Parts of KY, IN, & IL Face Severe Storm Risk — Tornadoes, Damaging Winds, Large Hail All Possible

Spring '24, as young as it is, has already kept us on our toes several times recently. It seems we're facing severe weather threats every week this season. And sometimes, we're dealing with multiple threats in the same week.

This week is ONE of those weeks. Mother Nature got part of the tri-state's week off to a relatively bumpy start, and now it figures to get even bumpier. The National Weather Service's storm prediction center has placed western Kentucky, southwestern Indiana, and southern Illinois under an Enhanced (Level 3) risk for severe storms on Thursday. Everything will be in play; tornadoes, large hail, and damaging winds are all possible with this system.

According to NWS/Paducah, the timing of the arrival of these storms has changed. The primary timing now appears to be in the evening with the leading edge not expected to even enter southeast Missouri and southern Illinois until early mid-evening. And the departure time out of western Kentucky could be midnight.

An Enhanced (Level 3) threat means more numerous and intense severe storms could roll through the area.

And once the cold front finally moves through, we'll begin to feel a drastic change in the temperatures. The summer-like pattern we've been experiencing will be a temporary thing of the past by the time the weekend rolls around. Highs are expected to only be in the low 60s and, according to this graphic from the National Weather Service, the upper 50s in Henderson KY.