Kentucky, 1996

Heavy Snow in Kentucky, March 19 to 20, 1996

March 19 to 20, 1996 · NWS LMK · 16 events in 16 counties and zones

A deep low pressure system moved across Kentucky drawing in large amounts of moisture from the Gulf of Mexico. Heavy snow was reported across mainly west central Kentucky from March 19, 1996 to March 20, 1996.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 16 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.

  • Tornadoes
  • Tropical storms and surge
  • Floods
  • Wind
  • Hail
  • Winter weather
  • Heat and drought
  • Cold
  • Fire, smoke and dust
  • Marine and coastal
  • Other

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The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
None recorded
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
16

Deaths and injuries are direct and indirect together, as the offices filed them. Damage is property and crops in the dollars of the year, not adjusted for inflation, and only where an office estimated it.

What happened

The episode as NWS LMK wrote it up.

A deep low pressure system moved across Kentucky drawing in large amounts of moisture from the Gulf of Mexico. Heavy snow was reported across mainly west central Kentucky from March 19, 1996 to March 20, 1996. The heavy snow began across west central parts of the state in the early morning hours of March 19th and continued into the evening. By 11 am est on March 20, snowfall totals ranged from 1-2 inches across east central Kentucky to 10-12 inches across west central Kentucky. Many areas lost power due to the heavy wet snow. Governor Patton declared a state of emergency for 22 counties across west central Kentucky. The state ordered 185 National Guard troops into the worst areas to help police, doctors and road crews. There were reports of drifts at least 12 feet high across western Kentucky. As many as 37,100 customers were without power on Wednesday March 20. Many roads especially secondary ones were impassable or at least extremely slick and snow covered.

The radar

The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

16 heavy snow. Local standard time, as filed.

Heavy Snow, Hancock

When
March 19, 5:00 AM EST to March 20, 12:00 AM EST
Where
Hancock forecast zone
Coordinates
37.842, -86.778 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Grayson

When
March 19, 5:00 AM EST to March 20, 12:00 AM EST
Where
Grayson forecast zone
Coordinates
37.461, -86.344 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Breckinridge

When
March 19, 5:00 AM EST to March 20, 12:00 AM EST
Where
Breckinridge forecast zone
Coordinates
37.773, -86.429 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Meade

When
March 19, 5:00 AM EST to March 20, 12:00 AM EST
Where
Meade forecast zone
Coordinates
37.970, -86.217 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Ohio

When
March 19, 5:00 AM EST to March 20, 12:00 AM EST
Where
Ohio forecast zone
Coordinates
37.478, -86.849 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Hardin

When
March 19, 5:00 AM EST to March 20, 12:00 AM EST
Where
Hardin forecast zone
Coordinates
37.698, -85.963 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Jefferson

When
March 19, 5:00 AM EST to March 20, 12:00 AM EST
Where
Jefferson forecast zone
Coordinates
38.187, -85.659 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Anderson

When
March 19, 5:00 AM EST to March 20, 12:00 AM EST
Where
Anderson forecast zone
Coordinates
38.004, -84.991 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Montgomery

When
March 19, 5:00 AM EST to March 20, 12:00 AM EST
Where
Montgomery forecast zone
Coordinates
38.034, -83.913 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Larue

When
March 19, 5:00 AM EST to March 20, 12:00 AM EST
Where
Larue forecast zone
Coordinates
37.546, -85.698 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Butler

When
March 19, 5:00 AM EST to March 20, 12:00 AM EST
Where
Butler forecast zone
Coordinates
37.207, -86.682 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Logan

When
March 19, 5:00 AM EST to March 20, 12:00 AM EST
Where
Logan forecast zone
Coordinates
36.860, -86.879 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Warren

When
March 19, 5:00 AM EST to March 20, 12:00 AM EST
Where
Warren forecast zone
Coordinates
36.994, -86.424 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Simpson

When
March 19, 5:00 AM EST to March 20, 12:00 AM EST
Where
Simpson forecast zone
Coordinates
36.742, -86.582 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Allen

When
March 19, 5:00 AM EST to March 20, 12:00 AM EST
Where
Allen forecast zone
Coordinates
36.751, -86.190 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Barren

When
March 19, 5:00 AM EST to March 20, 12:00 AM EST
Where
Barren forecast zone
Coordinates
36.966, -85.934 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

What these are

Heavy Snow
Snowfall reaching the local warning threshold without the other hazards of a winter storm.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in Kentucky in 1996Every state in 1996This day in weather historyWarnings in Kentucky, March 1996

Sources

NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 5537698, 5537699, 5537700, 5537701, 5537702, 5537703, 5537704, 5537705, 5537706, 5541845, 5541846, 5541847, 5541848, 5541849, 5541850, 5541851.