Kentucky braces for severe storms, flooding into weekend

Gov. Andy Beshear warned residents to expect thunderstorms to begin Wednesday night, accompanied by the potential for tornadoes, high winds, and hail. Beshear urged locals to take the storms seriously in a Wednesday morning statement and described the next four days of potential severe storms as one of the most serious weather threats that the state has faced. The storms will stretch into the weekend and may trigger flooding across the state, specifically in western Kentucky, he said. Beshear also on Wednesday preemptively declared a state of emergency for the state. As of Wednesday afternoon, the National Weather Service placed a majority of the state under a wind advisory, expecting gusts up to 50 mph. Local meteorologist Chris Bailey expected some areas to receive up to 15 inches of rain through Sunday, and noted that a majority of the state will remain under a flood watch through the weekend.

Will the storm affect surrounding states? Parts of Arkansas, Tennessee, Missouri, Illinois, Mississippi, and Indiana should also expect severe thunderstorms and tornadoes, according to a Wednesday post by the National Weather Service. Officials in Missouri and Illinois warned southern areas to expect the most impact from the storms. Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves warned that northern and western regions of the state faced the largest threat from the storm, with nearly half of the state under some storm threats. Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders preemptively deployed the National Guard to aid with flash flooding, according to a Wednesday statement.