PADUCAH, KY - It may be too late to help area farmers, but rain is falling this weekend thanks to what's left of Hurricane Isaac as it passes through our area.

The National Weather Service said Friday in a conference call that by the end of the weekend, between 2-4 inches of rain is expected to fall in western Kentucky, southern Illinois, and southeast Missouri, with slightly less in northwest Tennessee. Some of the thunderstorms could be severe, according to Lead Forecaster David Humphrey, who has tracked the storm system for the last week.

The system will track north and east from Arkansas up toward St. Louis, and then across Illinois and Indiana towards Indianapolis, as it circles around a high pressure system over the Carolinas and east Tennessee.

Depending on the state in which you live, rainfall predictions for the each day range from .25 - 1.5 inches on Friday, .25 - 1.5 inches on Saturday, and no more than .75 inch on Sunday. Southeast Missouri and southern Illinois will get the largest amount of rain as the system turns east.

The rain that falls will help, but it won't eliminate the drought in most of the central United States. The NWS and National Drought Mitigation Service have classified the entire area as being in exceptional drought, the worst classification.

Accompanying the storms are gusty winds, some of which could be steady at 15 mph, with gusts up to  25-30 mph. A Lake Wind Advisory has been issued for the area through 7:00 pm Sunday. Boaters over the Labor Day Weekend could experience choppy waters.

Officials at the Du Quoin State Fair participated in the conference call, since they were concerned about wind and lightning during their outdoor concerts this weekend. They were encouraged to contact the Weather Service personally, whenever they need current information prior to shows.

After Isaac moves away, Humphrey says it's back to normal.

"We do return to some sunshine and some warmth, it's almost summer-like highs and lows, and rain chances return to the forecast by mid-week, although they're slight," Humphrey said.

And as far as the rest of autumn is concerned, Humphrey added, "September through November is looking to be near or slightly above normal in temperature, and we're probably near normal in rainfall."

On the Net:

Paducah Weather Service webpage