Good Wednesday, folks. This first day after Christmas is looks pretty darn awesome, but things take a big turn for Thursday and Friday. That’s when another potent storm system (drink) rolls our way, bringing a lot of wind and rain back to the bluegrass state. After that, the pattern threatens to go into the winter tank as we head into 2019.
Let us start out with the good news part of the weather program and that’s today. Highs hit the 50s in most areas with a 60 out west. After morning fog burns away, expect a partly sunny sky to take over.
A major plains storm system gets cranking later today and really cranks on Thursday. That system will drag a cold front into our region, with widespread showers and thunderstorms along and ahead of it. High winds and heavy rainfall will take center stage around here…
Those wind gusts may top 50mph at times from west to east Thursday into Thursday night. The high winds show up in the west first…
Notice the numbers increase across central Kentucky…
After that system blows through, the models are still trying to get a handle on the amount of cold dropping into the country and how that interacts with a series of systems coming from the southern branch of the jet stream.
Here’s the GFS from this weekend through the middle of next week…
The new version of the GFS is similar is similar with the active southern branch giving way to a shot of very cold air…
Waves of low pressure are setting up just as cold shots start showing up. This is right on cue with many of my analogs that highlight January through March for some significant winter weather in this region. Doesn’t mean that’s for each and every system, but you get the idea.
I will hook you up with more updates later today, so check back. Make it a good one and take care.
I like the trend on the models as it matches with the blocking getting established by the oscillations going forward. Only problem is the short term amount of cold rain coming, especially for SE KY which is currently forecasted to get hit again twice for the weekend and New Year’s early week after the heavy rain Thursday and Friday. It looks like a big flood threat down my way over the next 7 days or so.
Hopefully a lot of it’s had time to runoff. That’s what’s happened up my way. There has been just enough of a break between the big rains to lessen the threat of major flooding. The ground hasn’t been totally dry here in over six months though. I hope January produces some Winter, December has been dismal, after October and November looked so promising.
You are right. Ground never got dry even during the summer. Never witnessed a year as wet as this one. What’s amazing is that the huge rain totals just didn’t come because of days with crazy rain amounts. It was caused by so many different days that it rained. It’s been a miserable year weather wise unlesse you were a fan of wet cloudy days.
you are right, even in the summer months I mowed my lawn wet every single time. wettest weather around here I’ve ever seen. I seen someone post a few days ago how this area is becoming like the pacific north west for rain. I tend to agree.
Thanks Chris. I hope we can get some good snow this winter. Love to see the ground covered with a thick white blanket of snow! As much as I love ti, I know there are a lot who doe not, (one of my daughters being one of them) so I will say it this way….please give us one really good snowstorm and I will take flurries and skiffs for the rest of the year. I won’t like it, but I will take it! 😉 Have a great day everyone.