Paducah, KY — A line of thunderstorms is expected to move across parts of Kentucky, Illinois, Missouri and Indiana early Saturday, with damaging wind gusts the main concern.
According to the National Weather Service in Paducah, storms will spread west to east across the region Saturday morning into the early afternoon as a weather system pushes through the Mid-South and lower Ohio Valley.
Forecasters say a few storms could become strong to severe, with damaging wind gusts between 60 and 70 mph possible. Small hail up to about one inch in diameter may also occur in stronger storms.
The peak timing for storms is expected between 3 a.m. and 12 p.m. CST, with arrival times varying by location:
- 3–6 a.m.: Southeast Missouri and nearby areas
- 6–9 a.m.: Western Kentucky and southern Illinois
- 9 a.m.–12 p.m.: Western and central Kentucky into southwest Indiana
Cities including Cape Girardeau, Paducah, Carbondale, Evansville and Hopkinsville could see storms move through during the morning hours.
The tornado risk is currently listed as very low, though isolated thunderstorms may still produce brief strong wind gusts.
Forecasters also say a second round of gusty showers or storms could develop near the Ohio River Saturday afternoon, particularly affecting parts of southwest Indiana and western Kentucky.
Dry conditions are expected to return to the region by early Saturday evening.
Early morning travelers, students and weekend workers may want to monitor weather alerts as storms move through during the morning hours.
