January cold stays put with more snowflakes possible

It was definitely a dose of reality on Thursday across Central and Eastern Kentucky on Thursday as a legitimate shot of cold air set up shop across the region. The scattered snow showers from late Wednesday went away leaving a mix of clouds and sunshine but the main story was the winter cold. Afternoon highs struggled to reach the upper 20s thanks to a brisk west wind pushing the cold air into the commonwealth. This dropped our “feel-like” temps all the way into the single digits during the morning hours with teens throughout the day so it was definitely a day to bundle up and a reminder we are in the heart of winter.

Another wave of energy rotating through the Ohio Valley early Friday could bring a few light snow showers for areas back toward Louisville and the I-65 corridor but for the most part we should see a few flurries across our viewing area. However, the snow showers may be enough to lay down a light coating along the I-64 corridor and points north between Louisville and Lexington, plus given the timing of the arrival just prior to and during the morning commute, a Winter Weather Advisory has been put out for a few spots between 4am and 9am on Friday morning. While most locations should be in decent shape, given the cold ground temperatures even some light accumulations may cause some issues so be prepared  in those areas early Friday.

Winds will shift to the southwest through the day so we’ll catch a brief break from the bigger cold as afternoon highs jump back into the low-40s. It should be mainly a dry day across the region although a sprinkle or two can’t be ruled out. Yet another wave of energy will follow quickly by Friday evening with a little more moisture and colder air so rain showers will transition to snow showers into Friday evening and overnight as colder air returns. There could be a light coating to possibly an inch or so in a few spots by Saturday morning so keep that in mind.

Get set for more cold air heading into the weekend with scattered snow showers and additional cold air in place on Saturday. As previously mentioned, some light accumulations may be possible if you are out early Saturday and the snow showers should be winding down as the day wears on. Looks for a mix of clouds and sunshine with afternoon highs in the low to mid-30s with a brisk west wind making it feel even colder. Heading into Sunday a reinforcing shot of colder air will arrive here in the commonwealth so you won’t get a chance to put away the heavier jackets anytime soon. Afternoon highs may only reach the low 20s and again the wind will make it feel even colder but at least there will be some sunshine around to brighten the day.

Heading into the King holiday on Monday temperatures will be in the low to mid teens so you’ll need to bundle up for any activities related to the holiday that are outdoors. Don’t expect much of a rebound with highs remaining in the mid-20s despite some additional sunshine around. A dry cold front will slide through the region late Monday, bringing even colder air heading into Tuesday. We could see a few spots starting in the upper single digits on Tuesday morning so we won’t see much of a warm-up through the afternoon as the coldest core of air settles over the Ohio Valley with highs still in the mid-20s. High pressure will drift by to our southeast heading into the middle part of next week with a southwest flow kicking in. This will help afternoon highs jump back into the mid to upper 30s by next Wednesday as we watch for the potential of another storm system bringing some additional rain/snow chances late next week.