Good Friday to one and all. We’ve made it to the end of the week with a big wind maker rolling through the state. This is the opening act for a much bigger system arriving late Sunday and Monday. This has spring in front of it and full-blown winter behind it.

Let’s start with today’s winds. A Wind Advisory is out for much of Kentucky as gusts reach 40mph to 50mph with some higher gusts. The short-term forecast models suggest several areas go above and beyond 50mph at times…

Temps today are in the upper 50s to near 60 in the north with middle 60s in the south.

Saturday is a fairly calm day with temps generally in the low and mid 60s with a mix of sun and clouds.

Winds on Sunday crank ahead of a major storm system developing in the Plains. Temps will surge into the 70s around here with dry skies taking us until late in the evening as that low finally spins toward the northern Ohio Valley. This will have a blizzard along and north of the track of the low.

Here’s the breakdown of what all this means for us:

  • Sunday features a mix of sun and clouds with highs deep into the 70s.
  • Winds Sunday and Sunday night crank to 40mph to 50mph as our storm system moves in.
  • Gusty showers and storms move from west to east and some of the storms may be strong or severe.
  • The prime time for strong storms is late Sunday evening into the wee hours of Monday morning.
  • Temps drop 30 degrees in an hour or so as the front passes through any one location.
  • With temps going below freezing behind the front, some wet snows will be noted from west to east Sunday night and early Monday.
  • Sunday night may feature strong storms and snow separated by less than 100 miles or so.
  • Snow showers and flurries will be around on Monday and Monday night.
  • Some light slushy accumulations will be possible on the grass and elevated surfaces.
  • Temps Monday night and Tuesday mornings will reach the teens.
  • Wind chills Tuesday morning hit the single digits.

The forecast models are in good agreement on the evolution of this big system. Here’s the GFS…

The Canadian…

This dramatic drop in wind chills is wild. This animation goes from 8am Monday through 8am Tuesday…

Temps ease after St. Patrick’s Day with a mild surge toward 70 by the end of the week.

While we are dealing with this, a massive heat wave continues to engulf the west. This will spread into the Plains states late next week and weekend and I’m wondering if some areas out there can hit 100 degrees. Yes, 100 degrees in March. Extreme is the new normal.

Another update comes your way later today. Until then, here are the tracking tools to keep you company…

Have a fantastic Friday and take care.