The coldest air of the season is on the way this holiday weekend

It was a damp and dreary Thanksgiving across Central and Eastern Kentucky as a wave of low pressure moved east of the commonwealth. Low level moisture kept clouds and patchy drizzle around for a bit as temperatures struggled to get into the mid-40s for afternoon highs. It was a great day to be inside enjoying a good meal with family and friends. Much colder air is on the way for the rest of the holiday weekend so it will definitely feel “festive” in the coming days.

Heading into Black Friday lingering cloud cover will diminish as a legitimate shot of cold air drops down into the Ohio Valley. Early bird shoppers will be greeted with temperatures in the upper 20s Friday morning so you’ll need to bundle up if you plan on hitting the stores early. Even with sunshine hopefully returning by late morning it will be a chilly day with afternoon highs only recovering into the mid to upper 30s.

Rolling into the second half of the holiday weekend it’s going to feel more like the heart of winter as we wrap up November and head into early December. Temperatures should be in the upper teens Saturday morning so if you are tailgating early before Kentucky and Louisville battle for the Governor’s Cup at Kroger Field starting at Noon you’ll need to dress accordingly and grab the portable space heater if you can since it’s going to be a very cold morning. Even with sunshine along with high clouds drifting in, it should be old school “football weather” with afternoon highs only in the mid-30s.

A well advertised clipper system will dive into the Ohio Valley Saturday evening bringing a chance for some light snow showers across the region. Despite being a fast mover and not having a lot of moisture with it, we still may see a light coating of snow on the ground in spots by Sunday morning. With temperatures plenty cold enough some slick roadways will be possible if we manage to get some snow to accumulate so that’s something to monitor as we turn the calendar to December on Sunday.

The cold air will be locked in rolling into early next week with morning lows continuing to bottom out in the mid to upper teens and afternoon highs only in the low to mid-30s even with sunshine around. Even with a moderate breeze expected temperatures will be cold enough for wind chills to be impactful. The “feel like” temperatures could dip into the upper single digits as folks head back to work and school after the holiday weekend on Monday morning. The data is showing a gradual moderation in temperatures toward the middle of next week with highs back into the low 40s as a few rain shower chances return to the region.

ABC 36 HOUR FORECAST
THURSDAY NIGHT: Lingering clouds, a few flurries. Lows in the upper-20s.
BLACK FRIDAY: Clearing out, breezy and cold. Highs in the mid-30s.
FRIDAY NIGHT: Mostly clear, a cold night. Lows in the upper-teens.