It’s rained every day in Lexington this week. And more is on the way
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Lexington has recorded daily rain since Sunday, totaling 4.2 inches so far.
- Pulse storms and humid air mass continue to drive heavy, localized downpours.
- Flash flood risks persist into next week, followed by extreme heat midweek.
It has been a rainy week in Lexington, and the forecast won’t dry up any time soon.
Lexington has received rainfall every day since Sunday, accumulating 4.2 inches of rain during that span, according to the National Weather Service. The 4.45 inches of rain Lexington has gotten this month is already well above the monthly July average of 2.76 inches.
By the end of the month, July’s rain total could approach the monthly record of 9.66 inches set in 2015. NWS meteorologist Evan Webb said the forecast will remain active the next few days, featuring multiple chances of rain and thunderstorms through early next week.
“We have a very moist, humid air mass in place, so any waves of low pressure or any ripples in the atmosphere that move across the region are really quick to generate new thunderstorms,” Webb said.
A notable component of this past week’s storms has been short but heavy bursts of rain called pulse storms. Webb said pulse storms pop up sporadically and can dump multiple inches of rain in about an hour.
“You got a lot of water in the actual downdraft and that air comes literally splashing down,” Webb said.
More pulse storms are possible Friday. The NWS said more rain is expected to fall in the late afternoon, and primarily on south-central Kentucky.
The storms are not expected to be severe, but gusty winds and lightning are expected, according to the NWS.
The weather pattern is expected to be similar over the weekend, featuring gusty winds, torrential rainfall and lightning. Some storms could be strong to marginally severe with mainly a threat of wind damage.
The heavy and repeated rainfall may result in a flood risk across portions of the region, the NWS said. Areas with greater concerns for flash flooding include Central and Eastern Kentucky, and up to 3 inches of rain daily is possible through the weekend.
There is at least a 50% chance of showers and thunderstorms from Saturday through Tuesday, according to the NWS’ seven-day forecast for Lexington.
“I definitely think there’s a chance for at least isolated flash flooding in any areas where you can get multiple thunderstorms to move repeatedly over the same area,” Webb said.
Gov. Andy Beshear encouraged people to stay updated on the forecast and stay safe in case of floods.
“We really need folks to stay alert, avoid high water and have weather notifications on – especially on Saturday, when there is also a risk for strong storms through the afternoon and evening,” Beshear said on X. “Please be safe, everyone.”
The rain chances are expected to decrease in the middle to late part of next week. However, temperatures are projected to rise following the departure of the storms, pushing heat indices well into the triple digits Wednesday through Friday.
“The humidity is not really going to go anywhere, and it’s just going to get hotter, so it’s going to be like a sauna,” Webb said.
