Tracking 2 Rain Events; Cold Open to 2019…
Highlights:
- Wet with a few t-storms
- Dry weekend
- Wet then cold to open 2019
Rain Gear Needed…The pattern is transitioning from the predominantly mild stretch of the past couple weeks to one that will turn much colder as we move into January. In between? Active times, as we’re tracking two big storm systems between now and NYE.
The initial push of moisture has reached the I-65 corridor as of this forecast issuance early Thursday morning. Periods of rain will continue through a good chunk of the day and we may even throw in some thunder into the mix later this evening- especially across southern portions of the state. The other big story today? Strong and gusty southerly winds.
Rain will end later tonight with dry, blustery, and colder times returning as we close the week. Highs tomorrow will come predawn before falling through the day. Dry and seasonable times will continue as we move through the last weekend of 2018.
A new storm system promises a return of wet times as we get set to ring in the new year. Definitely plan on having the rain gear handy as you head out to those New Year’s Eve parties Monday. Heavy rain is possible at times. As the area of low pressure tracks northeast, it’ll swing a cold front through here Monday night and we’ll turn sharply colder with snow showers on New Year’s Day, itself.

II. Highs today will come tonight (mid-to-upper 50s) ahead of the cold front. Once the front moves through, colder air will return for the second half of the weekend. As wrap-around moisture combines with the colder air, light snow showers will develop late Sunday night into Monday morning (shown below). This won’t be a huge deal.
III. The next item of interest will come from a clipper system Thursday. This won’t only serve up another round of light snow, but also help to reinforce the unseasonably cold air. Highs will return to around freezing to close the week with lows in the 20s.
IV. That leads us to what comes next weekend. While it’s still far too early for any sort of specifics, we’ll simply say to keep a mental note in the back of your mind for the potential of a more disruptive winter event coming out from the southern Plains into the Ohio Valley. We’ll certainly have to fine tune things and “hone in” as we progress through the upcoming week. From this distance, prospects range from nothing more than a light snow to a “plowable” storm. Unlike this weekend’s storm, there will be a limit to how far north next weekend’s storm will be able to track…