textproduct: Jackson

KEY MESSAGES

- A major winter storm brings significant, impactful snow and ice accumulations this afternoon through tomorrow.

- Bitter cold weather returns Sunday night and lasts through next week.

UPDATE

Issued at 1057 PM EST SAT JAN 24 2026

Mixed precip has made it as far north as KJKL, slightly faster than was forecast. Snow has underperformed so far in most places. 00Z runs indicate heavier precip on the way overnight and on Sunday, but during that time frame temps aloft should put most places as either mixed precip or freezing rain, or even plain rain in our southern and southeastern counties. This could put a significant part of the system as freezing rain all the way north to around I-64.

UPDATE Issued at 807 PM EST SAT JAN 24 2026

Precip is ongoing. A transition to mixed precip is occurring over our Cumberland Basin region, largely on track, and will continue to progress northward tonight.

LONG TERM

(Monday through Saturday) Issued at 140 PM EST SAT JAN 24 2026

Light snow and flurries gradually wind down Monday into Monday night, but will linger longest in the east in the favored upslope areas (Big Sandy Basin). The major weather impact during this time will be the cold, however, with low single-digit readings both above and below zero and wind chills well below zero late Monday into Tuesday, with as low as 20 below to 25 below zero readings over the Bluegrass region.

Weak warm advection is expected Tuesday ahead of a clipper system that grazes the area, with highs recovering into the 20s to lower 30s, with renewed flurry and light snow chances particularly within the favored cold advection upslope region in the Big Sandy basin.

Another stronger clipper system will likely bring more widespread light snow and thus minor snow accumulations late Wednesday into early Thursday, with a weaker system later Thursday into Friday producing another round of flurries.

Each clipper system will bring a refresh of the arctic air mass in place, resulting in a long spell of continued sub-freezing temperatures through all of next week. Model trends suggest that temperatures bottom out around Friday morning, with another round of cold weather headlines likely late week into the weekend, before a potential gradual moderating trend into the next week.

AVIATION

(For the 06Z TAFS through 06Z Sunday night) ISSUED AT 1226 AM EST SUN JAN 25 2026

A mix of IFR and MVFR conditions was present at the start of the period. Precipitation was ongoing in most places. It was mostly in the form of a wintry mix or freezing rain in the south, with snow lingering in the far north in the KSYM vicinity.

A general deterioration to mostly IFR conditions (or worse) is expected during the first 3 to 5 hours of the period, with the poor conditions lasting through the rest of the period. Some improvements into or toward MVFR may occur late in the northwest. The wintry mix should progress north across the remainder of the area through around 10Z. Freezing rain will continue to progress northward tonight, probably all the way to Fleming County (north of KSYM) by dawn. A change to plain rain will also progress gradually north to near the Mountain Parkway in the afternoon. The precipitation should then begins to switch to wintry forms areawide again from NW to SE to end the period as much colder air arrives.

JKL WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES

Winter Storm Warning until 7 AM EST Monday for KYZ044-050>052- 058>060-068-069-079-080-083>088-104-106>120.

Cold Weather Advisory from midnight tonight to noon EST Monday for KYZ044-050>052-058-059-068-069-079-083.

Extreme Cold Watch from Monday evening through Tuesday morning for KYZ044-050>052-058>060-068-069-079-080-083>088-104-106>120.