Good Saturday, everyone. It’s a pretty wild weather day taking shape across Kentucky as a potent storm works into the Ohio Valley. This setup has been well advertised for the past week and change, so now it’s time to see what all Mother Nature can bring our way.
Let’s begin with the latest Severe Weather Outlook from the SPC…
Here are some thoughts about the day:
- A squall line of strong storms works into western Kentucky early this morning. This line may fade a bit as it moves east.
- By late morning, the line may increase again as it works out of western Kentucky into central parts of the state.
- Damaging wind continues to be the absolute main threat with this line. There’s a small tornado risk as well.
- This line of strong to severe storms then works across central and eastern Kentucky this afternoon and evening.
- With or without severe storms, winds are a major player. Gusts in excess of 50mph will be possible.
- The greatest threat for flooding continues to be across western Kentucky.
- Ahead of the storms, record highs are likely today. Many areas of central and eastern Kentucky may reach 70-75.
I will have updated later today. As always, I leave you with your storm tracking tools…
Possible Watch Areas
Ma
UK Basketball
NFL playoff games
I hope I don’t lose my electric today.
Weren’t there supposed to be inches of rain with this as well, just a few days ago? Less rain is good. Seems some energy will reduce as it flows East, so less chance of power issues.
We are so used to the warmer temps, even a drop into the 20’s would seem arctic.
Generally, individual cells and squall lines greatly weaken by the time they reach far SE KY, but this mean line seems both stronger and farther east than the models had for Saturday morning. If it reaches SE KY before dark, we could see a greater wind threat and a small tornado threat rather than if late at night due to more instability in the daytime.
Looks like TennMark will be hit before noon with a pretty impressive line. I hope no major wind for Nashville. Enjoy the storms TennMark but stay safe!
They were saying locally last night that even though most times storms weaken at night, that wouldn’t be the case with this because of the wind fields being so close to the surface,or something to that effect?! I was having to watch the news on the roku because our local channels went out on dish last night, and even that kept getting stuck..lol. Now I am waiting for the tech to get here and fix it-he’ll probably show up just in time to blow off the roof! LOL! 😀
In wintertime, sun always helps with instability as is this case throughout the year, but what you heard was correct as all severe set-ups don’t behave the same, and depends on both low level and upper level dynamics.
Over the years in Harlan, I have had the worst storm damage during the late afternoon and early evening hours, and this whole setup looks earlier than before, which could put me in the line of fire before dark too.
Suddenly, I find myself a little less bored today with the weather 🙂
Gotta remember if the line of storms gets to far ahead of the front which is forecast to do. The line will lose a lot of it’s severe characteristics which is a good thing if one is not a fan of severe thunderstorms. Unfortunately if this happens you probably get bored again with the weather. lol
I will need a snickers then, lol. I haven’t had one in months 🙂
A rain-wrapped tornado in Cadiz a little bit ago
Numerous trees down, roof damage rainbow hill
Appears the front is moving sooner than expected. Yesterday it was going to move in later in the afternoon and now the leading edge is knocking on our door in Louisville
Clouds have been racing east while winds coming from the south. Winds near 50 mph with a deluge of tropicalesque rainfall
Already 72° in north Richmond with no sun. With sun I’d say we’d have been in the 80s easy. This system means business.
I heard on scanner of a tree on house trapping occupants in Jefferson county
Somewhere in St. Matthews according to Chris’ tweet.
Sun is out in Harlan. 75 already!!!
A state record may fall today….80 somewhere in the east?
Currently 82 at my house. It appears 60’s is the new normal for our area in Winter. With an occasional 80 in mid January. I walked my dog earlier today and heard the peepers in the ditch , incredible.
WOW! State record for WVA?
79 was the peak in KY (mesonets). I am back down to 70 now as a few light showers and thick clouds started around 2PM, so I think we have peaked on the heat in KY.
Not sure yet. The official number will come from one of the airports and it is always a few degrees lower because the airports are on mountain tops. But regardless, I am pretty sure it was the highest January temp ever recorded. My Sister says her daffodils are about 3 inches above ground today.
When the locals predicted 75 earlier in the week. I had a good suspicion 80 was going to be topped. I was right.
Storm just blew through Bardstown. A LOT of big wind upon approach, and of course, rain, but both have calmed down a lot-all within about 8 minutes or so.
77 degrees in Pikeville at noon.
Around 7 AM this morning, temperatures ranged from a bitterly cold 30 degrees below zero (actual air temp, not wind chill) at International Falls, Minnesota, to an unseasonably warm 65 degrees in Louisville.
That is one heck of a temperature difference, 95 degrees, of two places less than 1000 miles apart (928, to be exact)! No small wonder there’s been several tornadoes in the warm sector this morning.
Hope everyone’s safe today in Kentucky/Tennessee.
Forget 65….approaching 80 here in SE KY. Crazy warm. Crazy warm all next week here too until Friday.
Mobile home trailer has overturned with occupants inside in Madison county, I think.
Occupants are out of the residence, according to authorities, no serious injuries
That storm was crazy as it blew through. Barely a light breeze now and light rain in north Richmond. Glad nobody was seriously hurt in the blowover.
My son has two trees down in his yard and took a fence down. Took the top off of a silo near him. He lives in Madison County. I could hear trees failing in the woods behind my house in Estill County.
I think those severe storms in East TN will end up making it into Bell and Harlan. Regardless if they stay below severe limit in SE KY, they will still be a bit mean!
We’re in the cold sector of the storm now in the Chicago area, with 2 to 3 inches of snow expected in the next few hours before ending. The temp is around 31 degrees.
The rainfall Friday night into Saturday morning here fell well short of expectations… 3 to 4 inches of rain was predicted for the area, but only 1 to 2 inches fell.
Whatever snow we get tonight will melt by early in the week, as temps are predicted to be well in the 40s by Tuesday, with the much colder pattern being delayed another week.