. 28, Governor Bill Lee requested an Expedited Major Disaster Declaration for 23 counties in Tennessee, seeking both FEMA Individual Assistance and Public Assistance. An expedited request may be made when the state believes impacts in affected communities may meet federal thresholds, allowing the process to begin as quickly as possible to support Tennesseans in need.

Very cold weather continues statewide for the next few days with dangerously cold wind chills. Overnight low temperatures will drop into the single digits to teens, with negative wind chills possible. Sunday highs will be in the mid-30s across most of the state to 20s in East Region. Scattered snow showers will taper off overnight Saturday into Sunday morning. These winter conditions continue to impact travel, infrastructure, and recovery efforts across affected regions.

The Tennessee Emergency Management Agency (TEMA) is asking anyone whose home has been impacted by recent events to complete a new, easy-to-use survey to report any damages.

We continue to urge Tennesseans to be weather aware going into the weekend as a Winter Storm Watch is in effect for most of East Tennessee east of I-75 from Friday at 1:00 p.m. EST through Sunday at 1:00 a.m. EST. Forecasts indicate moderate to heavy snowfall, with expected accumulations of 2–4 inches across Tennessee, which may further impact already stressed infrastructure, roadways, and power restoration efforts in affected areas.

Today, Governor Bill Lee, announced he requested an Expedited Major Disaster Declaration on Wednesday, January 28, from the federal government for 23 Tennessee counties impacted by recent winter weather. This request is intended to accelerate access to federal assistance and support ongoing response and recovery operations as the state continues to address widespread storm impacts.

Power restoration remains Tennessee’s top priority following Winter Storm Fern. To support restoration efforts, the state continues to focus on clearing downed trees and debris to restore access for utility crews, emergency responders, and the public.

The Tennessee Emergency Management Agency (TEMA) has opened the Tennessee Disaster Information Line to support Tennesseans impacted by Winter Storm Fern who may still need information, resources, or assistance as recovery efforts continue across the state.

Winter Storm Fern continues to impact all regions of Tennessee, with widespread effects including prolonged cold temperatures, icy road conditions, and intermittent power outages. While some areas experienced limited thawing during daylight hours, overnight refreezing and continued below-normal temperatures are expected to further slow restoration and recovery efforts statewide.

Restoring power remains TEMA’s top priority. TEMA continues to coordinate closely with local power companies to assess system impacts and identify any unmet needs that may require state-level support. This coordination is ongoing to support power restoration efforts and maintain situational awareness across affected regions.