Storm chances begin to wind down into the late week

It’s been a steamy stretch across Central and Eastern Kentucky and Wednesday brought more of that classic late-spring humidity with highs topping out in the mid-80s. A few spotty storms tried to pop during the afternoon, but the main event is still ahead of us. It’s definitely been quite wet in spots the last several days and now a cold front approaching from the northwest will spark an organized line of thunderstorms Wednesday evening.

Severe Storm Risk: What You Need to Know
A Level 3 (Enhanced) Risk is in place for the Lexington metro and areas to the north and west with the threat level ramping down father east into Eastern Kentucky. Damaging wind gusts are the main concern, but small hail and torrential downpours could also accompany these storms. A brief spin-up tornado isn’t out of the question in isolated cells but the tornado risk remains low overall. The good news? Once the sun sets, the storms should gradually lose their punch especially as they push into Eastern Kentucky overnight. Still, keep an eye on the radar and have a way to get alerts this evening!

Thursday: Lingering Showers, Then a Drying Trend
Thursday won’t be a complete washout, but the atmosphere will still be unstable enough to spark more scattered showers and storms—especially east and southeast of Lexington. The severe threat looks low at this point, but some locally heavy downpours can’t be ruled out. Afternoon highs will be held in check with more clouds around, hovering around 80° for most spots. By Thursday night we finally put this unsettled pattern to rest.

Summer Makes a Grand Entrance Friday
Sunshine returns just in time for the final day of spring on Friday, and it’ll come with a summer-like feel. Highs rebound into the mid-80s, and while there’s no real cool-down behind this front, humidity levels might drop just enough to make things feel more comfortable. But don’t get too used to that—the Summer Solstice officially arrives at 10:41 PM, and Mother Nature is wasting no time flipping the seasonal switch.

First Full Weekend of Summer: Hot, Dry, and Humid
A large and powerful ridge of high pressure builds in for the weekend, and this one means business. Expect a lot of sunshine Saturday and Sunday, with highs surging into the low 90s. The combination of heat and humidity will make it feel more like the upper 90s to near 100°, especially during the peak of the afternoon. Be sure to stay hydrated, wear sunscreen, and take breaks in the shade or air conditioning if you’re spending extended time outside. It’s our first real dose of summer heat this season.

Looking ahead to early next week, the hot and humid pattern continues with highs possibly pushing into the mid-90s by Tuesday. We may start to see a few pop-up afternoon storms by then, but most of the area looks to stay dry through Monday.