With the National Weather Service issuing a Winter Weather Advisory for the entire Weather Edge listening area and west Kentucky Friday night, late-evening motorists and Saturday morning workers are being urged to remain cautious until at least late Saturday afternoon and into early Sunday — where temperatures warm up dramatically.
Kevin Smith, forecaster for the Paducah office of the National Weather Service, said snow accumulations of 1 inch should blanket most of the Jackson Purchase beginning at 8 PM Friday until 4 AM Saturday — with some areas receiving isolated increased totals of up to 2 inches.
The National Weather Service is giving Hopkinsville a 43% chance, Madisonville a 30% chance and Owensboro a 26% chance of 2-or-more inches of snow by early Saturday morning — as the weather band will wane as it crosses across west Kentucky.
However, the entirety of west Kentucky has no less than a 55% chance of at least 1 inch of snow.
Though roads are mostly expected to be in decent shape because of warm roads and ground temperatures, Smith said there is some slight concern for bridges and overpasses — as frigid below-freezing temperatures and wind chills early Saturday could have an impact.
Wind chill factors will be in the single digits Saturday morning, with temperatures in the teens until at least the mid-day.
By Sunday, temperatures are supposed to return back into the 50s — removing all concerns for travel and outside working conditions.
