Good Wednesday, folks. This first day after Christmas is looks pretty darn awesome, but things take a big turn for Thursday and Friday. That’s when another potent storm system (drink) rolls our way, bringing a lot of wind and rain back to the bluegrass state. After that, the pattern threatens to go into the winter tank as we head into 2019.

Let us start out with the good news part of the weather program and that’s today. Highs hit the 50s in most areas with a 60 out west. After morning fog burns away, expect a partly sunny sky to take over.

A major plains storm system gets cranking later today and really cranks on Thursday. That system will drag a cold front into our region, with widespread showers and thunderstorms along and ahead of it. High winds and heavy rainfall will take center stage around here…

Those wind gusts may top 50mph at times from west to east Thursday into Thursday night. The high winds show up in the west first…

Notice the numbers increase across central Kentucky…

After that system blows through, the models are still trying to get a handle on the amount of cold dropping into the country and how that interacts with a series of systems coming from the southern branch of the jet stream.

Here’s the GFS from this weekend through the middle of next week…

The new version of the GFS is similar is similar with the active southern branch giving way to a shot of very cold air…

Waves of low pressure are setting up just as cold shots start showing up. This is right on cue with many of my analogs that highlight January through March for some significant winter weather in this region. Doesn’t mean that’s for each and every system, but you get the idea.

I will hook you up with more updates later today, so check back. Make it a good one and take care.