Temperatures continue to climb ahead of weekend rain chances

LEXINGTON, Ky. (ABC 36 NEWS NOW) – Happy Tuesday! We are going to be heating up once again this afternoon. We are still experiencing nice morning temperatures though thanks to the dry air that remains in place. Drier air allows for overnight and morning temperatures to a bit further compared to when it is muggy out. Afternoon highs on your Tuesday will be reaching the low-to-mid 90s under mostly sunny skies. We keep these hot temperatures around through the end of the week ahead of weekend rain and storm chances. These rain and storm chances will be ahead of a cold front that will drop our temperatures for your first week of September.

Heating Up Mid-Week
After a hot afternoon on Tuesday, it will be a touch warmer overnight with lows falling into the upper 60s and low 70s. This will lead an even hotter day on Wednesday with afternoon highs in the mid-90s for most locations. Thursday will be the day this week that we will be pushing record highs. Thursday’s record high in Lexington is 98° and that was set back in 1953. Our current forecast has us right at that number, but it will be dependent on the amount of afternoon sunshine. Regardless, it will likely the hottest day of the week across the region. Friday we will remain hot, climbing into the mid-90s ahead of late day storm chances.

Northeast KY Wednesday Storms
Wednesday does feature an afternoon and evening storm chance north and east of Lexington. There is a low end, Level 1 Severe Threat for areas north and east of Lexington. This is an low end and isolated threat, but there could be a few stronger storms that fire up during the late day into the evening hours. Outside of any storms it is going to be a hot day on Wednesday.

Rain & Storms Move In For Labor Day Weekend
A higher chance of storms arrives late Friday into Saturday as a cold front approaches from the northwest. Showers and storms will fire up during Friday afternoon and evening. Not everyone will see a storm threat, but don’t be caught off guard by a few storms around your area. Friday night into Saturday will feature a better chance of storms as the cold front dips closer into our area. Isolated-to-scattered showers and storms are anticpated throughout the day and into the evening hours on Saturday. The timing and location of the storms is still a bit up in the air. A few of the models suggest this could be concentrated into southern Kentucky, while the northern half of the area only sees isolated showers and storms. A few other suggest a higher chance of rain and storms for the Lexington area. It’s really going to come down to the location of the front.

If you’re heading to the Kentucky football game, expect some rain chances throughout the day and into the evening hours. There will likely be some changes to the forecast as we get closer, but as of right now there will be rain and storm chances around with temperatures falling from the 80s to the low 70s by gametime.

Seasonable Start to September 
The aforementioned cold front will sweep through the area late this weekend. This could slow down a bit and keep some rain chances around on Sunday, particularly into southern Kentucky. We get a break from the heat by Labor Day on Monday as the front will finally be out of the area. Temperatures will likely range from the upper 70s to the low 80s early next week, a bit below average for the first few days of September. Early next week does look mainly dry before some mid-to-late week rain chances return.

Stay with the ABC 36 Storm Team for more updates. 

ABC 36 HOUR FORECAST
TUESDAY: Mostly sunny and hot. Highs in the low-to-mid 90s.
TUESDAY NIGHT: Mostly clear and mild. Lows in the upper 60s and low 70s.
WEDNESDAY: Mostly sunny and hot with a few late day storms to the northeast. Highs in the mid-90s.