Windy Sunday ahead of overnight storms and a sharp temperature drop in Kentucky

Strong winds up to 50 mph and a line of storms late Sunday night could bring damaging gusts before colder air rushes in and rain briefly changes to snow

A Beautiful Start to the Weekend

Saturday turned out to be a really nice day across central and eastern Kentucky. Sunshine dominated the skies through the afternoon, helping temperatures climb comfortably into the 60s and even the low 70s in some locations.

This mild weather was thanks to a warm front gradually lifting north through the region. That same front will continue moving through tonight, helping temperatures stay relatively mild overnight.

Under mostly clear skies tonight, temperatures will drop into the upper 40s and low 50s across much of the region.

Wind Advisory and Warm Conditions on Sunday

Sunday will start off fairly pleasant again, but it will be noticeably windier.

A Wind Advisory will take effect beginning late Sunday morning for parts of the region as strong southerly winds increase ahead of an approaching cold front. Wind gusts could reach 40 to 50 mph, especially across western portions of the viewing area.

Even with the wind, Sunday will still be a warm day for mid-March. Afternoon highs are expected to reach the low 70s with partly sunny skies.

These strong winds are a sign of a powerful storm system developing to our west that will move toward the Ohio Valley Sunday night.

Line of Storms Expected Late Sunday Night

By Sunday evening and overnight, a strong cold front will sweep through Kentucky.

Ahead of the front, a thin line of showers and thunderstorms is expected to race across the region from west to east. The most likely timing for storms locally appears to be late Sunday evening through the early morning hours Monday, roughly between 9 PM and 3 AM.

Because winds in the atmosphere will be very strong, the main concern with these storms will be damaging wind gusts. Some storms could produce gusts over 60 mph.

There is also a small chance for isolated spin-up tornadoes embedded within the line, although the overall tornado threat remains low.

Rain Could Briefly Change to Snow Early Monday

Behind the cold front, temperatures will drop quickly early Monday morning.

As the colder air moves in, rain showers could briefly transition to snow showers before precipitation ends. If any snow accumulates, it should be light, generally less than one inch, and should not cause widespread travel issues.

However, the bigger story will be the dramatic temperature drop.

Much Colder Start to the Week

After Sunday’s springlike warmth, winter will briefly return.

High temperatures Monday and Tuesday will struggle to reach the low 30s, and it will feel even colder due to the wind. By Tuesday morning, wind chills could fall into the single digits, making for a very cold start to the day.

The cold stretch won’t last long, though. Temperatures will gradually warm again later in the week, with highs returning to the 50s by Wednesday and possibly near 70 by Friday.

ABC 36 Storm Team 36-Hour Forecast

Saturday Night: Clear and mild overnight as a warm front moves through the region. Low: Upper 40s to low 50s.

Sunday: Partly sunny, very windy, and warm. Wind gusts could reach 40–50 mph. High: Low 70s.

Sunday Night:  Line of showers and storms moves through late evening into early Monday morning. Strong winds possible. Rain may briefly mix with snow before ending. Low: Falling into the 30s by morning.