Good Wednesday to one and all. Areas of light snow are out there today as we continue to focus on a potential winter storm for Friday and Saturday. That means our Winter Storm THREAT continues with a possible upgrade later today.
Periods of light snow and snow showers continue across the region today with light accumulations across central and eastern Kentucky. Coatings will be common with the chance for a few areas to pick up a half to 1″. Here’s a look at the area with the best chance or that…
This snow has caused roads to become snow covered in several areas.
Can we clear the skies tonight and early Thursday to allow temps to absolutely tank? That’s the big question in terms of the temps. Where skies clear, temps can hit 0 or blow, If you keep the clouds, your temps stay in the 10-15 degree range.
The HRRR says northern and northwestern parts of Kentucky have the best chance at some clearing…
A developing winter storm will target areas from Texas to the Mid-Atlantic states and that path includes Kentucky. Here’s your First Call For Snowfall with this system…
Of course, I’ll be updating that over the next few days.
I would expect Winter Storm Watches to go up today for much of our region. Those will show up on this map…
The models are fairly consistent in showing a widespread 3″-6″ snowfall for Kentucky with higher amounts possible in the southeast…
The GFS Ensembles only show 10-1 snowfall ratios. Adjust these numbers to match the Kuchera Ratio and you’re looking at a lot of 4″+ snows…
Another light snow maker follows this up by Sunday night and Monday with another shot of very cold air crashing in. This could be another inch or two of snow…
Both the GFS and EURO show us with the chance to go below zero if skies clear…
That lasts through the middle of next week before we may very well get a small rebound in temps ahead of another big push of snow and cold. All of this shows up very well on the GFS Ensembles and EURO Ensembles starting on January 15 and running through the 23rd…
GFS ENSEMBLES
EURO ENSEMBLES
The operational run of the EURO is going hog wild with that potential showing up…
This is a very harsh month of winter weather and it has a lot left in the tank!
I’ll have your normal updates through the day. Until then, I have your tracking tools including our Kentucky Weather Cams to watch the flakes flying across different parts of the state…
Enjoy the day and take care.
don’t forget… this is a LA NINA winter… supposed to be warm and mostly snowless. There goes that theory!
Mark, We are at the lower end of a negative PDO, which means a change in the overall precipitation pattern across the Nation. A La Nina has never been declared by NOAA, which puts us in An ENSO / neutral. Also, no two La Nina’s are alike. Same goes for El Nino.
Here’s an article from last month about the potential for a weak La Nina this Winter :
https://www.climate.gov/news-features/blogs/enso/december-2024-enso-update-party-time-excellent
And Paducahland isn’t in the WSW….we can’t win for losing.
Unacceptable
Thanks Chris. I’m glad that this next Winter Storm will be all Snow. It would be a larger, more widespread Snowfall if the southern jet ( + ) and the northern jet ( – ) phased over the southern plains.
The Santa Ana Winds are really kicking in and causing widespread wildfires in parts of California, just because a small change to the positive in the PDO.
https://abc7.com/live-updates/socal-braces-possibly-destructive-windstorm-amid-dangerous-fire-weather/15771235/
Chris what are your thoughts on the Ohio River counties not being in the winter storm watch?
I don’t understand why Taylor County is in a WSW either ? This doesn’t look like a phased storm ( so far. ) The latest maps indicate that most of the heaviest Snow will fall in Tennessee and places south ?
Ok good. Paducahland is in with a winter storm warning
Glad it’ll be snow and not ice.