textproduct: Jackson

KEY MESSAGES

- Temperatures will average 15 or more degrees above normal through the end of the week. Record or near record high temperatures are forecast today, Friday, and Saturday.

- Showers/storms are possible Thursday and Thursday night with a passing disturbance, with potentially greater chances this weekend with a cold front.

- Much cooler weather is expected Sunday into early next week, with the potential for patchy frost in the coldest locations Monday morning.

UPDATE

Issued at 710 AM EDT WED APR 15 2026

A minor update has been sent out to update hourly temperatures in the very near term, and to update Sky grids through this afternoon based on latest model guidance.

LONG TERM

(Thursday night through Tuesday) Issued at 446 AM EDT WED APR 15 2026

As showers taper off heading into Friday morning, temperatures cool into the low to mid 50s in valleys, and low 60s along ridge tops. A ridge of high pressure briefly builds over the area Friday ahead of a deepening trough over the Rockies and Northern Plains. Relatively quiet weather is expected, with a mix of sun and clouds, and temperatures warming into the 80s. Because of the approaching system, clouds begin to increase overnight and through Saturday. Low temperatures Friday night cool into the 50s and low 60s. Saturday, the upper level trough will be over the Upper Great Lakes, with a warm front extending through the Great Lakes into the Mid- Atlantic, while a trailing cold front will extend through the Upper MidWest, the Mid and Lower Mississippi valleys, with showers and thunderstorms along and ahead of it. Shower and storm chances will increase over Eastern Kentucky from northwest to southeast through the afternoon into the evening and overnight hours. Showers and storms are then expected to taper off from northwest to southeast through Sunday. Temperatures Saturday, ahead of the cold front, will warm into mid to upper 80s for most, under southwesterly winds. At night, with winds becoming west to northwesterly, cold air advecting in behind the cold front will cool temperatures into the mid to upper 40s.

Sunday, as remaining showers taper off, the cold front is modeled southeast of the area. Temperatures will be much cooler across the area, some 20 to 25 degrees cooler in fact, ranging in the low to mid 60s. Clouds should diminish through the afternoon as the trough begins to depart the area. However, Eastern Kentucky looks to be on the backside of the trough heading into Sunday night. With cold air still advecting in under light northwesterly winds and clearing skies, temperatures are expected to drop into the mid to upper 30s in the valleys and lower 40s elsewhere, which may lead to patchy frost in the coldest locations. Height rises look to occur Monday, leading to mostly sunny skies, and highs in the low to mid 60s. Monday night, temperatures cool into the upper 30s to near 40 degrees. Tuesday, a shortwave looks to skirt through the Upper Great Lakes and its main effects should remain north of the area. Conditions will feature a mix of sun and clouds under southerly winds and seasonable temperatures warming into the low 70s.

AVIATION

(For the 12Z TAFS through 12Z Thursday morning) ISSUED AT 712 AM EDT WED APR 15 2026

VFR conditions prevailed at the 12z TAF issuance and should hold through the period. The region will remain in the warm sector between a sfc ridge of high pressure extending from the Southeast to the western Atlantic, and a frontal zone from New England across the Great Lakes and into the Plains.

South to southwest winds will increase this morning into the 5 to 12 kts range, peaking in the afternoon before diminishing toward sunset. Occasional gusts to around 20 kts are also expected.

JKL WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES

None.