Paducah, Kentucky – Scattered afternoon thunderstorms are delivering torrential rainfall, gusty winds, and frequent lightning across west Kentucky and surrounding areas, putting travel and safety at risk into Monday evening.
According to the National Weather Service in Paducah, storms are slowly drifting southeastward, impacting communities from Paducah and Hopkinsville to small parts of southwest Indiana. Additional storms may develop across southeast Missouri and far southern Illinois before dusk. The main threats include wind gusts of 40–50 mph, with an isolated storm possibly pushing 60 mph. Rainfall rates could exceed 1 inch in under 30 minutes, leading to localized street flooding, especially in low-lying neighborhoods and along US Highway 60 and I-24.
Motorists should watch for water ponding on roadways and reduced visibility. Frequent lightning poses added danger to anyone outdoors. Emergency managers urge residents to avoid flooded roads, secure outdoor items, and have devices charged in case of outages.
Today’s event follows a stretch of quieter July weather, but summer storms like these have a history of disrupting evening commutes and outdoor activities in the Paducah area.
Storm threats will diminish after sunset, but additional watches and warnings may be issued if storms redevelop. Stay tuned to NOAA Weather Radio or local alerts for updates through the evening.
