The Paducah office of the National Weather Service is forecasting that Wednesday afternoon and evening in far western Kentucky, southern Illinois and western Tennessee hold the possibility of severe weather.
As the day goes on, NWS forecasters said on social media that an “outbreak of severe thunderstorms and tornadoes” is possible and that the weather system moving through the region could also produce damaging winds and large hail. Much of the region is at a moderate risk of severe weather.
The NWS also projected the potential timing of severe weather in the region.
Supercells with large hail and tornadoes are possible through around 4 p.m. in the areas around Paducah, Madisonville, Hopkinsville, Madisonville and Owensboro, though this portion of the system is expected to pass north of Murray and much of Graves County. Widespread damaging winds are possible, as well as embedded supercells with tornadoes, between 4 and 9 p.m. for small portions of western Kentucky, including much of Ballard County. The entirety of far western Kentucky and some of southern Illinois are at a risk for damaging winds and embedded supercells with tornadoes later in the evening, from around 7 p.m. to midnight.
NWS forecasters additionally warn that multiple rounds of thunderstorms could cause some flash flooding to develop in locations around the region. The agency has issued a flash flood watch for all of western Kentucky this evening.
Projections of total precipitation for the evening range between four and six inches.
A blustery storm system already caused damage in the region early Wednesday morning, according to community reports, including downed trees and powerlines in Calvert City and light structure damage in Palma.
Some community institutions have already closed or called off afternoon and evening activities in response to the forecast. WPSD Local 6 is keeping a running list of closures.
For up-to-the-minute forecasts and warnings, go to the National Weather Service’s Paducah office website or social media channels.
