Already saturated grounds in western Kentucky received heavy rainfall late Thursday night into Friday morning resulting in flooding, and Meteorologist Justin Gibbs with the National Weather Service in Paducah says the rain is not done yet.
Severe weather has been impacting the region since Wednesday, and Gibbs says rain and the chance for severe weather will continue through Saturday. Into Friday evening and night, much of the region is at an enhanced or slight risk for severe weather. Gibbs says the weather system will be approaching from the west and could possibly result in tornadoes.
The risk for severe thunder storms will arrive between Friday at 8 p.m. and Saturday at 4 a.m. The additional storms come after around six to eight inches of rainfall in the Christian County area. Gibbs says the rainfall could result in catastrophic flooding which may impact area that have never been reached by floodwaters before.
Most of the flooding in Hopkinsville occurred as a result of the rainwater collecting in Little River. Gibbs says the river has crested and reached its highest point Friday morning before it started to slightly recede. However, the river could reach a higher point later Friday evening.
As forecasters monitor the rain levels, Gibbs says they may declare a flash flood emergency which means catastrophic flooding is imminent, and folks would be urged to stay off the roadways.
Turning toward Saturday, the region is expected to be at a slight risk for severe weather through the nighttime hours which will include more rainfall.
A tornado watch is in effect until 10 p.m. and a flood watch is in effect until Sunday morning. More information about the incoming inclement weather is available at weather.gov/pah.