Winter Comes Early for Tennessee Lodge

— -- Winter came early.

Employees at the LeConte Lodge in the Great Smokey Mountains National Park in Tennessee dug themselves out of 22 inches of snow that fell Saturday.

The temperature on Saturday was nine degrees, LeConte Lodge general manager Tim Line said. Today the temperature is up to 10 degrees.

Guests at LeConte Lodge have been snowed in since Friday.

"They occupy themselves," Line said. "They stayed up in the office building yesterday (Saturday) and read, and sat in the rocking chairs by the heater. A few of them ventured out and took some short hikes."

Temperatures are expected to be 20 degrees warmer on Monday, which may melt some of the snow.