The most intense band of storms is set to hit Lexington around 7:30 tonight with high winds, hail, and the possibility of tornadoes.
Officials are asking residents to stay on top of weather reports in real time, keep off the roads, and have a plan ready.
"Once again, it looks like Western Kentucky is under the most severe threat, but it was Saturday going into Sunday as well. So it can hit any place at any time with devastating consequences, so let's be ready for it," Gov. Andy Beshear said.
The governor noted weather radios may be functional in London and Somerset, but system updates at NOAA will affect residents using those radios in Central Kentucky.
"The Central Kentucky NOAA weather radios are in an upgrade right now and aren't gonna work," the governor said in a Tuesday press conference. "So if you're in Louisville, Lexington, and the surrounding area, you need another way to get your alerts."
Beshear told reporters he does not believe staffing shortages at the National Weather Service have caused delays or problems — yet.
"I don't think staffing concerns caused an issue in our preparation for this one. But am I concerned about it in the future? Yes," he said. "These are the people that give us in flooding disasters a week, five days, and we preposition assets that are out there. I just think this is a basic public safety expenditure."
The weather service has faced staffing shortages across the country amid the Trump administration's federal spending cuts. But the Lexington Herald-Leader reports offices in Jackson, near hard hit parts of the state, were fully staffed during Friday's severe weather, and extra staff have stepped up to help in other locations.
Storms are expected to die down into the evening and lessen in strength as they head to the eastern part of the state.