Dodging a few showers to close out May

Tuesday picked up right where the long weekend left off—only this time, sunshine was replaced with umbrellas. A sluggish area of low pressure rolled northeast through the commonwealth, spreading rounds of steady rain across Central and Eastern Kentucky. Most of us saw gray skies and light to moderate rain throughout the day, making for a gloomy return to the workweek. Even though a warm front tried to lift into southern Kentucky, it wasn’t enough to give us a meaningful temperature bump. Afternoon highs struggled into the upper 60s for many, staying well below average for this time of year.

Rain Moves Out, But Showers Still Linger

By Wednesday, the main area of low pressure will pull off to the northeast, taking the widespread rain along with it. However, that doesn’t mean we’re completely in the clear. Some lingering upper-level energy spinning over the Midwest will keep us in a pattern ripe for a few scattered showers—especially for areas east of I-75. It won’t be a washout, and most of the day should be dry west of that line. Temperatures will inch upward into the low 70s, still running a solid 8–10° cooler than the typical late May day.

Mainly Dry Thursday, But Unsettled Weather Lurks

We get a brief break on Thursday as a ridge of high pressure noses into the region. While a stray afternoon shower can’t be totally ruled out, most of Central and Eastern Kentucky should enjoy dry conditions and partly sunny skies. It’s a day worth taking advantage of—because another round of unsettled weather is on our heels. A renewed batch of upper-level energy tied to a deeper trough will arrive Friday, bringing the chance for additional showers and maybe even a few rumbles of thunder. The good news? It doesn’t look like an all-day rain, but you’ll want to keep the rain gear handy just in case.

May Ends and June Begins with Spotty Showers and Warming Temps

The pattern to end May and start June remains a bit unsettled, with more upper-level disturbances diving through the region over the weekend. That means we’ll continue to see low-end chances for isolated to scattered showers on both Saturday and Sunday, but much like Friday, these won’t be all-day soakers. Outdoor plans shouldn’t need to be canceled, but it’s worth keeping an eye on radar. Temperatures will start to respond to some building sunshine—reaching the upper 70s Saturday and nudging into the low 80s by Sunday.

Even better news comes early next week. High pressure finally looks to take hold, giving us several dry days and a true taste of summer. Sunshine and highs in the mid-80s by Monday and Tuesday will be a welcome change after this recent stretch of cooler, cloudier weather.