Although a bit slower on developing than expected, the first winter storm of February is impacting Kentucky in different ways. Chuck Greif is with the National Weather Service Office in Jackson. It’s not all about frozen precipitation. Greif said some localized flooding is possible in southeastern Kentucky.
“We do expect a lot of that runoff and the rainfall to move into the rivers as we are still looking at some rises on the rivers and possibly flooding with some of those river points, particularly in the Red River area and downstream parts of the Kentucky River."
Greif said there have been some gaps in the rainfall coverage and that helps to minimize the threat of flooding. Ice accumulation remains a concern for much of central and western Kentucky.
Meteorologists like Greif are hopeful the latest winter event will not hang around. While freezing rain, sleet, and snow are all in the mix, he says this weather event will make a relatively quick exit.
“We get these cold blasts that move in here and drop some nasty winter weather, but then they move out almost equally quick. So, nothing’s really sticking around for us. So, we’re not going to like the ice chest and staying there for days or weeks on end. So, we just have a 48 period of some nastiness and then things warm back up again and luckily, we’re close enough to the south that it kind of takes care of itself,” explained Greif.
While temperatures may dip into the single digits overnight Friday into Saturday, the thermometer could read into the 40’s by Sunday afternoon.
