Wet-Windy-Stormy Week ahead during recovery

There are still over 100,000 Kentucky families without power. Madisonville governor is using technology to communicate with those people who do not have power. There are several in shelters in many counties like Hopkins, Livingston, Crittenden, Carlisle, Ballard, McCracken, Webster, Henderson, Daviess, and Mclean and even several surrounding ones. Warm conditions are helping but the pattern coming up could bring a lot more harm to West Kentucky.

There are three threats coming to West Kentucky from Monday to Friday that need to be addressed.

1) Non Thunderstorm/Gradient Wind Event- Not another high wind event for West Kentucky. Boy have we had a lot of issues with these types of events. The IKE Wind Event, Jan 29th Wind Event, and May wind events and the list goes on. This event esp with a low in the 987-997mb range nearby in MO/IL and the strong 70 to 90mph aloft just above the surface has the potenial to produce wind gusts in the 40 to even 50 mph range. This will cause big time issues with loose limbs and to crews working on powerlines. To the point where being under a tree may put your life at risk because they are so many limbs from the ice storm and the wind events of 2008.

2) Severe Thunderstorm Wind Event- This is a big time concern esp. if we get enough instablity and moisture return. We can form a extensive and wicked squall line. This could tear down a lot of trees and powerhouse and cause structual damage. This could be a bad and dangerous situation. With all the forcing it wont take a lot of instablity to bring strong winds down in the form of thunderstorms.

3) Heavy Rain Event/River Flooding is possibity- This is a concern from Mon Night system, Tues-Wed System, and another system on Valentine's Day Weekend. We could see several inches of rain this week. The Tues-Wed system may drop several inches itself with soaking rain expected Mon Night and on Fri/Sat system. Even though we may only get 2 to 4 inches spread out over a week with debris in the rivers minor to moderate river flooding may be possible towards the weeks end. Any thunderstorm on Tuesday and Wedensday could also produce local ponding on the road problems in the heavier thunderstorms.