kywx
Kentucky AI Weather Engine

Kentucky AI Forecasting Beta

Wed, May 27
Fri, May 29
Forecast For

Thursday, May 28

Updated May 28, 7:16 AM EDT

NWS Alerts Active This Day

Flood Advisory

May 27, 6:25 AM -> May 28, 12:30 AM
Minor Severity

Flood Advisory issued May 27 at 6:25AM EDT until May 29 at 2:00AM EDT by NWS Louisville KY

Flood Advisory

May 27, 9:37 PM -> May 28, 12:45 AM
Minor Severity

Flood Advisory issued May 27 at 9:37PM EDT until May 28 at 12:45AM EDT by NWS Jackson KY

Dense Fog Advisory

May 28, 2:56 AM -> May 28, 10:00 AM
Moderate Severity

Dense Fog Advisory issued May 28 at 2:56AM EDT until May 28 at 10:00AM EDT by NWS Wilmington OH

Special Weather Statement

May 28, 3:29 AM -> May 28, 6:00 AM
Moderate Severity

Special Weather Statement issued May 28 at 3:29AM EDT by NWS Wilmington OH

Special Weather Statement

May 28, 3:35 AM -> May 28, 9:00 AM
Moderate Severity

Special Weather Statement issued May 28 at 3:35AM EDT by NWS Louisville KY

Special Weather Statement

May 28, 3:42 AM -> May 28, 9:00 AM
Moderate Severity

Special Weather Statement issued May 28 at 3:42AM EDT by NWS Jackson KY

Special Weather Statement

May 28, 5:23 AM -> May 28, 9:00 AM
Moderate Severity

Special Weather Statement issued May 28 at 5:23AM EDT by NWS Louisville KY

Special Weather Statement

May 28, 6:00 AM -> May 28, 9:00 AM
Moderate Severity

Special Weather Statement issued May 28 at 6:00AM EDT by NWS Wilmington OH

Special Weather Statement

May 28, 6:17 AM -> May 28, 8:30 AM
Moderate Severity

Special Weather Statement issued May 28 at 6:17AM EDT by NWS Charleston WV

Flood Warning

May 28, 11:31 AM -> May 29, 1:45 PM
Severe Severity

Flood Warning issued May 28 at 10:31AM CDT until June 1 at 1:00AM CDT by NWS Paducah KY

Confidence
85%

Morning Drizzle Followed by a Warm, Sunny Afternoon

A weak, moisture-starved shortwave will cross the Commonwealth on Thursday, bringing scattered light rain and drizzle during the morning hours, primarily for western and central regions. Cloud cover will break up rapidly from west to east by midday, leading to a pleasant and warm afternoon with temperatures climbing into the low-to-mid 80s.

Why is this happening?
Technical explanation of the atmospheric setup
Confidence Assessment

High agreement on the overall thermal profile and clearing trend, though slight timing differences exist regarding when the dry air scours out the morning clouds.

Get Personalized Forecasts

Choose which region in Kentucky you're interested in and we'll always show you that one first. You can change your selected region by clicking the "Star" icon on any regional forecast.

Purchase Area

NUISANCE
Paducah, Murray, Mayfield
Morning Showers, Sunny Afternoon
Rain
85°/ 67°

Northwest Pennyrile

Owensboro, Henderson, Morganfield
Early Morning Drizzle, Then Sun
Cloudy
84°/ 67°

Southwest Pennyrile

NUISANCE
Hopkinsville, Madisonville, Princeton
Brief Morning Showers
Rain
84°/ 69°

Barren River

NUISANCE
Bowling Green, Glasgow, Franklin
Morning Dampness, Afternoon Sun
Rain
83°/ 67°

Louisville Metro

Louisville, La Grange, Shepherdsville
Mild and Mostly Dry
Cloudy
83°/ 66°

Lincoln Trail

NUISANCE
Elizabethtown, Bardstown, Leitchfield
Morning Drizzle Along the Escarpment
Rain
81°/ 67°

Lake Cumberland

Somerset, Columbia, Monticello
Morning Clouds, Great Boating Afternoon
Cloudy
84°/ 65°

Northern Kentucky

NUISANCE
Covington, Florence, Independence
Early Sprinkles, pleasant Afternoon
Rain
80°/ 62°

Inner Bluegrass

Lexington, Georgetown, Winchester
Breezy with Morning Clouds
Cloudy
79°/ 64°

Bluegrass Foothills

NUISANCE
Richmond, Danville, Berea
Scattered Morning Drizzle
Rain
81°/ 64°

Northeast Kentucky

NUISANCE
Ashland, Morehead, Grayson
Damp Morning, Sunny Conclusion
Rain
81°/ 63°

Southeast Kentucky

NUISANCE
Hazard, Pikeville, Harlan
Morning Mountain Showers
Rain
81°/ 63°

Possible Outcomes

Weather forecasting involves uncertainty. Below are two scenarios representing the range of possible outcomes: the "Boom" scenario shows the worst-case/highest-impact result if conditions align unfavorably, while the "Bust" scenario shows the best-case/lowest-impact result if the forecast doesn't materialize as expected.

💥

The 'Boom' Scenario

If low-level moisture saturates faster than models suggest, the morning drizzle could manifest as steady light rain with totals reaching 0.10 inches statewide.

💨

The 'Bust' Scenario

Significant dewpoint depressions in the boundary layer could result in a 'Virga' event, where radar shows rain that never reaches the ground, leaving the state entirely dry.

Model Disagreements

When models disagree, a call must be made to determine the most likely outcome. This decision is based on a combination of factors including model performance, historical data, and the models general accounting of each climatic region of Kentucky.

The Timing and Placement Tussle

Models disagree on the timing and location of the best moisture plume. The NAM and Euro focus on a morning shortwave impacting central and eastern KY, while the GFS holds moisture back for an afternoon/evening event in the far west.

NAM
VS
GFS
VS
EURO
Why EURO Wins

The Euro handles the mid-level 'dry slot' and moisture cutoffs better than the GFS in these low-amplitude regimes. The NAM's high PoP with zero accumulation confirms the Euro's moisture-starved solution.

Affected Regions
PURCHASENORTHWEST PENNYRILESOUTHWEST PENNYRILEBLUEGRASS CORE

Technical Analysis

This section provides a deep, physics-based explanation of the weather. Our AI system analyzed multiple atmospheric layers and variables from all available models to synthesize this technical overview.

Below you'll find detailed breakdowns of the atmospheric dynamics that are driving today's forecast, including thermodynamics, kinematics, and hydrology.

Thermodynamics

Stability & Temperatures

How temperature changes with altitude. This determines whether precipitation falls as rain, snow, sleet, or freezing rain based on the vertical temperature profile.

Thermal Profile Overview

The vertical temperature stack follows a standard moist adiabatic lapse rate in the morning, transitioning to a well-mixed boundary layer up to 800mb by peak heating. No significant inversions are present.

Thermal Boundary

The thermal boundary is ill-defined as the entire state resides in the warm sector, with the freezing line located well north into Canada.

Diurnal Trend

Strictly diurnal curve. Temperatures will rebound sharply once the morning cloud deck clears, with max heating achieved by 20z-21z.

Kinematics

Wind & Energy

Wind patterns and atmospheric energy. Frontal passages, jet stream positioning, and vorticity tell us where and when lift will generate precipitation.

Frontal Passage

A weak surface trough/wind shift from South to West-Northwest will pass between 12z and 15z, lacking significant temperature contrast.

Jet Stream Support

Kentucky sits in the right exit region of a moderate jet streak, providing weak synoptic lift insufficient for deep convection.

Energy Status

A compact, decaying shortwave trough is pivoting through with vorticity values peaking at 0.00025, providing the primary trigger for morning drizzle.

Hydrology

Moisture & Precipitation

Moisture content and precipitation character. This reveals whether the atmosphere is saturated enough to produce precipitation, and what type to expect (steady vs. bursts).

Saturation Status

Mid-levels (700-500mb) are saturated, but the boundary layer below 900mb is dry, creating a high risk for virga.

Precipitation Character

Stratiform light rain or drizzle. CAPE is negligible, so no thunderstorms are expected.

Flooding Context

Ground is dry and precipitation amounts will be under 0.05 inches for most; no hydrologic risk exists.

Celestial Almanac

Moon Phase

Waxing Gibbous

93% Illumination
Moonrise
7:01 PM
Moonset
4:43 AM
Purchase Area
Sunrise
6:39 AM
Sunset
9:07 PM
Civil Dawn
6:09 AM
Civil Dusk
9:37 PM
Northwest Pennyrile
Sunrise
6:31 AM
Sunset
9:02 PM
Civil Dawn
6:01 AM
Civil Dusk
9:33 PM
Southwest Pennyrile
Sunrise
6:35 AM
Sunset
9:02 PM
Civil Dawn
6:05 AM
Civil Dusk
9:31 PM
Barren River
Sunrise
6:31 AM
Sunset
8:58 PM
Civil Dawn
6:01 AM
Civil Dusk
9:28 PM
Louisville Metro
Sunrise
6:24 AM
Sunset
8:58 PM
Civil Dawn
5:53 AM
Civil Dusk
9:29 PM
Lincoln Trail
Sunrise
6:26 AM
Sunset
8:57 PM
Civil Dawn
5:56 AM
Civil Dusk
9:28 PM
Lake Cumberland
Sunrise
6:23 AM
Sunset
8:51 PM
Civil Dawn
5:53 AM
Civil Dusk
9:21 PM
Northern Kentucky
Sunrise
6:17 AM
Sunset
8:56 PM
Civil Dawn
5:46 AM
Civil Dusk
9:27 PM
Inner Bluegrass
Sunrise
6:20 AM
Sunset
8:53 PM
Civil Dawn
5:49 AM
Civil Dusk
9:23 PM
Bluegrass Foothills
Sunrise
6:20 AM
Sunset
8:51 PM
Civil Dawn
5:49 AM
Civil Dusk
9:22 PM
Northeast Kentucky
Sunrise
6:11 AM
Sunset
8:47 PM
Civil Dawn
5:40 AM
Civil Dusk
9:17 PM
Southeast Kentucky
Sunrise
6:17 AM
Sunset
8:45 PM
Civil Dawn
5:47 AM
Civil Dusk
9:16 PM

Dive Deeper Into the Models

This forecast is a synthesis of raw data from the NAM, GFS, ECMWF, and GEM models. These models provide detailed atmospheric analyses including 500mb vorticity, precipitation rates, and more. You can take a look at the raw model data by clicking the links below.