Good Friday, everyone. It’s a very busy weather day across our region, with the potential for flooding rains and severe thunderstorms. This action is along and ahead of Tropical Depression Cindy, rolling across Kentucky later today into tonight.
If Cindy is still a depression as it moves into Kentucky, this will mark the second time that’s happened in the past three Junes. Bill moved right over us back in 2015. Having that happen once in June is rare, but in 2 of 3 years is pretty much way out there.
Here’s the latest track from the NHC…
Much of the morning hours may be dry with some sun, then things go downhill quickly this afternoon.
Flooding is a big threat along and north of the track, where several inches of rain will fall through tonight. In addition to the flood threat, severe thunderstorms will develop across the central and east this afternoon and early evening. Damaging winds and a couple tornadoes are possible.
All of this mess moves away by Saturday morning, with a VERY cool air mass settling in here this weekend into the middle of next week. Can we get some record lows early next week? That’s possible as temps drop into the 40s…
I will be tracking severe storms and flooding on WKYT-TV as needed during today’s event. I have you all set to track the storms on your own…
Have a great day and take care.
Thanks Chris, We are now in a dry slot, but with the depression still to our southwest, and a vigorous cold front to our northwest, is a set up that could be explosive if the two systems come together latter this afternoon, in my opinion. Where the collision will be, we can’t predict at this time. This is interesting, but could be dangerous for some folks. The much cooler, dryer weather, along with the lower dew points next week is possibly due to the NAO going into the negative phase, which slows down the westerlies, allowing cooler air to move further south than usual for this time of year. Have a great and safe day everyone.
Pretty much where the Slight Risk is outlined is where the most sun and dry weather is currently. This could prove to be what contributes most to any severe weather that takes place. I know the clouds I am seeing out currently are moving at a pretty good clip.
Thanks, CB! The Storm Prediction Center will give a new update in about another 30 minutes but there is currently a low but real threat today of an isolated tornado or two for central and eastern parts of KY and TN. Similar to the relatively low tornado threat Alabama had yesterday yet Fairfield Alabama’s EF2 showed that the threat was not zero. Today’s damaging straight line wind threat for us may have even higher chances.
No big surprise that the Weather Prediction Center continues to paint the area with heavy rains as well.
As fate would have it, a year ago today was when West Virginia experienced its devastating flood event that centered on White Sulphur Springs, WV. The resulting loss of life and devastation is still numbing but hopefully it will keep more people today on their toes.
Also, June 23 1944 was by far West Virginia’s worst tornado outbreak with 104 fatalities in WV alone although Pennsylvania and Maryland were also hard hit.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1944_Appalachians_tornado_outbreak
In general, tornadoes are fairly rare in West Virginia. Many storms move from the southwest and of course there is rough terrain southwest of West Virginia; rugged topography seems to be problematic for tornado genesis. But the 1944 storms were rare in that they moved from the northwest; perhaps the relatively flat terrain in and near Ohio was a factor that allowed ideal tornadic ingredients which then resulted in tornadic t-storms moving into northern West Virginia. Anyway, once the 1944 tornadoes touched down, they traversed WV’s ridges and mountains with seemingly little trouble. A similar large outbreak of stronger tornadoes may be rather unlikely today, but still good to have early warning devices ready to go. Take care everybody.
Heaviest rain I have seen from this rolling through my back yard
right now
Looking forward to the 40s!
Looks like the corridor of heavy rain causing the flooding that was forecasted along the parkways/I64 is more of an I70 event.
The flooding that occurred around eastern Ky back in (I think) May 2009 was bad! I have looked around the internet and only found a report that said 3-6 inches of rain is what fell then. Does anybody remember how many inches (exactly) Floyd county got?
When I think of Floyd county, I think of Prestonsburg. However, I did not find any precipitation amounts for that time period. But Paintsville to the north only received about 3″ over an 11 consecutive day rain event. But, Jackson recorded nearly 7″ during a 12 day stretch. The major flooding that occurred around Floyd county and Pike county was right around the time of Mother’s Day weekend where some areas in the state saw 3-6″ in a short amount of time. Also a deadly tornado struck Madison and Garrard counties…EF-2 to EF-3 strength
Thanks, Mike S. Just trying to figure out what chances we have of being ran out of our home due to flooding.
I’m lowering my forecast rainfall estimate for my location from 2.35″ to 1.45″. I have received 0.37″ since yesterday. Some places picked up over 1.50″ yesterday statewide. However, I cannot see any rain totals hitting 5″, unless the mountains in far east Ky have something to say about that.
Yeah I agree I’m not at all that impressed with what I’m seeing on radar. Which I guess is a good thing. I’ll take beneficial rain over flooding rain.
Regardless of final rain totals, someone is getting hammered. And no LD, I am not talking about myself. 😉
LoL
Looks like this is an I70 rain event instead of I64. Which is fine by me.
Where’s the rain? Was expecting to get smacked around now. More to the west instead?
Another near miss? Cool with that if so.
Nevermind. Not sure what map I was looking at. It is still moving from the west. Does not look like a big long train of rain, but more condensed and moving fast.
Tornado warning for Taylor county presently. I’m surprised there are no current livestreams from any Lexington stations unless that is technically outside the market area.
Reports of flooding along N Dixie Hwy in Hardin county. Also reports of wires down on some roads…no damage reports coming out of warned storm yet per area scanners.
Tree blocking roadway on Guthrie lane
West poplar street and St John’s ….water rescue…man on top of his car
Ring Road completely flooded
Chris , can you get WKYT to check to see what is wrong with the livestream on tbeir main website. I have tried to watch the livestream from 5:43 pm to 6:12pm, and jt was all advertising/commercials. Tried on my android phone, tablet and my windows laptop, all the same thing. I have no cable or satellite, and depend on the livestream for news and weather. The wymt 57 livestream works, but wkyt livestream is only advertising , no matter which device i try it on.
I get the exact same thing and this is not the first time. I guess there’s just something wrong with the Stream. But they should deactivate it if there’s something wrong you would think.
Mesonet shows 62mph gust in Marion co!
The barometric pressure has dropped significantly in Lexington. Down to 29.64 right now. Hard to believe the record is less than 29.00. That was during the blizzard of January 1978
The hardest rain of the day and the wind is really cranking!
beattyville just got smacked hard. southfork has trees, telephones and electric lines and poles down everywhere. crazy strong burst.