The cold isn’t done with KY yet. When to expect low temps, severe weather
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Enhanced risk Sunday night for western KY (and nearby states) with damaging winds, possible tornadoes.
- Cold front drops temps 20–30° Monday with 60–80% chance of trace/light snow.
- Wind advisory most of KY Friday; gusts 30–40 mph, some up to 40–50 mph, outages possible.
Another round of severe weather is possible for Kentucky late this weekend, bringing with it more strong wind and the possibility of spin-up tornadoes.
The severe weather threat is expected to take place overnight Sunday, March 15 in Western Kentucky, as well as Illinois and Indiana. The area is under an enhanced risk for severe weather, the third-highest risk of five in the NWS’s storm prediction center outlook.
Enhanced risk depicts a “greater concentration of organized severe thunderstorms with varying levels of intensity,” according to the weather service.
Other areas of Western and Central Kentucky, including Fayette County, are under a slight risk for severe weather, the second-lowest risk of five.
The severe weather threat diminishes farther east in Kentucky, the NWS said.
The main threat from the storms is damaging, straight-line winds, but a few spin-up tornadoes are possible. Gusty winds around 40 mph are expected to take place before the storm’s arrival Sunday afternoon.
“The current expectation is that we will have a robust line of storms entering our area from the west late Sunday evening which could produce damaging winds and spin-up tornadoes as it crosses the region,” an NWS meteorologist said in the area forecast discussion.
It’s the second time this week Kentucky is under a severe weather threat. Storms were expected Wednesday, but parts of the state largely got strong winds, some with 40 mph gusts, including Fayette County.
Forecast after the severe weather threat
A cold front is expected to move in behind the severe storms this weekend, dropping temperatures by 20 to 30 degrees from Sunday to Monday, March 16. The NWS’ seven-day forecast for Lexington predicts Monday’s high temperature to be 49 degrees and the low to be 18 degrees.
The temperature drop comes after a record-setting stretch of warm weather in Lexington. The city recently broke or tied three daily temperature highs in what has been a hotter-than-average start to March.
There is also a chance for snow Monday. The NWS said there is a 60 to 80% chance for trace amounts of snowfall.
“Any wintry precipitation Monday shouldn’t be too impactful given lingering warm ground temperatures and relatively light precipitation amounts, but it will be a sudden change after temperatures in the 70s on Sunday,” an NWS meteorologist wrote in the area forecast discussion.
There is another chance for light, wintry precipitation overnight Tuesday, March 17 into Wednesday, March 18, but confidence is low. Conditions are expected to remain dry for the rest of the week while temperatures gradually warm back up.
The projected high temperature in Lexington will increase from 33 degrees Tuesday to 59 degree Thursday, March 19, according to the seven-day forecast.
Current wind advisory
The NWS has issued a wind advisory for most of Kentucky Friday. Wind gusts around 30 to 40 mph are expected, but some could reach 40 to 50 mph.
The gusts could result in a few downed tree limbs or power outages. The strongest are expected between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m., but the advisory will be in effect from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m., according to the NWS.
This story was originally published March 13, 2026 at 10:40 AM.
