Rain Returns After Dry Start to the New Year

We’re welcoming in 2020 on a mostly sunny note around the WABBLES region this morning. And while we’ll likely see slightly warmer temperatures today…it’s a sign of things to come as rain returns after a dry start to the New Year.

Pleasant New Year’s Day

We’re starting the year off on a chilly note with temperatures around the Commonwealth in the lower to middle 30, with the WABBLES region no exception.

Air temperatures early this morning. (Kentucky Mesonet)
Air temperatures early this morning. (Kentucky Mesonet)

This is all thanks to mostly clear skies around the region this morning, something that will continue through the day today as high pressure remains in (temporary) control.

Off to the south...and you know what that means. (WPC)
Off to the south…and you know what that means. (WPC)

This should keep us dry and mostly sunny during the day as temperatures finish up near 50°…definitely an improvement from yesterday!

This afternoon’s highs. (Pivotal Weather)

Clouds will be on the increase, however, as we head into later this evening and overnight as our next rainmaker marches toward the area. With that, lows only fall to about 40° thanks to the blanket of clouds overhead.

Soggy End of the Week Ahead

A low pressure system aiming our way from the south will cause showers to overspread the region starting as early as tomorrow morning.

Tomorrow morning’s forecast surface chart. (WPC)

Winds will switch to the south, bringing in warmer and wetter than normal conditions into the area during the day…which is when the heaviest rainfall is expected to occur.

How the NAM thinks the rain will overspread the region tomorrow. (Pivotal Weather)
How the NAM thinks the rain will overspread the region tomorrow. (Pivotal Weather)

Not to mention, it’s going to be another breezy afternoon, with gusts upwards of 25 MPH. Highs stay (mostly) under control with the rain falling…getting to about 53° or so. Intermittent rainfall will continue into the overnight hours as temperatures hold steady.

Warmer Friday as Showers Linger

Shower activity will linger into Friday as well as the steadier rain slowly tapers off.

We're waiting on that old cold front right there. (WPC)
We’re waiting on that old cold front right there. (WPC)

Before that cold front sweeps it’s way through here, Friday is going to be a rather warm day as the same southerly winds ramp temperatures up to around 60°. As the front arrives, we’ll slowly start to shut the rain down from east to west.

At this point, it looks like we'll taper to just showers by Friday afternoon. (Pivotal Weather)
At this point, it looks like we’ll taper to just showers by Friday afternoon. (Pivotal Weather)

The front proper looks poised to blast through sometime in the late evening or overnight. This will switch winds back around to the west…a much cooler direction. Cloud cover will keep lows from falling too low, only around 40°.

Breezy Cold Start to the Weekend

As temperatures tumble early Saturday, I wouldn’t be surprised to see a couple of flakes flying if there’s enough moisture around to pop a shower or two…but it won’t be a big deal. The big story, rather, will be more windy weather.

I can feel this model output. (Pivotal Weather)
I can feel this model output. (Pivotal Weather)

Winds out of the west and northwest between 10 and 15 MPH, occasionally gusting up to 25, will make that afternoon high near 40° feel more like 30° as mostly cloudy skies stick around. We’ll be sunnier and more comfortable with highs near 50° by Sunday.

That just about does it for me! Follow our live weather feed @wxornotbg for the latest updates on a soggy end of the week. Have a terrific Wednesday and a happy new year!