LEXINGTON, Ky. (WKYT) – An active overnight for western Kentucky is turning into a busy weather day for the rest of the state. Temps start off warm for our region, with winds already gusting strong. Severe thunderstorm warnings and Tornado warnings have littered the Kentucky/ Indiana border in the overnight, but the system is losing strength as it pushes over I-65. A few isolated thunderstorms still remain possible for the first half of the day for central Kentucky.
A Tornado Watch is in effect for our western most counties until 10am Saturday morning – including Owen, Franklin, Washington, Marion and Taylor counties. Two separate wind advisories cover much of the state, only leaving out counties northeast of I-64 in the far northeastern most portions of the state – with both advisories expiring early on our Sunday morning. Additionally there is a Flood watch in affect for central, southern, and western Kentucky lasting until 8am on our Sunday morning.
Here is a timeline breakdown of what we can expect:
- The initial strong band of storms pushing on the Kentucky Indiana border will weaken as it approaches I-65, but isolated thunderstorm cells are still possible
- Strong single cell storms will be possible, and paired with stronger wind gusts as we head throughout the mid-morning hours
- Around midday – rounds of strong to severe storms begin to develop and push up into Kentucky from Tennessee. These storms are loaded with lightning and will be locally heavy in rainfall
- The main threat for the day remains as the damaging wind threat – with a few tornadoes possible. The best tornado threat will be across the southern half of the state along the Tennessee border
- Flash flooding will be possible as heavy pockets of rain pick up and line up along I-75 post dinnertime into the early evening hours
- Wind gusts are set to get strong in the late evening into the overnight, reaching 50+mph into maybe 60mph for central and eastern Kentucky in the overnight tonight
A lot of these storms will be moving over the same areas – and putting down a ton of rain. Flash flooding is likely for many areas as we will pick up a substantial amount of rainfall…