If you live in Kentucky and haven’t checked the weather yet — stop everything. A massive storm system is ripping across the state this morning, placing 30 counties under a Severe Thunderstorm Watch until 9:00 a.m. CDT. And this isn’t your average spring shower. Meteorologists are warning of dangerous winds up to 60 mph, damaging hail, and the possibility of sudden flash flooding — all before most people finish their first cup of coffee.
Residents in western and south-central Kentucky woke up to rolling thunder and flickers of lightning in the early hours of Friday as a fast-moving storm front pushed in from the west. The atmosphere is highly unstable, and forecasters are warning that conditions are ripe for more intense storm cells to develop throughout the morning.
Counties in the Danger Zone:
The National Weather Service has issued this watch for the following 30 counties:
Ballard, Breckinridge, Butler, Caldwell, Calloway, Carlisle, Christian, Crittenden, Daviess, Edmonson, Fulton, Graves, Grayson, Hancock, Henderson, Hickman, Hopkins, Livingston, Logan, Lyon, McCracken, McLean, Marshall, Meade, Muhlenberg, Ohio, Simpson, Todd, Trigg, Union, Warren, and Webster.
People in these areas should treat the threat seriously — the conditions are already volatile, and the potential for severe impacts is real.
What’s at Risk: Wind, Hail, and Flash Flooding
These aren’t mild spring storms. Here’s what’s being forecasted:
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Winds up to 60 mph: Strong enough to knock down tree limbs, rip shingles off rooftops, and send unsecured outdoor items flying.
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Large hail: Hailstones could reach up to an inch in diameter, capable of cracking car windshields, damaging roofs, and injuring anyone caught outside.
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Torrential rain and flooding: Short bursts of intense rain may overwhelm drainage systems, especially in low-lying areas.
What You Should Do Now:
Stay indoors: Secure yourself and pets in a central room away from windows.
Charge phones and flashlights: With wind this strong, power outages are a real possibility.
Bring in or tie down outdoor items: Grills, garbage bins, furniture — all of it.
Stay off the roads if possible: Visibility will drop fast and roads may flood in minutes.
Keep weather alerts on: Enable emergency notifications on your phone or tune in to local radio/TV.
Emergency officials urge residents to take this watch seriously. These kinds of storms can escalate quickly into warnings, leaving little time to react.
What Happens After 9 a.m.?
While the current thunderstorm watch is set to expire at 9 a.m., the weather will remain unsettled for the rest of the day. Any leftover instability in the atmosphere could lead to pop-up thunderstorms later Friday afternoon and evening.
The forecast calls for rising humidity and temperatures climbing into the 80s, which could fuel more storm development. Meteorologists will be watching radar closely and may issue more warnings if new cells begin to form.
