Strong winds expected Wednesday in KY, followed by two rounds of severe weather
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- Strong wind gusts of 30–40 mph, with isolated 45 mph gusts, are expected Wednesday.
- A low pressure and slow cold front will bring severe storms, including possible damaging.
- Repeated storms raise flash flood risk: slight in southeast, marginal in Central Kentucky.
Significant weather is expected to hit Kentucky this week, starting with gusty winds on Wednesday and followed by multiple rounds of severe weather.
Wednesday’s wind gusts are expected to be up to 30-40 mph. The National Weather Service said a few 45 mph wind gusts are possible, which could knock down unsecured objects and make driving more difficult.
The strong wind gusts are expected to last until Thursday morning, overlapping with some potential overnight severe weather. The NWS said an area of low pressure and a slow-moving cold front will bring severe thunderstorms to Kentucky from the north, carrying with it chances of damaging winds and tornadoes.
Kentucky’s northernmost counties between Louisville and Bracken County are under a slight risk for severe weather, the second-highest risk assessment of five in the NWS’ storm prediction center. Slight risk implies organized severe thunderstorms with low coverage and varying levels of intensity are expected.
Central and Western Kentucky are under a marginal risk for severe weather, the lowest risk assessment of five, according to the NWS. The storms are expected to take place between 3-6 a.m. Thursday.
The storms are expected to weaken as they travel southward, according to the NWS.
Round two of severe weather, flash flooding possible
A second round of severe weather is expected to arrive Thursday. The NWS said thunderstorms may develop across south-central Kentucky as early as noon, beginning a period of heavy rainfall and thunderstorms.
Some of the thunderstorms are expected to be strong to severe, with damaging wind gusts as the main threat, according to the NWS. Areas along and southeast of Kentucky’s parkway are the most likely to experience any severe weather.
South-central Kentucky, including Lexington, is under a slight risk for severe weather, while north-central Kentucky is under a marginal risk for severe weather, according to the NWS.
Repeated rounds of rainfall have increased the chances of flash flooding across the state. The NWS said there is a slight risk of flash flooding across southeast Kentucky, while Central Kentucky is under a marginal risk for flash flooding.
The storms come about a week after Lexington experienced flash flooding from 3.45 inches of rain that fell in a single day. It was the seventh-wettest day of June in the city’s history and the most rain received in a single June day since 1998.
