50 mph wind gusts in forecast

Union County residents may have had to start bracing themselves for very strong wind gusts beginning on Wednesday and continuing on Thursday, today.

The National Weather Service office in Paducah early this week reported on its website that the strong winds would be the result of a strong low pressure system which was expected to start tracking across the Central Plains states up into the Great Lakes on Wednesday and Thursday, today.

Southerly winds were expected to strengthen by Wednesday afternoon with gusts of up to 30 to 40 miles per hour in Southern Illinois, Southeast Missouri and Western Kentucky.

“Even stronger winds are expected on Thursday,” the weather service advised.

Sustained southwest winds of 20 to 30 mph were in the forecast for today. 

Gusts of 45 to 55 mph are likely, the weather service warned.

The weather service was advising area residents to secure outdoor objects.

With such strong winds blowing, trees and tree branches may fall. High-profile vehicles will be difficult to drive. Dangerous conditions were expected on area lakes.