Kentuckians can expect rain, thunderstorms and the potential for severe weather in the next few days.
National Weather Service Louisville office meteorologist Mark Jarvis said the risk is due to a cold front coming from the West.
Jarvis predicted one round of showers and thunderstorms Thursday afternoon into the evening. Another, potentially more severe, round might hit Friday afternoon and evening. Off-and-on storms will continue until Saturday, he said, when the front will move out of the region.
“The main threat will be heavy rainfall, expected 1 to 3 inches, which could lead to localized flooding in some spots,” Jarvis said. “Some of the storms Thursday and Friday afternoon could be strong to severe with damaging winds and hail being the primary threats.”
He anticipated the probability of tornadoes to be low, less than 2% and mostly in the southwest near Paducah on Friday. Tornadoes pummeled areas of Kentucky in May, killing at least 20 people in two separate events.
Instability, moisture, and wind shear are the key ingredients for severe weather that can produce tornadoes. Jarvis said this storm is unlikely to produce enough wind shear for tornadoes this week.
Jarvis advised residents caught in the bad weather to seek shelter in a structure or even a car. He said hail will be the most likely cause of injury in this storm system.
Weather alerts are available through smartphone apps, on the National Weather Service website and through local TV and radio updates.
