A few strong storms still possible tonight but severe weather threat winds down late week

Much of Central and Eastern Kentucky managed to avoid the severe weather threat late Tuesday and into early Wednesday as storms were slow to fire and luckily lacked the ability to go severe as the wave of two systems moved through the region. The biggest change on Wednesday was a fairly significant shift in the higher risk of severe weather our south and southwest, leaving much of Central and Eastern Kentucky in a lower end chance for severe storms Wednesday evening and into the overnight.

The Storm Prediction Center has a Level 1 risk from Lexington to Pikeville and points east and north followed by a Level 2 risk from Lebanon to Somerset to Williamsburg eastward. Only a few of our southwestern counties near Campbellsville and down into Lake Cumberland are in the higher Level 3 threat. Even with this adjustment you do not want to let you guard down as heavy rain and storms will still be possible as this system moves through, some of which could be severe! But clearly the maps show the higher end threats will all modes of severe weather firmly to our west and southwest.

Much of the higher resolution data is bringing heavy rain and storms through Central and Eastern Kentucky into early Thursday and given a saturated ground already, flash flooding could definitely be on the table so you’ll want to keep that in mind especially afternoon dark. A Flood Watch is out for the entire area through Thursday morning so take note of that and be particularly careful if you encounter a flooded roadway. Turn around, don’t drown!

Our severe weather threat will come to and end on Thursday as the frontal system slowly works through the Ohio Valley. We could still see a few spotty showers from time to time along with a bit of sunshine. With a strong southwest wind, temperatures should remain fairly warm with afternoon highs topping out into the mid to upper 70s.

Closing out the weekend and heading into Mother’s Day weekend a fast moving wave of low pressure will drop through the Great Lakes and the Ohio Valley to begin the weekend so we could see a few scattered showers around on Saturday as this system moves through but it shouldn’t be a washout. Temperatures will be a bit cooler behind Thursday’s departing system with highs only in the mid to upper 60s, Right now Mother’s Day is looking pretty nice for all the Moms out there with a dry day, sunshine and pleasant highs into the low 70s!

ABC 36 HOUR FORECAST
WEDNESDAY NIGHT: Rain and storms, heavy at times. Lows in the low-60s.
THURSDAY: Partly sunny, a few leftover showers. Highs in the upper-70s.
THURSDAY NIGHT: A few clouds and cooler. Lows in the low-50s.