Good afternoon, folks. It’s a much colder day in the bluegrass state, but it’s all eyes on another potent storm system on the way to close out 2018. I have no changes with this storm or the one that tries to follow it up during the first few days of the new year.

Some highlights of the New Year’s Eve storm:

  • Rain moves in Sunday night and will be heavy at times as a warm front lifts northward through the state.
  • Warmer air moves in for Sunday and temps surge into the 60s central and eastern Kentucky.
  • A squall line of showers and thunderstorms will sweep eastward across the state during the afternoon and evening.
  • Heavy rains of 1″-3″ will be possible during this event, especially in the west and central parts of Kentucky.
  • Some, at least, local high water issues will be possible.
  • High winds are going to be a major player and could reach between 50mph and 60mph.
  • Another round of wind damage is possible with this event.

Here’s how this storm looks…

Colder air crashes in behind this with system for New Year’s Day. As northwesterly winds kick in, I can’t rule out some flurries or snow showers late in the day into Wednesday.

The next system to potentially impact our weather would arrive Thursday into Friday. The GFS and new GFS are both well south and develop no storm…

The European Model has another major storm impacting the state with heavy rain, heavy snow and gusty winds…

That run of the Euro trended colder than the overnight run. One of the biases of the model is to be too far west with such systems because it holds on to the southwestern energy too long.

The Canadian continues to throw some snow into Kentucky…

The Icon Model continues to be farther north with rain and snow…

As you can see, it’s the entire modelling world verses the GFS and that’s usually a bad sign for the American model. As always, we shall see.

I will update things this evening. Make it a good one and take care.