After a stretch of freezing rain, the Louisville metro area has a strong chance of receiving more than 8 inches of snow between Jan. 24 and 25, based on the latest forecast from the National Weather Service in Louisville.
Parts of Kentucky, including the Louisville metro area, along with Indiana, will be under a winter storm watch from 1 a.m. Jan. 24 through 7 a.m. Jan. 26.
“A winter storm is expected to bring moderate to major impacts to central Kentucky and southern Indiana this weekend. Periods of moderate to heavy snow are forecast this weekend with the possibility of a wintry mix of snow and sleet across southern Kentucky,” the advisory states.
Forecasters say a strong arctic high-pressure system will push cold air south into the Ohio Valley, while several low-pressure systems move across the Tennessee Valley and Gulf Coast states. Louisville is also expected to experience bitter cold, with lows dropping to 8 degrees on Jan. 24 and wind chills reaching -4 degrees.
Meteorologists continue to monitor the final storm track, which will determine precipitation types and snowfall totals. A farther north track would raise the likelihood of heavier snowfall, while a more southern path would lower accumulation chances.
NWS Louisville meteorologist Brian Neudorff said Jan. 20 that the overall chance of a wintry mix in the Louisville area is “extremely low” due to the expected cold temperatures.
While exact snowfall totals remain uncertain, forecast models show “a large spread” in potential amounts. Southern Indiana and central Kentucky have a 50% to 70% chance of seeing more than 8 inches of snow and a 30% to 50% chance of exceeding 12 inches, according to the latest outlook. Officials warned that residents could face “considerable disruptions” to daily life, including hazardous or impossible travel conditions and widespread closures and infrastructure disruptions.
“Think about looking at a telescope or binoculars — you have to dial in the focus. That’s kind of what models do,” Neudorff said. “We’re basically trying to, as we get closer, dial in and see the picture. It’s less fuzzy. It becomes more clear.”
Officials added that the chances of sleet and ice buildup have increased in parts of southern Kentucky, though they noted the pattern could still shift in the coming days.
Louisville preparing for winter storm with road treatments
Louisville’s Metro Snow team is ready to respond to weekend snowfall using plows and salt trucks, Department of Transportation Director Bill Bell said Jan. 21.
“It’s looking there won’t be ice and it will be just snow, which is a good thing,” Bell said during an afternoon news conference.
Bell said the city recently added about 500 tons of salt, bringing the salt dome to roughly two-thirds capacity. He added that funding is available to replenish supplies if necessary.
Crews applied brine, a liquid mix of salt and water, on Jan. 20 ahead of the expected winter weather. Brine is used before storms to prevent snow and ice from sticking to road surfaces, making later plowing and salting more effective.
“We’ve brined more these last six weeks than we have the last three years,” Bell said. “That was one of the things our consultants suggested we do, among other recommendations that we followed through on.”
More details about Louisville’s winter preparations, including access to the live Metro Snow Team map, are available on the city’s Department of Public Works website.
Louisville weather forecast
Jan. 21
There is a chance of rain and snow before noon, followed by a chance of rain between noon and 3 p.m. Skies will remain cloudy, with a high near 41 degrees and wind gusts up to 24 miles per hour. The chance of precipitation is 50%, with less than half an inch of snow accumulation possible during the day.
In the evening, clouds will linger early before gradually clearing. The low will be around 28 degrees, with southwest winds between 6 and 9 miles per hour.
Jan. 22
Conditions will be mostly sunny, with a high near 38 degrees and west winds between 3 and 5 miles per hour. At night, skies will be partly cloudy, with lows around 20 degrees and calm winds becoming north at about 5 miles per hour after midnight.
Jan. 23
It will be mostly cloudy and cold, with a high near 24 degrees. Overnight, skies will remain mostly cloudy, with lows near 8 degrees.
Jan. 24
Snow is likely, mainly after 1 p.m. It will be cloudy and cold, with a high near 17 degrees. The chance of precipitation is 60%.
Snow is expected overnight, with lows around 13 degrees. The chance of precipitation increases to 80%.
Jan. 25
There is a 30% chance of snow, mainly before 1 p.m. Skies will be mostly cloudy and cold, with a high near 22 degrees. Overnight lows will be around 9 degrees under mostly cloudy conditions.
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