Summer heat peaks before spring-like storms return

Hot and muggy weather continues through Tuesday

The early summer feel sticks around across central and eastern Kentucky as strong southerly winds continue pulling warm, humid air into the region. Afternoon highs through Tuesday will reach the upper 80s to low 90s, and a few spots could challenge daily temperature records.

Even overnight, temperatures will stay unusually warm, only falling into the upper 60s and low 70s. The combination of warmth and humidity will make it feel much more like July than mid-May.

Monday stays mostly dry for many areas, though a few isolated showers or thunderstorms could pop up during the afternoon and evening, especially across northwestern Kentucky. Most communities will stay rain-free with a mix of sunshine and clouds.

Tuesday brings a better chance for storms

By Tuesday, the atmosphere becomes much more active as a cold front approaches from the northwest. Scattered showers and thunderstorms may develop during the day, especially by the afternoon, with some storms capable of producing heavy downpours, gusty winds, and hail.

The main concern arrives Tuesday evening as a stronger line of storms pushes into the region along the cold front. Some of these storms could become severe, especially across northern and western parts of Kentucky before weakening farther southeast later at night.

Damaging winds appear to be the primary threat, but small hail and an isolated spin-up cannot be ruled out if storms intensify quickly enough before sunset. Locally heavy rainfall could also lead to brief ponding on roads during stronger storms.

But for most in the Bluegrass, these storms appear to arrive late enough that they will die out as soon as they enter.

Cooler weather returns later this week

Once the front moves through Wednesday morning, temperatures settle back closer to normal for the second half of the week. Highs will generally return to the upper 70s and lower 80s, though humidity levels will stay somewhat elevated.

The pattern does not turn completely dry, however. Scattered shower and thunderstorm chances remain in the forecast through the weekend as weak disturbances continue moving through the Ohio Valley. It won’t rain all day every day, but occasional pop-up storms will remain possible heading into late week.