A Sticky and Hot Rest of the Weekend with Increasing Rain Chances Next Week, Plus a Look at the Tropics

Good morning, East Tennessee!
As your local meteorologist, I’m bringing you the latest weather update for Saturday, July 5, 2025. We’re stuck in a warm groove today, and not much has changed in the forecast—keeping it hot and sunny. This easy-to-read blog covers today’s weather for Knoxville, Chattanooga, and the Great Smoky Mountains, plus a look at the weekend and what’s ahead. Let’s dig in and plan your day!

The Rest of the Holiday Weekend:Keeping It Hot and Dry
Through the rest of the holiday weekend—Sunday, July 6, 2025—the weather stays the same. Highs will sit in the 90s, with the heat index hanging around the mid to upper 90s under clear, dry skies. It’s a warm finish to the 4th of July fun, great for barbecues or fireworks without any storm worries across East Tennessee. There is a very small chance for an isolated afternoon thundestorm in the Smoky Mountains. Other than that, that’s about it. Just something to think about if you have plans to be in the Great Smoky Mountain National Park.

Next Week: Getting Muggy with Increasing Rain Chances
Looking ahead, next week turns muggy with highs in the low 90s and a heat index near 100°F. As humidity climbs, we’ll see some showers and thunderstorms popping up—rain we really need to soak our dry ground. I’ll keep you updated as it rolls in.

Tropical Update: Keep an Eye on Tropical Storm Chantal
Big news—Tropical Storm Chantal is churning in the Atlantic, hitting the southeastern coast. Expect heavy rain from Charleston, SC, to the Mid-Atlantic through the weekend. You can track the tropics with the eastTNweather app. This will effect anyone vacationing in the southeast this next week. For us here in East Tennessee, there aren’t any direct impacts. We’ll just see increasing low level moisture, which will aid in storm development through next week.