Level 3 is an official State of Emergency. At this level, a serious emergency or minor disaster has occurred or a situation is deteriorating rapidly and public warnings are being issued. The Tennessee Emergency Management Plan (TEMP) is activated and a state of emergency is automatically declared per TCA 58-2-107.

If the precipitation is just rain or just snow, the atmosphere is either greater than or less than 32°. When you add in a wintry mix — freezing rain or sleet — then one must evaluate the temperature at different levels of the atmosphere.