textproduct: Jackson

KEY MESSAGES

- A widespread dry and fluffy snow event is expected through Saturday, primarily across southeastern Kentucky. Highest accumulations are expected near the KY-VA border.

- Cold weather lasts through the upcoming weekend, with at least a brief warming trend following early next week.

UPDATE

Issued at 621 AM EST FRI JAN 30 2026

Minor updates to PoPs were made through the short-term, mainly upwards, with a sharper gradient to PoPs on the northwest periphery of the PoP field.

LONG TERM

(Saturday night through Thursday) Issued at 247 AM EST FRI JAN 30 2026

Saturday evening, snow showers across the far southeastern counties of the forecast area, should taper off through the overnight hours. These remnant snow showers stem from a strong upper-level low over the North Georgia, which will likely lead to rapid intensification of a surface low, and a Miller-Type A noreaster. With the 500-mb trough axis south and east of the state, cold arctic air will remain over Eastern Kentucky Saturday night. Temperatures will drop into the single digits leading to wind chills ranging form 5 above to 10 below zero.

Sunday will remain cold, although slightly warmer than Saturday, with sub-freezing temperatures ranging from the lower to upper 20s. In fact, the forecasted high of 20 at the airport in Jackson, would break the 30 year old record, set back in 1996, of 22 degrees if it were to occur. Northwesterly winds will gradually lighten and shift out of the southwest overnight, under clear skies. Ridge-valley splits are expected to occur, with colder valleys in the single digits, close to zero, whereas ridgetops may be a few degrees warmer. The forecasted low of 9 degrees at the Jackson airport would tie the record set back in 2013. Clouds will increase through the night heading into Monday. This is because a low pressure moves across the Great Lakes region, with a warm front extending south into the Ohio Valley. At current, shower chances remain to low to include in the forecast (under 15%). Monday will mark the first time Eastern Kentucky will see temperatures above freezing since Friday night. Temperatures are forecasted to warm into the low to upper 30s, with lows in the lower 20s, and upper teens in colder spots.

Tuesday and beyond, models are showing signals of a strong ridge over the West Coast, while a lee-side trough takes shape over the Northern and Central Plains. A shortwave is modeled to move through this trough in the middle of the US, which may bring active weather to Eastern Kentucky Tuesday through Thursday. Timing and evolution of this system is likely to change. Beyond that, the next short-wave to ride over the ridge in the West and spill into the Plains, could arrive to Kentucky sometime Friday.

AVIATION

(For the 12Z TAFS through 12Z Saturday morning) ISSUED AT 626 AM EST FRI JAN 30 2026

A frontogenetically-forced band of light snow has developed mostly along and south of the Mountain Parkway, and will continue to expand and extend south through the southeastern terminals through the daytime hours. Cigs will likely not get any lower than MVFR, but viz reductions to IFR, at least briefly, will be possible within heavier bursts of snow. Winds will generally be northeast to north at 5 kts or less today through tonight.

JKL WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES

Cold Weather Advisory from 1 AM to noon EST Saturday for KYZ044- 050>052-068-069-079-080-083>085.

Winter Weather Advisory until 7 PM EST this evening for KYZ058- 107-111.

Winter Weather Advisory until 3 AM EST Saturday for KYZ068-069- 079-080-083-084-109-112-114-119.

Winter Weather Advisory until noon EST Saturday for KYZ085>088- 110-113-115>118-120.