Kentucky weather’s May recap, a look ahead at June

LEXINGTON, Ky. (FOX 56) — The first week of May was cooler than normal with generally pleasant conditions leading up to the Kentucky Oaks and Derby. On Derby Day itself, the weather cooperated for the most part, with thunderstorms waiting until just after the Derby itself that evening.

Storms continued to develop to our north overnight and slid southward into southern Indiana and north central Kentucky. On the morning of May 7, half a dozen small tornadoes touched down around the Louisville region. Tree and structural damage were reported.

The final severe weather event of the month took place on the 16th when a warm front advanced from the Tennessee Valley north into Kentucky. Severe thunderstorms produced strong wind gusts, especially in the Lake Cumberland and southern Blue Grass regions. Several trees were blown down and some of the storms exhibited impressive rotation aloft, but no tornadoes touched down.

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The remainder of May was generally quiet with temperatures slightly cooler than normal until the last few days of the month. Rainfall amounts remained below normal for many across the Blue Grass region and portions of southern Kentucky.

Unfortunately, it looks like these dry conditions continue for a good chunk of the region. The latest precipitation outlook suggests below-normal probabilities into mid-June. The current Drought Monitor is already showing dry conditions across the area and that likely worsens into mid-month.

There could be a pattern shift into mid month that turns our weather more active with rain chances. It’s something your Weather Authority will be watching closely.

With the new month ahead, here’s a look at some of June’s averages and extremes over the years.