Beshear declares state of emergency ahead of severe storms set to hit KY Friday
Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear has declared a state of emergency ahead of severe storms expected Friday afternoon and evening.
The National Weather Service in Louisville expects severe weather beginning Friday afternoon into the evening, potentially bringing damaging winds, “very large” hail, heavy rain and tornadoes, the agency warned.
“Once again we have a dangerous weather system sweeping across the commonwealth,” Gov. Beshear stated in a Friday afternoon release. “We expect a significant round of weather coming this afternoon and into tonight that will produce strong winds that could lead to power outages, a possibility of hail, flooding and potential for tornadoes. We need everyone to be really careful and make sure you have weather alerts on and are at a location where you can seek safety if needed.”
The latest round of storm follows days of relentless rain in early April which sent rivers cresting to historic levels across Kentucky.
Friday, rainfall and severe weather could lead to hazardous travel conditions in the western and central parts of the Bluegrass State. Here’s the latest forecast information.
What to expect from severe weather Friday
The initial wave Friday brought rain and wind gusts to Lexington, with another round of storms expected Friday afternoon, the NWS warned in its key messages briefing, an updated version of which was released around 3:30 p.m.
This second, stronger wave of severe storms are expected to develop over southeast Missouri this afternoon and move across Indiana and Kentucky. According to the NWS, those storms could bring damaging winds — possibly hurricane force of 74 mph or more — large to very large hail, torrential rainfall and potentially strong tornadoes.
Most of the state, from Lexington to Paducah, is under a moderate risk in the severe weather outlook, which has a high overall confidence.
In an earlier forecast Thursday, the weather service projected the timing of the storms to move across Kentucky between 3 p.m. and 1 a.m. EDT.
How much rainfall is expected?
In addition to the rain that has already fallen on Fayette County since midnight, NWS meteorologist Mark Jarvis told the Herald-Leader Friday morning the area could see another 1 to 3 inches of rainfall Friday afternoon and overnight.
“If that comes down pretty quickly, we could have some flooding problems,” Jarvis said, adding it’s why the agency has issued a flash flood watch that includes the Lexington area. It’s in effect until 4 a.m. Saturday, Jarvis said.
The bottom line, Jarvis said, is minor flooding is possible this afternoon and tonight in the Lexington area. Given that possibility, drivers should heed road closures and avoid driving through floodwaters.
Due to “ongoing severe weather forecasts” and standing water in several low-lying areas of the county, Floyd County schools officials announced in a Facebook post Friday they will not dismiss students at the regularly scheduled times.
Early dismissal was not possible shortly after 2 p.m. Friday, they said. Buses and students will remain at school until district officials determine it is safe to proceed with dismissal.
When should you avoid traveling?
The situation is somewhat complicated and largely depends on the development and action of thunderstorms later in the afternoon, Jarvis said.
If you’re in the Lexington area and you do need to travel, Jarvis recommends wrapping that up by 7 p.m. Friday night and holding off until about midnight or 1 a.m. The storm is projected to move through the area between those hours and could pose hazards for drivers, including downed power lines, Jarvis said.
Tornadoes remain possible in Central Kentucky from Friday afternoon to midnight, though Jarvis noted the risk is more significant in the western part of the state, particularly near Paducah, Owensboro, Madisonville, and Hopkinsville.
Is the National Weather Service adequately staffed for this event?
Recent reporting by the Herald-Leader and other media outlets found Kentucky’s three NWS offices have been hobbled by low staffing levels as a result of President Donald Trump’s efforts to cut federal workforce spending.
Asked about staffing levels at the agency’s Louisville office Friday, Jarvis declined to say exactly how many meteorologists were on staff there beyond saying the amount was “sufficient” for operations.
How should you prepare for severe weather?
In a post on X, formerly Twitter, Gov. Andy Beshear urged Kentuckians to turn on their weather alerts, a message echoed by the NWS Friday.
For iPhone users:
Go to settings, tap notifications, scroll down to “Emergency Alerts” and make sure all are turned on (green).
For Android:
Go to settings, then connections, tap more connection settings and then wireless emergency alerts. Tap the three dots in the upper right-hand corner and choose settings. Make sure all are switched on.
Reporter Valarie Honeycutt Spears contributed to this report.
This story was originally published May 16, 2025 at 10:59 AM.