Kentucky wakes up wrapped in gray this morning as dense fog blurs headlights, dampens pavement, and slows early travel across western counties. Visibility drops quickly in spots, especially near rivers and low-lying roads, creating a cautious start for drivers heading out during the busy holiday travel window.
According to the National Weather Service in Paducah, a Dense Fog Advisory remains in effect through mid-morning, with visibility falling to a quarter mile or less at times. The advisory covers much of western Kentucky and nearby border areas, including McCracken, Marshall, Graves, Calloway, and Christian counties.
For now, conditions feel mild for late December. Temperatures climb into the low 70s later today, continuing a stretch of unusual warmth across the Tennessee Valley. That warmth keeps pavement wet rather than icy, but fog may redevelop during early mornings through the weekend. Drivers should slow down, use low beams, and allow extra space on highways like I-24 and U.S. 60.
Changes arrive as the weekend turns. Rain chances increase Sunday into Sunday night, with periods of steady showers that could impact return travel. Gusty winds may follow as a colder air mass pushes in early next week. As temperatures tumble toward freezing by Monday night, wet roads could refreeze, raising concerns for patchy black ice during morning commutes.
Looking ahead to New Year’s Eve on Wednesday, temperatures stay on the colder side with dry conditions favored for now. Even so, any leftover moisture could freeze after sunset, a classic late-December hazard.
Traveling for the holiday? Plan extra time, stay alert during foggy mornings, and watch for rapid temperature drops after rain. What are road conditions like where you are right now?
Five-Day Outlook for Paducah, Kentucky
Today: Patchy dense fog early, then mostly cloudy. High near 71.
Sunday: Mostly cloudy with a chance of showers. High near 73.
Monday: Turning colder and breezy, mostly sunny. High near 33.
Tuesday: Sunny and cold. High near 35, low in the 20s.
Wednesday (New Year’s Eve): Partly sunny and chilly. High in the mid-30s.
