Kentucky, 2004

Heavy Snow in Kentucky, January 9, 2004

January 9, 2004 · NWS JKL · 11 events in 11 counties and zones

An upper level disturbance dumped heavy snow across portions of eastern Kentucky, with up to seven inches of snow reported on some ridges.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 11 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
11

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 JKL wrote it up.

An upper level disturbance dumped heavy snow across portions of eastern Kentucky, with up to seven inches of snow reported on some ridges.

The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

11 heavy snow. Local standard time, as filed.

Heavy Snow, Powell

When
January 9, 5:30 AM EST to 12:00 PM EST
Where
Powell forecast zone
Reported by
DEPT OF HIGHWAYS
Coordinates
37.831, -83.824 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Seven inches of snow were reported in Stanton on higher ridges.

Heavy Snow, Magoffin

When
January 9, 5:30 AM EST to 3:00 PM EST
Where
Magoffin forecast zone
Reported by
LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates
37.707, -83.065 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Five inches of snow were reported in Salyersville.

Heavy Snow, Menifee

When
January 9, 5:30 AM EST to 1:00 PM EST
Where
Menifee forecast zone
Reported by
DEPT OF HIGHWAYS
Coordinates
37.941, -83.599 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Six inches of snow were reported in Frenchburg on the highest ridges.

Heavy Snow, Pike

When
January 9, 5:50 AM EST to 5:00 PM EST
Where
Pike forecast zone
Reported by
LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates
37.469, -82.396 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Four to five inches of snow were reported in Belfry and Pikeville.

Heavy Snow, Johnson

When
January 9, 6:45 AM EST to 4:00 PM EST
Where
Johnson forecast zone
Reported by
TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates
37.847, -82.831 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Five inches of snow were reported in Fitka.

Heavy Snow, Floyd

When
January 9, 7:40 AM EST to 4:00 PM EST
Where
Floyd forecast zone
Reported by
TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates
37.557, -82.746 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Five inches of snow were reported in the community of Emma.

Heavy Snow, Harlan

When
January 9, 9:00 AM EST to 2:00 PM EST
Where
Harlan forecast zone
Reported by
LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates
36.857, -83.218 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Four inches of snow were reported countywide.

Heavy Snow, Morgan

When
January 9, 11:00 AM EST to 3:00 PM EST
Where
Morgan forecast zone
Reported by
DEPT OF HIGHWAYS
Coordinates
37.922, -83.259 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Six inches of snow were reported in West Liberty on the higher ridges.

Heavy Snow, Leslie

When
January 9, 1:00 PM EST
Where
Leslie forecast zone
Reported by
LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates
37.094, -83.381 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Four inches of snow were reported countywide.

Heavy Snow, Bell

When
January 9, 1:45 PM EST
Where
Bell forecast zone
Reported by
LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates
36.731, -83.674 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Five inches of snow were reported in the Frakes area.

Heavy Snow, Letcher

When
January 9, 1:50 PM EST to 3:00 PM EST
Where
Letcher forecast zone
Reported by
TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates
37.121, -82.855 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Four inches of snow were reported countywide.

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 2004Every state in 2004This day in weather historyWarnings in Kentucky, January 2004

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 2026-09-30. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 5382511, 5382512, 5382513, 5382514, 5382515, 5382516, 5382519, 5382517, 5382520, 5382521, 5382518.