Quiet weather returns to kick off February

It was a damp finish to January across central and Eastern Kentucky with a widespread 1″ to 2″ rain event thanks to a wave of low pressure spinning through the Ohio Valley into early Friday. The rain fell heavy enough to create a few minor flooding issues along some of the smaller rivers and streams but luckily the steady rain exited during the morning hours. With a mix of clouds and sunshine along with a breezy southwest wind, afternoon highs surged into the low 60s so it felt like spring to close out the month, which was a great chance of pace after all the snow and cold weather around for the first few weeks of 2025.

We’ll kick off February on Saturday with some lingering clouds in the morning and as always the big question is how long the low level moisture will stick before drier air wins out. Right now it looks like the sunshine may return as we get into the late afternoon hours but  overall expect the clouds to win out.  Combine that with a cooler northeast wind and it should knock afternoon temperatures down a bit. Highs should top out in the mid to upper 40s, which is slightly cooler compared to Friday but a whole lot better than the extended stretch of unseasonably cold days we saw in January.

Heading into Groundhog Day a weak warm front will arc through the area bringing a return of spring-like conditions to the commonwealth. With plenty of sunshine around and a steady southwest wind, afternoon highs should surge into the low 60s so it should be a great day to get outside. Of course with the sunshine expected any groundhogs around the Bluegrass would see their shadow, meaning winter is not over yet so we’ll see how that plays out. The quiet and mild weather will continue into early next week with highs reaching the low to mid-60s on Monday with a mix of clouds and sunshine.

Our rain chances will slowly increase heading into the middle part of next week as the unseasonably mild air sticks around. A weak wave of energy will slide through on Wednesday so a few scattered showers will be possible but a cold front will be right on its heels so it appears a better chance for more widespread rain will be on the table for Thursday. There should be enough instability to go along with the spring-like air for even a few thunderstorms to develop but it doesn’t look like anything significant at this point. Drier air should return by the end of next week with temperatures cooling down into the mid-40s by next Friday, which is right around average for early February.

ABC 36 HOUR FORECAST
FRIDAY NIGHT: Mostly cloudy and cooler, drying out. Lows in the upper-30s.
SATURDAY: Clouds linger, pleasantly cool. Highs in the mid to upper-40s.
SATURDAY NIGHT: Fair skies, still chilly. Lows in the mid-30s.