Severe storm threats for Monday, Tuesday nights

FRANKFORT, Ky. (KT) - The National Weather Service is urging Kentuckians to make sure they have one or more ways to receive severe weather alerts, as there is a threat of severe threats both Monday night and Tuesday night.

The Storm Prediction Center, part of the National Weather Service, says areas west of a line from Cincinnati, through Lexington and down past Russell Springs, have a slight risk of severe weather (level 2 of 5). The part of Kentucky west of I-65 is under an enhanced risk. Level 3 of 5). Much of eastern Missouri and parts of western Illinois are under a moderate risk (level 4 of 5).

Brian Neudorff with the National Weather Service office in Louisville says this will be a primarily nighttime event. "This will be an active evening, with strong to severe storms making their way through Kentucky, starting later this evening, maybe as early as 7 p.m. in Western Kentucky coming in from the Northwest and lasting through about 5 a.m. Tuesday in the East."

He notes that severe weather will not occur in one spot throughout that time.

"The greatest threat of severe weather will be in Paducah and far Western Kentucky, West of I-65," Neudorff stated. "But don't let your guard down if you're East of that area. The threat is still there but will lessen as you continue to head East and we los fuel to sustain the storms."

He says the main threat from this nighttime event will be strong, gusty, damaging winds, perhaps as high as 70 miles per hour, but there is also a low-end possibility of a tornado, with the best chances of a tornado in Western Kentucky.

But that's not all, as a second round of showers and possible strong to severe storms is possible on Tuesday night, according to Neudorff.

"A boundary will stall across Kentucky, with the window for severe weather from about seven o'clock to four a.m., Eastern Time. This time the higher threat will be in Southern Kentucky. Wind and hail will be the biggest threat."

Some good news is that rainfall through Wednesday could be from one to four inches, which would put a dent in the drought conditions being experienced across the state.

Temperatures will also drop once the systems move through, with highs only in the 60s for the rest of the week.