Happy Wednesday, folks! It's been a relatively nice few days to start the workweek with high temperatures breaking into the 60s. Some have even nearly touched 70! Just for perspective, normal highs for this time of year are supposed to be in the mid to upper 40s.

These warm temperatures have been nothing new in 2023. The official data came out today for January and it was Kentucky's 4th warmest January ever! We were one of many states across the eastern half of the U.S. that saw a top-10 warmest January on record (map below).

While it has been warm, we're going to see some changes in the short term as a disturbance works through the area today, tonight, and into tomorrow. There will likely be quite the range in rainfall accumulations across the state, topping 1 inch for far Western KY, but under a tenth for Eastern KY. I'm writing this at 5PM on 2/8 and the Fulton County Mesonet station has already picked up 1.48 inches. In addition, a strong storm or two can't be ruled out across Western KY later tonight as a line forms along a cold front. It's a pretty low probability, but damaging winds would be the main threat.

While we'll see some rain from this system, the real story is going to be the winds, which will start ramping up later tonight and sticking around through the day tomorrow. A 'Wind Advisory' (map below via NWS Louisville) has already been issued for the entirety of the state with gusts of 40-50 mph+ on the table. Be extra precautious if driving in a high-profile vehicle tomorrow, in addition to securing any loose objects outside! My neighbor woke up to a trampoline in his front yard after one of these events a couple weeks ago!

Behind a cold front, we cool off for the end of the workweek and start of the weekend, but only on a temporary basis. The coolest day will likely be Saturday with highs only topping out in the low to mid 40s, but again, we're back in the 50s statewide by Monday. The "cooler" temperatures will be accompanied by some occasional light showers. We could even see some snow flakes here and there. Saying that, as it sits now, most of the activity looks to pass to our south and east.

Looking farther out, outlooks continue to lean toward above normal temperatures through the third week of February. Following our Arctic air outbreak in December, we've definitely went in the opposite direction to start 2023.

Related News from UK and Beyond

Kentucky Forage News - UK Forage Specialists, February 2, 2023

Kentucky Beef Cattle Newsletter "Off the Hoof", Beef IRM Team, February 6, 2022

Use Winter for Preventive Maintenance on Your Sprayers - Dr. Ric Bessin, UK Extension Entomology Specialist, February 7, 2023

Top 5 Weather Events of 2022 - National Weather Service in Jackson