It was a cold start to the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday across Central and Eastern Kentucky as a weak cold front pushed through during the early morning hours. While sunshine dominated for much of the day, that front delivered a reinforcing shot of Arctic air into the Ohio Valley, setting the stage for some of the coldest temperatures we’ve seen so far this winter.

By early Tuesday morning, temperatures are expected to drop into the single digits for many locations. With a light west wind still in place, wind chills will fall below zero, especially across the Bluegrass Region. Because of that, a Cold Weather Advisory is in effect through 10 AM Tuesday, with wind chills as low as 5 degrees below zero possible in spots.

Quiet but Bitterly Cold Through Tuesday

Despite the frigid start, Tuesday itself will be fairly quiet. Sunshine will help temperatures rebound slightly, but highs will still struggle, topping out in the upper 20s during the afternoon. Even with lighter winds, it will feel cold all day, so be sure to bundle up if you’re heading out.

By Tuesday night into Wednesday, attention turns to a weak wave of energy moving through the region. This system will bring limited moisture, but it could be enough to generate a few light rain and snow showers. Impacts look minimal at this time, with temperatures warming into the upper 30s and low 40s Wednesday before falling back below freezing by early Thursday.

Watching a Potential Winter System This Weekend

The bigger weather story develops as we head toward the weekend. A strong Arctic high building south out of Canada will lock in very cold air, while a southern-stream system moves across the southern U.S. This setup could bring a more legitimate chance for winter weather across parts of Kentucky.

While confidence is increasing that precipitation would fall as snow, there is still uncertainty on how far north the heaviest moisture will reach. Some areas may end up near the northern edge of the system, but accumulating snow is possible, especially across southern and eastern Kentucky. This is something we’ll be tracking closely over the next several days, so stay tuned for updates.

ABC 36 Storm Team 3 Day Forecast

Monday night: Mostly clear and very cold. Morning wind chills below zero. Lows in the 5 to 10 above central with low teens south. Wind: w 5-10 mph.

Tuesday: Mostly sunny, another cold day. Highs in the upper 20s. Wind: SW 5-10 mph.

Tuesday night: Mostly clear, slowly rising temperatures. Lows in the upper teens early and rising through the 20s. Wind: S 5-10 mph.

Categories: Featured, Local Weather Headlines, Storm Team Weather Blog, Weather, Weather Forecast

Tags: breezy, Chief Meteorologist TG Shuck, Cold Temperatures, Cold Weather Advisory, frigid cold, January 2026, Kentucky weather, Lexington, milder mid-week, mostly sunny, weather forecast, Weather Video, Wind chill, winter storm threat

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