Good Monday everyone. It has been a gorgeous start to summer across the bluegrass state with temps in the warm upper 70s and low 80s. Wait… what? It’s NOT summer? This is only the middle of March? Huh… you could have fooled me. The warmest readings of this entire stretch are likely today and Tuesday and more records should be taken out.

Readings today will be close to 80 degrees in many cases and some areas may make a run at 85. Here’s a look at the records for today:

Lexington:  79 1945

Louisville:  83  1907

Bowling Green:  86 1907

Paducah:  81 1995

Covington  81 1907

Ashland:  85 1945

If you miss out on breaking a record today… there is always Tuesday. Highs will likely hit the low and mid 80s with a gusty southwesterly wind kicking up. I still cannot rule out a scattered thunderstorm blowing up over the next few days.

The warm weather rolls into the middle of the week and that’s when we start to see a few changes showing up with an upper level low crawling into the Ohio Valley. This should bring an increase in clouds and showers and storms. It will also put an end to the ridiculously warm temps we have had of late.

While the weather will feel cool for a few days… it will only take us a little closer to normal. As a matter of fact.. the overall pattern looks to continue to run warmer than normal. Check out the running 7 day temp departures from the GFS Ensembles…

You can see very little way in terms of normal or below normal temps anywhere across the country. It’s just that week 2 doesn’t have that summer look to it… just your normal March warmth.

Have a great Monday and take care.