Kentucky, 2001Heavy Snow in Kentucky, March 21, 2001
March 21, 2001 · NWS JKL · 4 events in 4 counties and zones
4 heavy snow, as filed by the National Weather Service.
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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- Deaths
- 0
- Injuries
- 0
- Property damage
- None recorded
- 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 forecasters said that day
The local office's own words before the first event, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.
NWS Jackson, KY wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Mar 20, 9:46 PM EST, 3 hours 14 minutes earlier.
Area forecast discussion, Mar 20, 9:46 PM EST, 3 hours 14 minutes before
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSON KY
946 PM EST TUE MAR 20 2001
RECEIVED REPORTS OF ACCUMULATING SNOW ABOVE ABOUT 2000 FEET. WITH
PRECIP STILL MOVING NORTHWEST OVER THE AREA OUT OF TN AND NC...HAVE
DECIDED TO ISSUE A SNOW ADVISORY ABOVE 2000 FEET FOR THE VA BORDER
COUNTIES THROUGH 7 AM.
.JKL...SNOW ADVISORY THROUGH 7 AM ABOVE 2000 FEET FOR VA BORDER
COUNTIES.
HAL
Heavy Snow, Harlan
- When
- March 21, 1:00 AM EST to 1:00 PM EST
- Where
- Harlan forecast zone
- Reported by
- TRAINED SPOTTER
- Coordinates
- 36.857, -83.218 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
The first full day of Spring brought heavy snow to extreme southeastern Kentucky which began around 1 am on Wednesday, March 21. Kingdom Come State Park in Harlan County received 17 inches by 8:15 am, with Big Laurel in Leslie County receiving 16 inches by 9 am. The largest total recorded in Perry County was in Leatherwood with 13 inches on the ground by 8:45 am and Skyline and Whitesburg in Letcher County reporting 4 inches on the ground by 1 pm. 3,500 people were without power in Whitesburg and several people were stranded on Pine Mountain. Snow amounts of 4 inches or more were generally reported above 2000 feet in elevation.
Heavy Snow, Leslie
- When
- March 21, 1:00 AM EST to 1:00 PM EST
- Where
- Leslie forecast zone
- Reported by
- EMERGENCY MANAGER
- Coordinates
- 37.094, -83.381 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
The first full day of Spring brought heavy snow to extreme southeastern Kentucky which began around 1 am on Wednesday, March 21. Kingdom Come State Park in Harlan County received 17 inches by 8:15 am, with Big Laurel in Leslie County receiving 16 inches by 9 am. The largest total recorded in Perry County was in Leatherwood with 13 inches on the ground by 8:45 am and Skyline and Whitesburg in Letcher County reporting 4 inches on the ground by 1 pm. 3,500 people were without power in Whitesburg and several people were stranded on Pine Mountain. Snow amounts of 4 inches or more were generally reported above 2000 feet in elevation.
Heavy Snow, Letcher
- When
- March 21, 1:00 AM EST to 1:00 PM EST
- Where
- Letcher forecast zone
- Reported by
- TRAINED SPOTTER
- Coordinates
- 37.121, -82.855 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Heavy Snow, Perry
- When
- March 21, 1:00 AM EST to 1:00 PM EST
- Where
- Perry forecast zone
- Reported by
- DEPT OF HIGHWAYS
- Coordinates
- 37.244, -83.221 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
- 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.
- Heavy Rain and Strong Wind in Maryland, March 21, 20011 injured · $110,000 · 17 events
- Strong Wind in District of Columbia, March 21, 20013 injured · $40,000 · 1 event
- Winter Storm in New York, March 21 to 23, 2001$60,000 · 7 events
- Flash Flood and Winter Storm in West Virginia, March 21 to 22, 2001$50,000 · 10 events
- Flash Flooding and Winter Storm in Virginia, March 21, 200138 events
- Winter Storm in Vermont, March 21 to 23, 2001$25,000 · 2 events
- High Wind in New Jersey, March 21, 20011 injured · 1 event
- Flood and Heavy Rain in New Jersey, March 21, 20018 events
- Heavy Snow in New York, March 21 to 22, 20018 events
- High Wind and Heavy Rain in New York, March 21 to 22, 20014 events
- Flash Flood and Heavy Rain in Delaware, March 21, 20013 events
- Flash Flooding in Virginia, March 21, 20013 events
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: 5236902, 5236903, 5236904, 5236905.