Rain heading Western KY’s way, could cause flooding. ‘It’s just not something you need.’
As recovery efforts continue in western Kentucky from a deadly tornado, the area is expected to see some rainfall that may hinder the cleanup process.
According to the National Weather Service in Paducah, approximately one and a half to three inches of rain are expected to fall in the tornado-damaged areas from now to Saturday morning. A bulk of the rain will come late Friday, around the same time the tornado pummeled the area a week prior.
Rachel Trevino, a meteorologist with NWS Paducah, said there is a cold front going through the area today that will lift back up tonight and hang out over the area until Saturday.
“The main concern with that is we’re going to see some pretty good rains out of it,” Trevino said. “The main time we’ll see the heavier rains will be late Friday into Saturday morning and rainfall totals from today through Saturday morning, we’re thinking in the one and a half to three inch range.”
Isolated thunderstorms and flooding are also a possibility with the storm, but Trevino said NWS is not overly concerned it will be hazardous. She said it’s just something to keep an eye on.
“It’s just not something you need on top of you,” Trevino said. “Luckily I would think the bulk of it will fall when they’re probably not doing much work. It’ll be in the overnight hours.”
Several dry days are in the forecast after the storm rolls through, which is to the benefit of those on the ground in Western Kentucky.
Central Kentucky forecast
Lexington and other parts of central Kentucky will also see some rainfall over the weekend.
According to NWS Louisville, wind speeds could reach upwards of 25-35 miles per hour on Thursday as a cold front approaches the area. Moderate to heavy rainfall is expected from Friday through Saturday night, with one-to-three inches of rain possible.
Thunderstorms are also possible, but NWS does not think the storm will be severe. NWS said parts of northwestern Kentucky and southwestern Indiana could see localized flooding as a result of the storm.
This story was originally published December 16, 2021 at 9:18 AM.
