Weekend storm: time for the wintry mix… | Weather blog

Hate it or love it, a winter storm is coming this weekend. Prepare for the storm, but please don’t panic. It would be a lot easier if we just got pure snow, but it gets a lot more complicated when you add sleet and freezing rain into the equation. Let me go through this hour by hour so you know when to expect the worst. Start time is Sunday morning from 7:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m. with an initial layer of snow.

As we approach 12 p.m. Sunday, Louisville begins to swing back and forth between sleet and snow. We refer to this as sleet contamination because the sleet is rapidly decreasing and devouring the snow potential. Remember that sleet is an ice pellet that refreezes before it reaches the ground and bounces off the surface.

The worst of all types of precipitation begins at 4 p.m. The freezing rain will continue until Sunday night, but the intensity will vary. This is important. Ice formation is actually easier when rainfall is lower. When the rain is heavier, much of it runs off without freezing on contact.

Check out the map below. The diversity of precipitation types from north to south will be huge. In the north, sleet/snow will be the predominant type of precipitation at 8 p.m. I wouldn’t be surprised if we get reports of thunderstorms! It’s still raining heavily and icy in Louisville. Freezing rain/light rain will continue in the south and you may even hear rumbles of thunder and see lightning due to the instability.

As the night progresses, the type of precipitation will remain in exactly the same zones, but will weaken after 2 a.m., allowing ice to accumulate on trees and power lines. Winds are also starting to pick up, with gusts varying between 30 and 35 miles per hour. This combination is not good when it comes to keeping the lights on. You need to have a plan in case there is a power outage because the temperature may not rise above freezing for 125 to 150 hours.

To be clear, isolated to numerous power outages are possible, especially in areas where lines are above ground. On Monday we will switch from the wintry mix back to pure snow around 7am. Don’t forget that there will be a layer of ice hidden under the snow.

It will snow moderately for several hours, into the early afternoon. My suggestion is to avoid shoveling until the storm has passed. The initial wave of snow/sleet can act as a barrier, preventing the freezing rain from turning everything into a layer of ice.

Finally, we’ll wrap this up at 4pm on Monday as the snow gets lighter before disappearing completely. Listen, I know this can all be extremely nerve-wracking and anxiety-inducing. Our goal at WDRB is to give you the most accurate forecast to keep your family safe.

Here’s what we have as of this update as of Friday, 11 p.m. Select your location on the map and follow the legend to see the range at your location. Please don’t just pay attention to the top number. Full disclaimer: There is so much liquid and so much energy in this dynamic storm that these numbers will change. Check back with us throughout the weekend for up-to-date snow and ice levels!