Eastern Ky📍
01/04/2025
Hoping everyone is getting prepared today if not already! ❤️🥶
WINTER STORM FORECAST (as of Saturday) - SNOW AND ICE Especially for I-64 Corridor and North - THREE PHASES
Today is GREAT for travel and preparations, but will go downhill on Sunday... SHARE TO ALL as power outages look LIKELY in hardest hit areas.
PHASE ONE - Snow will spread eastward after church services Sunday morning from west to east, and gradually become steadier in the afternoon. As max intensity is reached Sunday night, a changeover to ice and rain will be spreading northward, but only so far. I'm currently going for less snow than the models, as I'm expecting the push of warm air to make it farther north, but regardless travel is NOT recommended once it arrives Sunday afternoon.
PHASE TWO - The change to ice and rain reaches its maximum northward push near dawn Monday. This will cut into existing snow totals and make final results hard to pinpoint. Places in rain on Monday will actually have wet-but-passable road conditions, but on the northern fringe it will depend on how much ice/snow is still left unmelted. Speaking of ice - THIS IS THE MOST CRITICAL PART OF THE FORECAST - Anything over 0.1" of ice is treacherous for travel (before even including snow), but anything approaching 0.25" is power outage territory, and over that is 🫣. The greatest risk for this level ice storm is along and north of I-64 near where OH/WV/KY meet. Any tiny shift in the advancement of warm air means anything from snow to rain for this area, but where I'm at now is my current best assessment. Areas farthest north will see a "sleetier" snow, but can still accumulate.
PHASE THREE - The main thrust of the storm shifts eastward, cold air fills in behind, and light snow returns from west to east from about Monday Midday through Tuesday morning. Accumulations here can cover areas with existing ice, making it even more sneaky-slick on untreated driveways and walkways. I have a feeling folks the worst-hit areas aren't going anywhere anyway though.
Places near I-64 have the most volatile forecast solution, meaning any little shift can cause drastic differences in their experience, but I'm pretty confident in the overall storm anatomy.
Please understand I would LOVE to get you total snowfall numbers, but It's currently too difficult in the middle of our region where rain and ice will complicate the initial snowfall. Areas farthest north will see mainly snow and can just add the different ranges up. Areas farthest south will see that initial snow accumulation melt away and that final light snow be their final totals.
