With much of the focus on this weekend’s weather, a quick-moving chance for a light mix of snow, freezing rain, and sleet on Wednesday morning could easily go unnoticed.
While this front does not carry much moisture, even a brief period of snowflakes or light freezing rain Wednesday morning could create impacts that catch people off guard.
When?
Forecast data shows this system arriving before sunrise Wednesday and lingering past sunrise into the morning commute. Light snow or a possible freezing rain mix could begin around 5 a.m., especially south of Louisville.
This mix will continue as the front moves through the area, with light precipitation lasting into the late morning and possibly until around noon.
During this time, a messy mix is possible, particularly as temperatures rise quickly through the morning.
Impacts
Even though temperatures will warm rapidly, pavement temperatures will remain below freezing. That means that even a mostly rain mix could still freeze on contact, leading to slick road conditions.
Data as of Tuesday afternoon continues to show very light and spotty freezing rain accumulations, mainly south of Louisville, especially from Shepherdsville to around Hodgenville. While amounts are expected to be minimal, even light freezing rain can cause problems.
Although freezing rain accumulation is not guaranteed, it would not take much to create traffic issues. Any snowflakes mixing in could also stick, since pavement temperatures in most areas will still be below freezing.
The good news is that afternoon temperatures should climb into the low 40s. However, for the Wednesday morning and possibly midday commutes, drivers should stay alert for the potential of slick conditions.
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