The National Weather Service (NWS) in Morristown has issued a winter storm warning for Greene County, including the possibility of several inches of snow from 4 p.m. today through 7 p.m. Saturday.

At 9 a.m. today, Mike Propst, of the NWS office in Morristown, said in a telephone interview with The Greeneville Sun that Greene County can expect snowfall later today of three inches in the valleys and up to seven inches in the higher elevations.

More snowfall is expected on Saturday, Propst said.

A written warning from the weather service, issued at 4:18 a.m. today for Greene and surrounding counties, warns that:

* Rain is likely to begin this morning and change to snow during the afternoon.

* The snow is expected to continue through Saturday, with the snowfall expected to be heavy at times tonight and Saturday morning.

* Accumulations of 2-5 inches of snow are possible in the northwest area of Greene County, and accumlations of 4-8 inches of snow are predicted for the southeast area of the county.

* Temperatures tonight are expected to be in the mid-to-high-20s to low 30s.

* Occasional snow is likely on Saturday, with total snowfall accumulation of 5 to 10 inches expected by Saturday evening. Higher amounts are possible in the highest elevations.

* Travel is expected to become hazardous by tonight.

A winter storm warning for heavy snow means severe winter weather conditions are expected or are occurring, according to the the weather service.

In addition, snowfall intensities will be heavy enough to substantially reduce visibility at times, according to the weather service.

"Travel is discouraged," the latest warning stated.

"If travel is unavoidable, keep an extra flashlight, food, and water in your vehicle in case of an emergency," the weather warning said.

According to the weather service, the rain and snow are being brought into northeast Tennessee and southwest Virginia by a low pressure system over the northern Gulf of Mexico that is expected to move northeast along the Carolina coast by tonight.

Meanwhile, state, county, and city highway and street officials have taken steps to prepare for the possibility of several inches of snow, as well as possible ice.

Hugh Wood, supervisor of the Greene County office of the Tennessee Department of Transportation, said this morning that state employees have already sprayed state highways in the county with a brine solution (salt water).

The spraying began Thursday and continued this morning.

The brine solution is designed to make it more difficult for snow or ice to bond to a road surface, and thus give highway teams more time to deal with the snow or ice by spreading salt that will melt it, Wood explained.

In addition, Wood said, scraper blades and salt-spreading equipment have been placed on state trucks in preparation for use if needed.

David Weems, Greene County Road Superintendent, said that the county highway department prepared Thursday for possible response to snow, or snow and ice.

He said that scraper blades and salt-spreading equipment had been placed on the department's trucks.

Salt is not loaded on trucks unless it is actually needed, but Weems said that the department has available a supply of salt that is about twice what is usually on hand.

In addition, he said, highway department employees had been told what hours they would be working -- some during the day, others at night -- if snow or snow and ice make road work necessary today, tonight, or over the weekend.

In Greeneville, Department of Public Works Director David Martin said this morning that his department had also been making preparations for dealing with possible snow, or snow and ice.

Snowplow blades and salt-spreading equipment have been placed on the department's trucks, a mixture of salt and chat is ready to be spread if needed, and staff have been put on standby to be called in, he said.

If snow or snow and ice do come, Martin explained, the department has a "hot list" of priority locations where difficult conditions typically occur, such as the East Church Street hill between Bernard Avenue and Barton Ridge Road.

"I feel like we're ready," he said.