The National Weather Service has issued a flood watch for the entire state of Kentucky, and Gov. Andy Beshear issued a state of emergency Friday ahead of the rainfall to prepare for potentially hazardous conditions.
The flood watch is in effect in Hopkinsville from midnight Friday through 6 a.m. Sunday.
“Be careful, because the amount of rain that will be coming down, it will make it hard to drive,” Beshear said in a video announcement posted Friday afternoon to social media.
According to the NWS forecast, Hopkinsville will get 3 to 4 inches of rain from early Saturday into Sunday, while portions of western and northern Christian County could see 4 to 6 inches.
A spokesman for the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet said heavy rain could overwhelm drainage infrastructure, and he said drivers need to be aware that roads could become impassable.
“Motorists are urged to use caution when traveling, and be aware of areas that frequently flood during heavy rains. Also be aware that some areas that do not normally flood could potentially be impacted by the amounts of rainfall in the forecast,” a state official said in a press release.
Winds could gust up to 28 mph over the weekend, and there is a slight chance of snow.
“Rapidly dropping temperatures may allow for slick spots on bridges and overpasses,” the forecast notes.
Next week will be extremely cold with highs in the mid-30s Monday and Tuesday and in the 20s Wednesday and Thursday. Overnight lows next week will be in the teens or single digits.
“Bitterly cold air is forecast for the majority of next week with wind chills dropping into the single digits or teens beginning on Sunday, and possibly below zero for some areas next week,” the forecast states. “There remains a potential for accumulating snow sufficient to cause travel impacts Tuesday into Wednesday next week.”
Jennifer P. Brown is co-founder, publisher and editor of Hoptown Chronicle. You can reach her at editor@hoptownchronicle.org. Brown was a reporter and editor at the Kentucky New Era, where she worked for 30 years. She is a co-chair of the national advisory board to the Institute for Rural Journalism and Community Issues, governing board past president for the Kentucky Historical Society, and co-founder of the Kentucky Open Government Coalition. She serves on the Hopkinsville History Foundation's board.
