Heavy Snow in Kentucky, February 3 to 6, 1998

Name: Heavy Snow in Kentucky, February 3 to 6, 1998
Start: 1998-02-03T21:00
End: 1998-02-06T08:00
Location: Kentucky

February 3 to 6, 1998 · NWS RLX · 4 events in 4 counties and zones

A slow moving coastal storm and a prolong period of easterly wind aloft, gave northeast Kentucky several periods of snow and sleet. The end result was widespread snow depths of over one foot.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 4 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: $900,000
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 4

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 RLX wrote it up.

A slow moving coastal storm and a prolong period of easterly wind aloft, gave northeast Kentucky several periods of snow and sleet. The end result was widespread snow depths of over one foot. No snow was on the ground prior to the storm. Maximum snow depths on the 6th were Olive Hill of Carter County with 18 inches, Warnock of Greenup County 16 to 18 inches, Grayson of Carter County 15 to 17 inches, South Shore of Greenup County 16 inches, Louisa of Lawrence County 14 inches. Ashland of Boyd County had less snow, with 8 inches on the ground. Many large tree branches fell, causing power outages. The most destructive period of heavy wet snow was from 2200 EST on the 3rd to around 0900 EST on the 4th. During that period, 5 to 10 inches of snow fell. Another significant period of snow occurred late on the 5th to near dawn on the 6th.Debris removal from the 4 counties was estimated at $20,000 by state officials. A roof to a small grocery store in Olive Hill collapsed under the weight of the snow. A large storage building in Coalton of western Boyd County also caved in. One indirect death was an elderly man that died while shovelling snow off his mobile home roof in Wurtland of Greenup County.

The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

4 heavy snow. Local standard time, as filed.

Heavy Snow, Boyd

When: February 3, 9:00 PM EST to February 6, 8:00 AM EST
Where: Boyd forecast zone
Property damage: $250,000
Coordinates: 38.360, -82.688 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Carter

When: February 3, 9:00 PM EST to February 6, 8:00 AM EST
Where: Carter forecast zone
Property damage: $250,000
Coordinates: 38.318, -83.049 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Greenup

When: February 3, 9:00 PM EST to February 6, 8:00 AM EST
Where: Greenup forecast zone
Property damage: $200,000
Coordinates: 38.546, -82.922 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Lawrence

When: February 3, 9:00 PM EST to February 6, 8:00 AM EST
Where: Lawrence forecast zone
Property damage: $200,000
Coordinates: 38.068, -82.735 (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

Every storm in Kentucky in 1998 Every state in 1998 This day in weather history Warnings in Kentucky, February 1998

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: 5629595, 5629596, 5629597, 5629598.