Severe weather is likely to impact western Kentucky, western Tennessee and southern Illinois later on Monday and into Tuesday.
Forecasters with the National Weather Service’s Paducah office said during a briefing Monday morning that tornadoes, giant hail more than two inches in diameter and destructive winds are all possible with this enhanced risk of severe weather.
NWS forecasting indicates that nearly all of far western Kentucky and western Tennessee are under an enhanced risk for severe weather. Parts of southeastern Missouri and southern Illinois – particularly east of Marion – are at a moderate risk, the NWS’s second-highest severe weather risk category.
Squalls that could produce damaging straight-line winds and short-lived spin-up tornadoes are expected to form near far western Kentucky.
Some thunderstorms are possible in the afternoon Monday with the most severe risks expected to occur between 9 p.m. and 1 a.m. Tuesday in Paducah. The storm is then expected to continue moving east, reaching Mayfield, Murray, Hopkinsville, Madisonville and Owensboro between midnight and 3 a.m.
More severe weather is also possible Tuesday, though forecasts still have a high degree of uncertainty. Currently, forecasters expect thunderstorms to develop “along and ahead of” a cold front expected to move through the region Tuesday afternoon and into the evening.
NWS forecasters expect rainfall totals around the region through Tuesday night around two inches, with some localities seeing as much as three inches of precipitation.
More information regarding the severe weather threat can be found on NWS Paducah’s website and Facebook. WKMS also broadcasts emergency alerts when officials issue warnings impacting the coverage area.
