Hurricane Ian has reached the US. How it could affect Louisville and Eastern Kentucky

Ana Rocío Álvarez Bríñez and Rae Johnson, Louisville Courier Journal
·3 min read

Hurricane Ian has struck Florida and is now making its way toward South Carolina, with remnants from the storm likely to end up in Kentucky.

While major damage in the Bluegrass State is unlikely, you might want to keep an umbrella handy.

Eastern Kentucky could see a little more than an inch and a half of rain, falling off and on between Friday and Monday, said meteorologist Alex Vorst of the National Weather Service in Jackson. Kentucky's far-east counties, like Pike County, will likely see the most precipitation, he added.

Eastern Kentucky is still recovering from devastating flooding that swept through the region this summer and killed dozens of people, but the rain this weekend shouldn't result in damage anywhere close to what took place following that storm. Some counties were hit with more than six inches of rain in late July, and Perry County alone saw seven inches over the course of several days.

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Brian Schoettmer, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Louisville, said some showers could hit Louisville between Saturday and Monday. But they shouldn't cause any notable damage and aren't expected to include as much rainfall as Eastern Kentucky is likely to see. Still, if you're planning to check out the St. James Court Art Show over the weekend, you may want to keep an eye on the forecast.

Schoettmer said as of Tuesday evening there is a 20% to 30% chance of rain in Louisville, and a 40% to 50% chance of rain in Eastern Kentucky.

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National Weather Service Louisville forecast

Saturday: Mostly sunny with a high near 72. North wind 7 to 14 mph with gusts as high as 24 mph.

Sunday: Mostly sunny with a high near 72. North wind 8 to 13 mph with gusts as high as 23 mph.

Monday: Sunny with a high near 73.

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National Weather Service Jackson forecast

Friday night: A 50% chance of rain, mainly after midnight. Cloudy with a low around 50. North northeast wind around 7 mph with gusts as high as 18 mph. Between a quarter and half an inch of precipitation is possible.

Saturday: Rain and a high near 58. North wind 6 to 8 mph with gusts as high as 21 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80%. Between a half and three-quarters of an inch is possible.

Saturday night: Rain likely before 8 p.m. and then showers likely, mainly between 8 p.m. and midnight. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 52. North northwest wind 5 to 7 mph with gusts as high as 15 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%. Between a tenth and a quarter of an inch is possible.

Sunday: A 40% chance of showers. Mostly cloudy with a high near 61. North wind 5 to 7 mph with gusts as high as 16 mph.

Monday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 67.

Reach reporter Ana Rocío Álvarez Bríñez at abrinez@courier-journal.com and follow her on Twitter at @SoyAnaAlvarez.

This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Hurricane Ian: Louisville, Eastern KY may see rain amid dry month