WKU Meteorology

High pressure has dominated much of the weekend. With dry Continue reading →

Tonight the Mid-South has the potential of seeing some thunderstorms, a few of which may be severe. Continue reading →

It looks like this beautiful weather will continue to stick around at least for a couple more days. Continue reading →

After a soggy weekend to put it lightly, we should dry out nicely over the Mid-South with a great week shaping up. Continue reading →

FLOOD EMERGENCY FOR MUCH OF CENTRAL KENTUCKY AND SOUTH CENTRAL INDIANA THROUGH TONIGHT…

PERIODS OF HEAVY RAIN THAT BEGAN EARLY SATURDAY MORNING…HAVE
CONTINUED TODAY AND WILL CONTINUE INTO THIS EVENING. THIS WILL
RESULT IN CONTINUED WIDESPREAD AREAL AND FLASH FLOODING…MAINLY
ACROSS CENTRAL KENTUCKY.

A SWATH OF VERY HEAVY RAINFALL AMOUNTS OF 5 TO 10 INCHES HAS
ALREADY OCCURRED ACROSS THAT PART OF CENTRAL KENTUCKY EXTENDING
FROM RUSSELLVILLE…BOWLING GREEN AND BROWNSVILLE IN SOUTH CENTRAL
KENTUCKY THROUGH HODGENVILLE…LEBANON AND SPRINGFIELD IN CENTRAL
KENTUCKY TO HARRODSBURG AND VERSAILLES IN EAST CENTRAL KENTUCKY.

THIS HAS RESULTED IN NUMEROUS ROAD CLOSURES…VEHICLE AND BUILDING
EVACUATIONS AND RESCUES…MUD SLIDES AND EVEN A SMALL DAM FAILURE
IN METCALFE COUNTY.

ADDITIONAL HEAVY RAINFALL DURING THE LATE AFTERNOON AND EVENING
WILL RESULT IN ANOTHER 1 TO 3 INCH RAIN ACCUMULATION WITH THE
HEAVIEST AMOUNTS EAST OF INTERSTATE 65 ACROSS SOUTH CENTRAL
KENTUCKY. HERE LOCALLY HEAVIER AMOUNTS AROUND 4 INCHES ARE
POSSIBLE BEFORE THE RAIN BEGINS TO LIGHTEN UP AFTER A COLD FRONT
PASSAGE LATE TONIGHT.

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ADVISES AGAINST ANY UNNECESSARY
TRAVEL TONIGHT…ESPECIALLY ACROSS CENTRAL KENTUCKY. MANY FLOOD
RELATED DEATHS ARE DUE TO CARELESS OR UNSUSPECTING MOTORISTS WHO
ATTEMPT TO CROSS FLOODED ROADS. IF YOU COME TO A FLOODED ROADWAY…

TURN AROUND…DON’T DROWN!

LESS THAN TWO FEET OF WATER ON A BRIDGE OR HIGHWAY CAN FLOAT MOST
VEHICLES WHEN THE BUOYANCY FORCE OF THE WATER BECOMES GREATER THAN THE VEHICLE WEIGHT…ELIMINATING ANY FRICTIONAL FORCE BETWEEN THE
WHEELS AND THE ROAD.  A CAR…TRUCK OR SPORT UTILITY VEHICLE CAN BE
SWEPT OFF A ROAD INTO A STREAM IF THE WATER IS MOVING RAPIDLY.

RESIDENTS OF SOUTH-CENTRAL INDIANA AND CENTRAL KENTUCKY ARE
ENCOURAGED TO STAY ABREAST OF THE LATEST FORECASTS. STAY TUNED TO
NOAA ALL-HAZARDS WEATHER RADIO AND YOUR LOCAL MEDIA FOR THE
LATEST WARNINGS AND STATEMENTS. A FULL SUITE OF WEATHER INFORMATION
IS AVAILABLE ON THE INTERNET AT WEATHER.GOV/LOUISVILLE.

It’s taken a while but the thunderstorms along the leading edge of rain band have moved east of Bowling green. Rainfall totals have been over 9 inches at the mesonet site with the likelihood of flooding still high. To put this in perspective this is likely a once in 75 year event for the region. Additional rainfall should be under 1 inch of new rain by 5 pm when I expect the rain band to finally clear out. I’m sure Dr.Goodrich will some stats on this event sometime next week. In the meantime turn around, don’t drown.

– campbell lane

– college.st

– 10th avenue

are three of numerous reports tonight from STN’s flood survey at 1 am. Turn around don’t drown. A line of severe thunderstorms with numerous warnings both severe and tornado will move east into our region after 4 am.

Multiple clusters of storms one over middle Tennessee near Nashville  and other over eastern Arkansas and western Tennessee are prompting tornado warnings and some of the storms are showing signs of rotation. These potential tornadic storms will approach the region overnight. Be prepared to seek shelter if a tornado warning is issued. updates will be provided on this link overnight. I will be updating this link till 2 am then the STN director Ronnie leeper will be updating the site after 2 am.

MWG

Around 3 inches of rain has fallen today which has already created some difficult travels with water covered roads. Thunderstorms should die down in the next hour or two. In Bowling Green we had 12 straight hours with the observations rain, hvy rain or a thunderstorm not sure what the max streak for consecutive hours is at Bowling Green for that.

However even though a lull is expected this evening, “a chance to study for my dynamic final on Wednesday” supercells are firing in Arkansas in response to the next impulse traveling northward along this stalled frontal boundary. The storm prediction center has increased the severe risk to moderate for the region overnight as these storms head toward Kentucky. Instability which has been in check all day may become more favorable for severe storms overnight according to the latest modeling . Tornadoes, small hail and gusty winds will be the main threat with overnight thunderstorms. Make sure you have a way to be notified if a tornado warning is issued overnight.  These storms will become more linear tomorrow morning and be very slow to move through the region tomorrow with more training of heavy showers and storms expected. This will lead to another flood threat by days end which should be more widespread than today.