Louisville, Kentucky – A powerful surge of Arctic air is expected to sweep into Kentucky beginning Thursday, bringing a prolonged period of well below-normal temperatures and significantly increasing the risk for frost and freezing conditions across the state through early next week.
According to the National Weather Service and NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center, Kentucky is forecast to see below-normal precipitation through Monday, keeping rain chances limited. Despite the dry pattern, temperatures are expected to fall sharply, setting the stage for multiple nights of freezing conditions and cold daytime highs.
Central Kentucky, including Louisville, Lexington, Frankfort, and Elizabethtown, is expected to see repeated overnight freezes, with temperatures dropping to or below freezing for several hours at a time. These conditions raise concerns for exposed pipes, unprotected outdoor plumbing, pets, and sensitive vegetation. Clear skies and light winds will allow temperatures to fall quickly after sunset.
Western Kentucky, including Owensboro, Bowling Green, Paducah, and Hopkinsville, will also face an elevated freeze risk. While daytime temperatures may recover slightly under sunshine, overnight lows will plunge, allowing widespread frost to form in rural and low-lying areas. Eastern Kentucky, including Pikeville, Hazard, and Prestonsburg, may experience even colder overnight temperatures due to elevation and terrain, increasing the likelihood of prolonged freezing conditions.
Daytime highs statewide are expected to remain suppressed, often struggling to reach seasonal norms. Wind chills could make mornings feel even colder, especially across open and elevated areas.
Even without precipitation, isolated slick spots could develop on bridges and elevated roadways during the coldest mornings along major routes such as Interstate 64, Interstate 65, Interstate 75, and the Bluegrass Parkway.
Residents are urged to take cold-weather precautions, including protecting pipes, plants, and pets, and checking on vulnerable neighbors. This dry but unusually cold pattern is expected to persist into early next week, with freeze watches or warnings likely as confidence increases.
