Good afternoon, everyone. Major flooding is ongoing across areas of southeastern Kentucky and this looks to continue for a while as the rivers rise. Later this evening through Friday, it’s all about winter as snow develops across the entire region, bringing widespread accumulations.
Let’s begin with the flooding. It’s bad.. REALLY bad. Many roads are closed and several homes and businesses have water in them across the southeast. The flash flooding is transitioning to a general flood with the Cumberland River likely reaching major flood levels over the next few days.
Here are your flood tracking tools…
Cold air continues to push east across the area as another area of low pressure develops along the front. This will cause rain and snow to break out across the west late this afternoon and early evening. By late evening, snow is taking over across western and central Kentucky and will intensify as it moves east into early Friday.
Accumulations are likely for many, with the greatest impact across central and eastern Kentucky. Here’s an update to my first call I had on WKYT last night…
I’m worried about this becoming an overachiever, so those numbers may have to be adjusted up in some areas. I will have a brand New Call For Snowfall on WKYT starting at 4pm.
The GFS is much more widespread with the snow and matches my map from above…
The Canadian is doing what the NAM has done a couple of times in recent days and blows this into a big event…
The NAM is pretty neurotic and it shows with the latest run…
Hi Res NAM
Regardless of how much snow falls, this will be a high impact travel event early Friday. With so much water out there from recent rains and temps hitting the 20s, we are going to ice things up pretty good as the snow falls.
Winter Weather Advisories should already be out, but you know how it goes around here…
Again, I will have the latest on WKYT-TV starting at 4pm and will likely have snowfall updates through the early evening shows. I’ll be back on KWC this evening.
Have a good one and take care.
Under a pretty heavy snow band near Henderson right now. Something to finally see! Rodger in Dodger
Let us know what you end up with! I’m thinking that this might be a rambunctous kind of snowfall. On this date in ’98, we had about 15″(local wx dude just mentioned it-and my age prevented me from remembering it until I thought about it..lol) That was really a surprising one!
For a little over month (shocked for sure but TRUTH I SAY) GFS has been extremely accurate, so I hope people get some snow if the GFS verifies. Obviously, SE KY needs NO PRECIP but I will still enjoy seeing the flakes…can’t help it π
There really haven’t been any “near misses” this year. It’s been straight up warm temps and rain. Models haven’t even had a decent chance to waffle. 50’s again next week but with all the rain, streams will be to high to get good fishing in.
The offset here would be the warmer ground. Need fast snow rate too fill in, or mostly gone by the time the ground is cold enough. Cut CB’s map in half for snow otherwise. Except higher elevations.
Hopefully, something gives and we don’t see several inches of rain next week or we will rival 1977. It is about to move out and I will update later for a final event total. I would like to see snow tomorrow but the ground has standing and running water down here, so much accumulation is highly doubtful except trees and non ground areas. Also, still almost 60 here which will hurt my chances but really need no precipitation right now at all.
Sure wish it had been 4 to 6 inches of snow instead of rain but it is Rainuary afterall π
Models have flip flop for next week..Showing colder so less rain..Who knows..Lol..Hopefully there right for a change..
I know I am being a blog hog lately with all of this crazy weather, but one more comment. This is probably the earliest in my lifetime beating out even the super early springs of 2012 and last few years, I see more than one Quince and Forsythia already blooming and some Willows are green…earliest spring ever? Bradford Pears are separating florets on some trees as well. I hope we trend cooler after next week or I may be in full bloom here before March and that gives about 0% fruit for people. I hope this brief taste of winter isn’t the last and we can cool and dry this pattern down some as it is not far away from needing to cut some gra$$ here as well. Palms growing crazy, all be it water logged π
I look forward to your comments and updates. The blog should be utilized this way. I just wish it wasn’t for a flood event. I see Spring trees and blooms being be even earlier than 2012. I saw long range forecast thru first week of March yesterday. It says warm and wet the whole time….ugh!!!
Thanks Chris. Finally we get a chance to see a little snowfall. Ok take it! Being in hospital for almost 6 moths , I missed fall. So to see some snow would be nice… Might help with some of the sickness too. Have a wonderful afternoon! As itβs great to be back!
We’ve all glad to see you back on here Coffeelady. There were many prayers being sent your way from this group and we really missed you.
The road that goes by Pikeville Elementary is completely closed in both directions because of a mudslide and the creeks and river are rising fast…with all the rain forecasted over the next week on top of what these areas have already received there are going to be some serious issues I’m afraid.
My county McDowell County, WV is currently under a state of emergency. I don’t have a rain gauge, but I say that 3 and 4 inches is a good estimate, since last night. Sadly, snow is predicted tomorrow, 1-3 inches, plus another heavy dose of rain next week. It is a catastrophic situation unfolding here as I type this message. :'( McDowell is just like eastern KY for the most part. Very similar in each and every way…
Snow is a much, lesser evil than flooding. Main problems with it are slick roads of course, the occasional roof falling in due to the weight of heavy snow, and occasionally the electricity going off of course. That is unless heavy rain follows it, and that happens quite a bit here sad to say.
We usually receive more snow than eastern KY does, simply because of higher elevation, though not always…
Our snowfall from last night and this morning is now over. It only took me an hour to shovel two driveways (mine and my neighbor’s), since it was basically a light and fluffy snow. 2 1/4 inches accumulated on the gra$$, and 1 1/2 inches on the pavement. Looks like much of the Chicago area got around 2 to 3 inches.
So this ties our largest snowfall of the season from the day before Halloween.
Looks like a lot of you guys in Central and Eastern Kentucky will get as much snow tonight as I did last night and this morning.
Want to send prayers and well wishes to our folks in southeast and east KY who are really under the rain train guns and flooding…hoping you miss anymore big rains for a good while!
Event total rainfall: 5.46 in.
Most of this rain (about 4 inches) came since yesterday evening through noon today, or in about 18 hrs but the lighter portion fell over two and one half days.
Well it started drizzling and I just recorded more precip onto the same d day’s total…I guess I write down 5.46 in for the main RainTrain and let this new system start this evening as it is a new wave of energy. Yikes, precipitation crazy down here:P
I got just over half an inch of rain this week. I figured the rain estimates for me were over done. The Charleston NWS is not impressed with the snow chances. No watches or advisories. Matter of fact they have me with a mix tomorrow maybe an early morning coating. A mix for me is just another way of saying cold rain.
That would be terrible if you all get none but across the line into KY does. I hope you get something as you have a better chance to stick than me as we are still 50 here and water running through the yard…just not good going into a snow event for me but maybe the trees will be pretty?
Plants and vines are getting green here along roads and streams. Easter Lilies have been up for 3 weeks. This is much earlier than 2012 was. I can’t remember a Winter this warm.
WWA….hey I get to dip into my 5000lbs of salt tonight…Hope we get several over the next month.
I hope we trend colder. We are getting close to trees blooming down here. Dang Willows are green a month early! #TooWarmTooWet
Where I live in Southern Ohio we are under a winter weather advisory.
I know I said I was throwing in the towel on my last comment on one of the weather post, but I’m ready to see what this winter system is going to do. I’m excited about it, but at the same time I’m not going to get too excited, because you know how things go around here. I’m hoping for a big down burst of several inches.