It’s hotter than “_______.” I’ll let you fill in the blank! Hopefully, you're finding ways to stay at least somewhat cool during this intense heatwave. As of this afternoon, multiple stations across the western half of the state were reporting temperatures in the mid-90s. Factor in the humidity, and the heat index soared well past the century mark. In fact, the Kentucky Mesonet station in Dixon, KY showed a temperature of 95°F at one point—with a heat index of 120°F! Yikes!

Naturally, it’s late July—so this kind of heat isn’t all that unusual. That said, today happens to mark the anniversary of Kentucky’s all-time record high, set back in 1930. Greensburg, KY still holds that title at 114°F! Fortunately, we’re not dealing with drought conditions this year, and temperatures aren’t expected to get anywhere near that extreme.

Courtesy of the National Weather Service in Louisville, below is a map showing the high temperatures recorded across the state on that historic day.

I think most of us are ready for Mother Nature to turn on the air conditioner—and fortunately, that relief is right around the corner. That said, I want to focus on the next couple of days, which are shaping up to be the hottest of the summer so far. As I’ve mentioned before, it’s important to take the heat seriously. Extreme heat can sneak up on you, and we need to take precautions to mitigate any types of heat stress.

Oppressive Heat through Wednesday

As of Monday afternoon, all of Kentucky is under either a Heat Advisory or an Excessive Heat Warning—with the latter in effect for Western Kentucky and parts of Northeastern Kentucky. These alerts are issued when heat indices, or “apparent temperatures,” soar into the triple digits. The heat index reflects what the temperature actually feels like to the human body when humidity is factored in. For example, as of 4 PM today, the Barren County Mesonet station recorded a temperature of 92°F. With humidity at 58.7%, the heat index jumps to 103°F.

Conditions will remain much the same over the next two days. Areas under the Excessive Heat Warning can expect heat indices to climb above 110°F again on Tuesday, with slightly lower—but still dangerous—values on Wednesday. Counties under a Heat Advisory should prepare for peak heat indices ranging from 100 to 110°F. I’ve included a couple maps from the National Weather Service below showing projected heat indices at 5 PM EDT on both Tuesday and Wednesday. No matter where you are across the state, it’s going to be toasty!

If you're interested in tracking this data in real time, check out the Weather Alert app (download info at the bottom of this email). Once in the app, click the circled icon in the upper-right corner of the radar tab to add overlays. Be sure to select “NWS Alerts” and “Lightning” to get a map view similar to the one included here. You can then click on individual counties to get more details on the specific advisory or warning in effect.

As a sidenote, preliminary data through July 27 shows the state’s average temperature at 80.1°F for the month of July. That’s 3.5°F above normal, and if the month ended today, it would rank as the 5th warmest July on record (dating back 131 years)!

Stay Safe in the Summer Heat

I included this message in the last Ag Weather Update, but it’s worth repeating: Take this heat seriously. I’ve personally heard from several farmers who have gone down in the fields recently due to heat exhaustion. Thankfully, they’re okay—but it’s a reminder that this kind of heat is dangerous and can sneak up on anyone if the proper precautions aren’t taken.

Please take it easy out there—your health comes first!

Make sure to:

• Stay hydrated throughout the day
• Take breaks when working outdoors
• Wear loose, light-colored clothing
• Know the signs of heat exhaustion and heat stroke (graphic below)

Don’t forget the animals, too! The Ag Weather Center’s Livestock Heat Stress Index will stay in the danger and emergency categories each afternoon and evening over the next couple days. That means precautions are essential to keep animals safe and healthy. Shade, adequate ventilation, and plenty of cool, clean water are a must. If you need to work or transport animals, try to get it done early in the morning. More info on heat stress mitigation measures can be found in a recent UK Ag Communications article, here.

Relief is on the way

The start of August will bring a welcome change to the region as a cold front ushers much cooler and drier air across Kentucky. We're going from highs in the 90s to highs in the upper 70s to mid-80s by Friday and carrying over into the weekend. Dewpoints will also drop into the 50s and 60s, bringing a much less humid feel to the atmosphere. All in all—bring on the cold front!

This boundary will also increase our chances for showers and storms—but the big question remains: will it be enough? Current model guidance (see map below) through Thursday evening suggests rainfall totals ranging from a quarter-inch to over an inch, with the highest amounts expected across Southeastern Kentucky. While the state has averaged 2.71 inches of rain over the past couple of weeks, some areas—mainly in southern Kentucky—have missed out on this spotty, convective pattern and are running 1 to 2 inches below normal for that time frame. Fort Campbell is one of those locations, having recorded only 0.22 inches.

Looking ahead to August, long-range outlooks suggest that although we’ll start the month with below-normal temperatures, a warming trend is likely to return, bringing above-normal temperatures back to the region. Normal highs this time of year run in the mid to upper 80s, with lows in the mid to upper 60s. Forecasters are also showing increased confidence in above-normal precipitation for the start of August—so here’s hoping we keep the rain coming!

Until next time, folks—stay safe and enjoy the break from the heat!

Related News from UK and Beyond

Corn is not making your days more humid - Dr. Chad Lee, UK Grains Crops Extension Specialist, July 25, 2025

Kentucky Pest News - UK Extension Entomology, Plant Pathology, and Weed Science Specialists, July 22, 2025

UK Grain Crops - UK Martin-Gatton CAFE Grain and Forage Center of Excellence

High heat prompts livestock safeguards across Kentucky - Jordan Strickler, UK M-G CAFE Communications, July 2 , 2025

From Dust to Deluge: Weather Whiplash Devastates Texas - Jason Gerlich, Joel Lisonbee, Andy Hoell, Kelly Mahoney, and Adam Lang, National Integrated Drought Information System, July 23, 2025

Kentucky Weather Alert App

This ad-free app from the UK Ag Weather Center is an excellent resource for staying safe and informed. It provides daily and hourly forecasts, high-resolution radar, National Weather Service alerts sent directly to your phone, and a link to this update. Without any distracting ads, this app can act as another reliable warning source during tonight’s severe weather. Be sure to check it out by scanning or clicking the QR codes below to download the app on both iOS and Google Play platforms.