Forecasters with the National Weather Service office in Paducah are advising area residents to prepare for a winter storm that is growing more likely to bring heavy snowfall to the region this weekend and could have major impacts on travel.
A winter storm watch – which means conditions are looking favorable for a winter storm event – is in effect from Friday through Sunday for Kentucky communities west of Owensboro, as well as areas in western Tennessee and southern Illinois.
Wednesday morning, NWS meteorologists at the Paducah office said there’s a 80 to 90% chance for most of the area to get at least four inches of snow over the weekend – but also advised residents to expect fluctuations in snowfall projections over the next couple of days as the storm approaches the region. Heavy snow probabilities have been trending upward in storm guidances issued by NWS Paducah leading up to the winter storm.
In a press conference Wednesday morning, NWS forecaster Justin Gibbs said the storm is expected to bring a roughly 40-mile wide band of heavy snow that could bring between eight and 12 inches of snow by Sunday. Per data available at the time of the press conference, that heavy band is expected to include western Kentucky counties roughly north of I-69 as well as counties along the Ohio River in Kentucky and Illinois. Gibbs, however, also said that the band could shift in forecasts leading up to the weather system’s arrival. Communities south of this snow band, such as Murray and Hopkinsville, have the highest icing potential.
Gibbs said snow is expected to hit in two batches. The first batch is likely to hit between late Friday night into Saturday afternoon. The second batch, which Gibbs said the NWS office expects to bring heavier snow, will likely hit between Saturday night into Sunday.
Additionally, forecasters say “dangerously” cold air is expected to move into the area this weekend – with wind chills expected to drop below zero in several communities between Friday and Tuesday. The coldest of these wind chills are currently expected to occur on Sunday night, Gibbs said.
Gibbs said those cold temperatures, combined with potential heavy snowfall, could make it difficult for workers to clear roads – which could make travel difficult heading into Monday morning.
The NWS forecaster said the last time a storm of this magnitude hit the region was in February 2021.
NWS Paducah’s social media pages on Facebook and X will be updated as more forecast information becomes available.
