Coldest Air in 18 Years Coming to Kentucky?

It's a cold day in Kentucky.  Wind chills last night bottomed out just below zero with snow falling and the wind howling behind a cold front of arctic origin.  The sun has risen on a new day and thankfully the wind and snow is gone, but the cold air remains.  Highs today won't get out of the 20s.

Tomorrow will be a dry day but it will remain cold and most of the day will be spent below freezing again.

Another arctic cold front will approach the Ohio Valley on Sunday.  It appears that a low will develop in the deep south and ride up the front which will enhance precipitation.  A period of rain will begin on Sunday in central Kentucky but I expect it to quickly transition to all snow by the afternoon and evening hours.  The cold air really looks to come crashing in behind this front which may enhance snow ratios.  The area closer to Louisville stands the best shot at seeing several inches of snow from this.  However, the Lexington area will also get some accumulation.  I think that Anderson County schools will likely be cancelled on Monday due to weather...but we will see.

Here is a look at today's NAM model run for Sunday.  Notice the heavy snow bands setting up in the bluegrass and the tight isotherms indicating rapid temperature falls:

This is going to make the roads a mess Sunday night if this model verifies.  It could end up being the biggest winter storm we've seen here in quite a while.

The GFS run from today takes the path of the low directly across the Bluegrass, and therefore keeps us in the rain a little longer.  It still shows us going to all snow Sunday night and lays down some accumulation, but amounts would be lighter for us if this model verifies:

Behind this snow, arctic air will spill into Kentucky.  Exactly 20 years ago this month we saw arctic air set all time records in our state with Shelbyville dropping all the way to -37°F on the 19th.  That is simply astonishing cold for this part of the nation.  I don't expect it to get that cold next week, but we do have a very good shot at below zero readings with brutal wind chill values that will make it very dangerous to be outdoors without proper clothing.  It could be the coldest air many of us have seen in 18 years.  The mid-90s had a lot of brutal winters.  Remember to protect your plumbing from freezing by allowing a faucet to drip, and don't leave your pets outside unless you own Siberian Huskies.  Stay warm, and check on elderly relatives.


-Shawn