8:34 am ET
NWS provides update on overnight storm damage, rainfall totals
Marina Johnson
NWS Meteorologist Andrea Schoettmer said preliminary findings reveal potential damages in Jeffersontown and east of Middletown areas, as well as near Valley Station.
The agency isn’t planning to survey areas until early next week, beginning on Sunday or Monday with ongoing weather conditions. Schoettmer said most of Jefferson County saw about an inch and a half to two inches of rain Wednesday night, with areas of south central Kentucky seeing two to three inches.
An additional 6-8 inches of rain is expected in the Louisville area in the coming days, with a Level 2 risk in place the next three days.
8:27 am ET
Just more than 4,000 customers without power
Marina Johnson
Just more than 4,000 LG&E and KU customers are without power as of 8 a.m. Thursday after severe weather swept across the commonwealth Wednesday night.
According to the power outage map, many of the outages are concentrated in east and southeast Jefferson County with some stretching east toward Frankfort and Lexington.
At about 1 a.m., roughly 8,300 were without power, which LG&E and KU crews worked to restore services to customers overnight.
8:10 am ET
Tornado confirmed in Jeffersontown, Middletown areas
Marina Johnson
A tornado has been confirmed in the Jeffersontown and Middletown area, according to the National Weather Service.
According to a NWS post to X, formerly Twitter, at about 12:40 a.m., the tornado touched down in Jefferson County and passed through the Interstate 64 and Interstate 265 interchange with several area establishments seeing damage.
Damages have been reported in East Jefferson County in the Beckley Hills subdivision with downed trees and damage to roofs and windows. Similarly, east Jeffersontown had a partial building collapse on Ampere Drive, according to weather reports.
Reporters and photographers with The Courier Journal are headed to the area. Additional information will be available soon.
7:48 am ET
Storms cancel flights at Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport
Marina Johnson
Some flights to and from Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport are being canceled or delayed due to recent severe weather.
According to the airport’s flight tracker, two flights — one to Chicago and one to Dallas — have been canceled while several others are delayed. Delayed flights will arrive and depart between 10 a.m. and 11 a.m. to and from locations like Chicago, Miami, Houston and Atlanta.
Spokesperson Natalie Chaudoin said, “Anyone traveling today should closely monitor their flight status through their airline’s website or mobile app for the most up-to-date information.”
7:03 am ET
Four injured in Ballard County storms
Marina Johnson
Four people were injured after what “appears to have been a tornado” in Ballard County, located about four hours from Louisville on the eastern border of Kentucky and Illinois.
Ballard County Emergency Management said in a Facebook post that four sustained injuries in Gage, an unincorporated community, when attempting to take shelter in their vehicle under the carport of a church. The church suffered a direct hit from the debris, causing significant structural damage, and all four were taken to a local hospital. One was in critical condition, while the other three were facing non-life-threatening injuries.
Ballard County Emergency Management will conduct damage assessments beginning Thursday morning and encourages those who may have been impacted to contact the Office at 270-665-9928 after 8 a.m. to get on the assessment list.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with all those affected by this devastating event,” the post said.
6:52 am ET
Rain expected to continue over next few days
Marina Johnson
Louisville’s 5-day forecast
Thursday
Chance of precipitation is 100%. High near 68 with a low around 56. South winds of 5-11 mph become northeast in the afternoon. New rainfall during the day is between a quarter and half of an inch possible with 1-2 inches possible Thursday night.
Friday
Chance of precipitation is 70% to 90% with new rainfall amounts of between a half and three quarters of an inch possible during the day, followed by between a quarter and half of an inch possible at night. High near 74 with a low around 66. Northeast winds around 6 mph becoming southwest of around 11 mph in the evening.
Saturday
Chance of precipitation is between 90% and 100%. High near 74 with a low around 49. Southwest winds of around 11 mph, with gusts as high as 21 mph. New rainfall amounts of 1-2 inches possible during the day followed by 2-3 inches possible at night.
Sunday
Chance of precipitation is 80%. Storms mainly before 8 a.m. but likely after 8 a.m. High near 54 with a low around 37. Mostly cloudy.
Monday
Sunny skies turn partly cloudy, with a high near 58 and low of 30.
