Good Monday everyone. We are kicking off a wild week of weather across the bluegrass state and for much of the country. Nothing like thunderstorms and snow sandwiched into the week before Christmas to get things fired up around here. Speaking of… looks like I missed some fireworks in the comments section over the weekend. You guys are too funny… I love it. 🙂
The overall pattern across the country is kicking it into overdrive this week. Things are getting very active and there is going to be a lot of winter before the week is out and we will get in on some of that. The trend is for more and more winter to overwhelm the country between now and the new year.
The action gets started today with an area of low pressure crossing the state from southwest to northeast. This system will have enough dynamics to produce scattered thunderstorms. Some of these storms could contain hail and high winds. The Storm Prediction Center has placed much of the state in the Slight Risk today…
Current Risk
Current Watches
Wind will be rather gusty today, with or without thunderstorms. We could see gusts around 30mph as this low works through. Colder air moves in tonight and there could be a rain or snow shower Tuesday morning in the north and east.
The big dog of the week will be the storm system moving in Wednesday night and Thursday. A strong area of low pressure will work into the northern Ohio Valley and Great Lakes during this time. That will drag a powerful cold front through here and means a few things:
– Temps will start in the 50s Thursday before falling into the upper 20s and low 30s from west to east during the afternoon and evening.
– Winds will be a major player. 40-50mph gusts will be possible with this front.
– Showers and thunderstorms will be along and ahead of the front with a period of snow and squalls right behind it. Snow showers and squalls should be common from late Thursday afternoon through Friday. The Canadian continues to be very aggressive with the wraparound snows…
Friday is a frigid day with upper 20s and low 30s for highs. Gusty winds will make it feel like it’s in the teens at times.
That sets us up for a cold weekend with the potential for a system dropping in from the northwest Saturday night and Sunday. That may produce a period of light snow and bring a reinforcing shot of cold.
t’s at that point we watch for a storm to develop in the Rockies and roll eastward by late Christmas or early the following day. Here’s the how the European Model sees it…
That storm looks like a major travel headache for much of the country and it should have a sizeable impact on our weather.
So there ya have it… a wild week of weather. I will have updates as needed throughout the day. I’m not supposed to be on your TV today, so you never know when I will post on a “day off”.
Make it a wonderful Monday and take care.
hope weather dont get to bad where you are needed to be called in due to severe weather.
to be honest i could use a good ol fashion thunder boomer . spent my entire summer in houston , and it was dry for most of the summer. they were a few storms and bouts of rain, but stayed dry for the most part.
looking forward to enjoying the cold weather now that im back home in kentucky. im used to my december temps cool and chilly, not in the 60s and 70s, close to 80.
thanks for all u do for us chris.
I’m sorry, did I miss something? I saw no attack on CB whatsoever. Frustration, yes, but not an attack or disrespect.
Let it snow let it snow let it snow :):):):):) O yeah
Chris I think you are the best. As for the weather, no matter what we get it’s going be an interesting week.
I saw all the comments. I decided to let it all play out. We all are here because of CB and should respect this is his site.
Hi Patty. I’ve been out in the land of moderation for some reason. 95% of my posts are still there. Hope you and your family are well. It will be interesting to see what this winter brings to Versailles.
Thank-you, Chris for your dedication to this weather blog. Hope you’re better soon.
Thanks, Chris. Whatever happens, it is indeed going to be an interesting time over the next week or so for sure. Glad I have twitter so I can see those day off posts!
Right on cue.. Euro model is coming around to the GFS solution of lows cutting into the Great Lakes, keeping us warmer. Interesting…
Say it ain’t so…..
WxMan…do you think the GFS predictions of snowfall for Chicago/northern /Indiana is correct? Or somewhere in b/t ECMWF & GFS? ECMWF has been the more reliable model UNTIL winter starting (when it counts the most) :/
Hey wxman! Is that on your blog?
Thanks all and ….
Merry Christmas
Yep it’s on there.
Great! Thanks….and thanks to all the fine folks professional and amateur who add their predictions.
We’re learning a lot from you all.
thanks, Chris for all you do- tireless.
Think SNOW!!!
Like last year, the GFS had credibility, IF used as part of the composite solution. I think this winter will probably be an average of last winter and the previous, so a winter “1.5” if you will.
yep WXMAN there nothing to see here as far as WINTER goes nmext few weeks, I admit I MISSED my XMAS prediction as well. aint going be no snow on XMAS.
Being a weather “junkie” is time consuming for me, but so much fun! Thanks, Chris, for your dedication! It’s so much fun checking to see the next “runs”! When you announced you were leaving WSAZ, I nearly cried…sure glad you set up this Blog! Thanks again and have a blessed day!
The dome says, ” I will see your snow, and raise you a thunderstorm”
Finally getting some decent rain for the 1st time in a month
What happened to the whole shift in the polar vortex that was supposed to bring the jetstream way down…and the cold air…and the snow? It doesn’t look like much cold air will ever make it down too far into the eastern U.S. this winter…looks like a repeat of last winter for sure. As a snow lover myself, I’m almost ready to throw the towel in.
Have patience my friend! The cold and snow will come. Remember it is still FALL.
depending on personal view its fall or winter
If the snow won’t come to me, I’ll go to the snow..! Headed up north to Collingwood, ON. Canada…
I’ll send picks through twitter…
GO STEELERS..!
I’m really happy I ran upon your blog. I’ve really missed reading your updates on the news station you were on before you left and went to the news station that you are at now.
Thanks for all your hard work and dedication.
Sadly, I have to say, I do not get to watch your weather cast anymore…I have direct tv and it does not carry that station 🙁
Merry Christmas to you and your family…..and I hope we can see a few snow flakes during Christmas 🙂
Hopefully the Xmas day and after tracks futher to the south. Each bout of snow the midwest receives will help push the lows further to the south.
Agreed that the signs to our north suggests January should be a more winter than last year.
I commenedt in early December on this site,was that global warming hypers would eat their words this winter. This weekend will only be a short preview! The 2 weeks after that will be brutal here and for most of the country as well, with lots of snow and cold! Look to the Four-Corners type lows bowling almost due east,then up the coast. Snowstorm developing late Christmas to the middle of that week will be OLD School(areas between I-40 and I-70).. but there will be a bigger one following it and lots of smaller(1-6″) snows too. the old school one will bring the mega cold after it on top of the snow, at least 2-4 weeks of solid snow on the ground in Ky this winter(may happen 2 times,or last longer)
You don’t disprove a long term trend every time it snows lol. I’ve lived here for over 40 years and I see Ky. weather now is like weather in Georgia 25-30 yrs. ago. No more icebox weather that lasts for weeks. These piddly wraparound snows are dustings. The only way we get slammed anymore is overrunning moisture from a Southern Storm coming up tapping Gulf moisture. But who knows? Maybe we’ll get a few of them this winter.
That’s funny…too much Fox News. In case you haven’t noticed, this will be the hottest year ever, for both the US and globally. This follows the warmest decade on record, till this one is over of course. The climate in Kentucky has become more like that of Atlanta 30 years ago. Spring comes earlier each year and fall comes later each year. Summers are hotter and drier and winters are warm and wet. I guarantee that any snow that falls won’t stick around for more than 3 days. I also guarantee that we will set zero record cold temp records but will set several warm records as Lexington did last night.
Nothing like a new fashioned Christmas in KY….severe weather, temps around 60, & some nice rain thrown in the mix. Anyone wanna fire up the grill after opening presents?
I love it…about time we had some weather excitement!!!