LOUISVILLE, Ky. — December has kicked off with an active weather pattern, and that pattern is ready to bring us more rain this weekend which may be heavy at times and feature a few rumbles of thunder.
Forecast at-a-glance:
- Temperatures jump through Saturday
- Heavy rain, thunderstorms, high wind gusts at times Saturday
- Temperatures tumble Sunday, but drier next week
Weather setup: After several days of gloomy grey skies, sunshine has returned for Thursday. Enjoy it while it lasts because we’re going to see clouds increase through Friday afternoon. If there’s a positive it’s that despite cloudy skies, temperatures are going to be very comfortable for the next few days as we climb into the upper 50s and lower/middle 60s by Saturday.
Friday will be dry despite the increase in clouds, although we might see a few isolated showers later in the evening. Highs Friday make a run at 60 degrees. If clouds hold off until later in the afternoon, that temperature may increase to the lower 60s.
As a strong storm approaches from the west, we’ll find ourselves in the warm sector of it Saturday. This means temperatures will jump into the lower 60s. That will depend largely on your location and if it’s raining at the time.
Rain: We still really need the rain as drought conditions persist across Kentucky and Indiana. Saturday is going to help combat those drought problems. Hi-res computer models show a few rounds of rain moving through Kentuckiana.
The first round comes Saturday morning starting before sunrise. Expect this round to feature spotty showers and a few downpours. Round two comes after sunrise and through the mid-to-late morning hours. This looks to be a more organized band of rain and may feature a few rumbles of thunder (but no severe weather).
The first part of the afternoon looks drier if you live north of the Parkways system in Kentucky, where continuing rain looks likely. The Lake Cumberland region is in a severe drought, so any prolonged rainfall down there will be extreme beneficial.
Late afternoon and early evening sees still more pockets of rain and thunderstorms marching across Kentuckiana. Thunderstorms will be most likely in Kentucky, particularly south of the Parkways where there will be more energy for storms (although not much). Temperatures at this time reach the lower 60s, especially in locations that were drier for the first part of the afternoon and maybe saw a quick peak of sunshine.
Weekend rain timeline
Overnight is when the more widespread light-to-moderate rain spreads across southern Kentucky. A cold front will push in and send temperatures tumbling Sunday. Expect highs to occur early in the day, only reach the 40s, and continue to drop from there. Winds will be gusty both Saturday and Sunday 25-30 miles per hour.
Rain totals: Total rainfall during this time should range from half an inch on the low end, to over two inches on the high end. Expect more in thunderstorms. Southern Kentuckiana (Taylor, Adair, and Green Counties) may see well over 2” of rain which would make a serious dent in the drought.
This is also good because Louisville is nearly 5.5" below normal on precipitation for the year. Thankfully, no flood conditions are expected.
Meteorologist Alden German
Facebook: Facebook.com/AldenGermanWX | Twitter: @WXAlden
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