Cold northwest flow behind a departing storm system, combined with moisture off Lake Michigan, brought widespread snowfall to eastern Kentucky on February 27. Most lower elevation locations received 1 to 2 inches of snow, with localized 3 inch amounts.
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.
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.
The episode as NWS JKL wrote it up.
Cold northwest flow behind a departing storm system, combined with moisture off Lake Michigan, brought widespread snowfall to eastern Kentucky on February 27. Most lower elevation locations received 1 to 2 inches of snow, with localized 3 inch amounts. However, the higher terrain along the Virginia border receieved between 5 and 8 inches of snow, as upslope winds interacting with the terrain helped enhance snowfall amounts.
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 Feb 26, 1:00 PM EST, 1 hour 30 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSON KY 100 PM EST TUE FEB 26 2008 .SHORT TERM.../THE REST OF TODAY/ LITTLE CHANGE NECESSARY IN FORECAST BUT ADJUSTED A BIT FOR SLIGHTLY SLOWER FALLING TEMPERATURES. FALLING READINGS ARE STILL IN ORDER FOR THE AFTERNOON. A SHORTWAVE LARGELY RESPONSIBLE FOR RAIN AND WET SNOW OVER CENTRAL KY WILL PASS THROUGH THE AREA THIS AFTERNOON WHILE TEMPERATURES FALL BUT ANY EARLY SNOW WILL MELT. SNOW ADVISORY/HEAVY SNOW WARNING STARTING TONIGHT STILL LOOKS GOOD AS UPSLOPE INCREASES AND SEVERAL SHALLOW SHORTWAVES ARRIVE TONIGHT/EARLY WED IN THE NORTHWEST FLOW. THE PREVIOUS SHORT TERM FORECAST DISCUSSION FOLLOWS... /TODAY THROUGH THURSDAY/ A RATHER BUSY FORECAST OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS. A COLD FRONT WORKING ITS WAY ACROSS THE AREA THIS MORNING WAS BRINGING SHOWERS...AND EVEN A FEW THUNDERSTORMS...TO THE AREA. THERE IS SOME WEAK ELEVATED INSTABILITY NOTED IN THE VICINITY OF THE THUNDERSTORM DEVELOPMENT. WILL CARRY SHOWERS AND A SLIGHT CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS IN THE FORECAST THIS MORNING. THE FRONT SHOULD BE WORKING ITS WAY EAST OF THE AREA LATE THIS MORNING...MOVING OUT OF THE EASTERN TIP OF THE STATE BY EARLY AFTERNOON. EXPECT MUCH COLDER AIR TO ADVECT INTO THE AREA THROUGH THE DAY AFTER FROPA. THINK IT WILL BE LATER ON DURING THE AFTERNOON BEFORE ENOUGH COLD AIR MOVES IN TO CHANGE ANY PRECIP OVER TO SNOW. SHOULD SEE A LULL IN ANY PRECIP AFTER FROPA...THEN AS CAA KICKS IN...NORTHWEST FLOW BECOMES MORE FAVORABLE...AND AN H5 VORT MAX MOVES THROUGH...EXPECT SNOW SHOWERS TO BECOME MORE WIDESPREAD LATE IN THE DAY. BY TONIGHT...GOOD CAA...COMBINED WITH DECENT MOISTURE...H5 TROF...GOOD OMEGA AND UPSLOPE FLOW...SNOW SHOWERS SHOULD BECOME WIDESPREAD ACROSS THE AREA. FAVORABLE LAPSE RATES...LOW CONVECTIVE TEMPS...AND A CONNECTION OFF LAKE MICHIGAN SHOULD ALL HELP TO KEEP SNOW SHOWERS WIDESPREAD OVER THE AREA WEDNESDAY. WILL CONTINUE WITH THE SNOW ADVISORIES ATTM...AND WILL SLIDE THE START TIME UP TO 7 PM. WILL CHANGE THE WINTER STORM WARNING OVER TO A HEAVY SNOW WARNING FOR ELEVATIONS ABOVE 2500 FEET IN HARLAN AND LETCHER COUNTIES. GENERALLY EXPECTING 1 TO 2 INCHES OF SNOW TONIGHT ACROSS MUCH OF THE AREA...WITH ANOTHER 1 TO 2 INCHES ON WEDNESDAY. FOR ELEVATIONS ABOVE 2500 FT...SHOULD SEE 2 TO 4 INCHES TONIGHT...WITH ANOTHER 2 TO 4 ON WEDNESDAY. THIS SHOULD PRODUCE SNOW TOTALS OF 2 TO 4 INCHES FOR MUCH OF THE AREA...WITH 4 TO LOCALLY 8 ABOVE 2500 FT. THINGS SHOULD BEGIN TO WIND DOWN LATER WEDNESDAY NIGHT...BUT STILL SHOULD SEE AT LEAST SOME SCATTERED SNOW SHOWERS WEDNESDAY NIGHT. COULD SEE LOCALLY AN INCH OR LESS OF SNOW WEDNESDAY NIGHT. HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS IN FOR THURSDAY...AND H8 FLOW BECOMES ANTICYCLONIC. STILL SOME LIMITED UPSLOPE AND LOW LEVEL MOISTURE EARLY IN THE DAY...SO WILL MENTION SOME FLURRIES EARLY ON. SHOULD SEE A GRADUAL EROSION TO THE LOW CLOUD COVER THURSDAY...THEN MID AND HIGH LEVEL CLOUDS WILL INCREASE AHEAD OF THE NEXT SYSTEM LATE THURSDAY. .LONG TERM.../THURSDAY NIGHT THROUGH MONDAY/ NEXT SIGNIFICANT STORM SYSTEM TAKES AIM AT EASTERN KENTUCKY FRIDAY. MODELS ARE SHOWING SOME MINOR DIFFERENCES IN THE UPPER LEVEL PATTERN. IN PARTICULAR...THE ECMWF IS A BIT STRONGER WITH INITIAL SHORTWAVE ENERGY ASSOCIATED WITH A DEVELOPING WARM FRONT OVER THE MIDWEST THURSDAY NIGHT. AS A RESULT...DECIDED TO INTRODUCED POPS BACK INTO THE FORECAST FOR THURSDAY NIGHT FOR THIS FEATURE. WARM FRONT PASSES TO OUR NORTH DURING THE OVERNIGHT PERIOD INTO FRIDAY MORNING...ULTIMATELY LEAVING EASTERN KENTUCKY IN THE WARM SECTOR. WENT WITH RISING TEMPS THROUGH EARLY MORNING FRIDAY AFTER A MIDNIGHT LOW. THIS BEING SAID...THE TIMING OF THE ONSET OF PRECIP MAY COINCIDE WITH COLDER AIR IN PLACE ACROSS THE CWA...LEADING TO THE POSSIBILITY OF SOME WINTRY WEATHER AT THE START. FOR NOW WENT WITH A SLIGHT CHANCE OF RAIN OR SNOW...BUT MAY CHANGE PRECIP TYPE TO THE POSSIBILITY OF SOME LIGHT FREEZING RAIN IF COLDER AIR IS NOT SCOURED OUT OF OUR VALLEYS QUICK ENOUGH. EITHER WAY...DO NOT EXPECT MUCH IN THE WAY OF PROBLEMS AT THIS TIME AS TEMPS RISE RAPIDLY AFTER MIDNIGHT...BEFORE THE BULK OF PRECIPITATION HITS THE AREA. SO PRECIP SHOULD BE IN THE FORM OF ALL RAIN BY OR BEFORE SUNRISE. INCREASED POPS FOR FRIDAY PROPER TO HIGH CHANCE WITH BETTER MODEL AGREEMENT... AND GOOD CONSISTENCY IN MODEL SOLUTIONS. FINAL STORM SYSTEM OF CONCERN TAKES AIM AT EASTERN KENTUCKY AT THE VERY END OF THE EXTENDED PERIOD. ECMWF WAS MUCH SLOWER WITH OVERALL EVOLUTION AND TIMING OF THE SYSTEM AS WHEN COMPARED TO THE OPERATIONAL GFS. THE GFS AND ECMWF ENSEMBLE MEANS APPEARED TO BE A GOOD COMPROMISE...AND A QUICK LOOK AT THE ECMWF SHOWED IT TRENDING STRONGLY TOWARDS THIS COMPROMISE. THEREFORE WENT WITH A SLOWER TIMING OF THE COLD FRONT...WHICH WITH CURRENT THINKING WOULD NOT REACH EASTERN KENTUCKY UNTIL MONDAY NIGHT OR TUESDAY....JUST BEYOND THE END OF THE FORECAST PERIOD. DID INCLUDE A SLIGHT POP FOR MONDAY HOWEVER AS PART OF THE COMPROMISE IN SOLUTIONS. IF THERE ARE NO SIGNIFICANT CHANGES...EXPECT POPS TO INCREASE MONDAY NIGHT INTO TUESDAY...WHICH WOULD BE PICKED UP ON TOMORROWS FORECAST CYCLE. && .AVIATION.../18Z TO 18Z/...UPDATED VFR WITH TEMPO VLIFR CONDITIONS EXPECTED THROUGH 12Z TOMORROW. ONCE THE COLD AIR STARTS POURING INTO THE AREA...THEN RAIN WILL BECOME MIXED WITH SNOW BEFORE TURNING INTO ALL SNOW BY EARLY THIS EVENING. TOMORROW....BANDS OF SNOW SHOWERS WILL CONTINUE TO MOVE ACROSS THE AREA WITH TEMPO IFR CONDITIONS THROUGH THE END OF THE PERIOD. && .JKL WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... SNOW ADVISORY FROM 7 PM THIS EVENING TO 9 PM EST WEDNESDAY FOR KYZ044-050>052-058>060-068-069-079-080-083>085-104-106>109-111- 112-114-119. HEAVY SNOW WARNING FROM 7 PM THIS EVENING TO 1 AM EST THURSDAY FOR KYZ088-118. SNOW ADVISORY FROM 7 PM THIS EVENING TO 1 AM EST THURSDAY FOR KYZ086-087-110-113-115>117-120. && SHORT TERM...WJM/GV LONG TERM....RAY AVIATION...JJ
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSON KY 450 AM EST TUE FEB 26 2008 KYZ088-118-271200- HARLAN-LETCHER- INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...HARLAN...WHITESBURG 450 AM EST TUE FEB 26 2008 ...HEAVY SNOW WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 7 PM THIS EVENING TO 1 AM EST THURSDAY... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF EASTERN KENTUCKY. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT. THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE THIS MORNING AS A COLD FRONT MOVES ACROSS THE AREA. MUCH COLDER AIR WILL MOVE IN BEHIND THE FRONT THIS AFTERNOON...BRINGING RAIN AND SNOW SHOWERS. LITTLE OR NO SNOW ACCUMULATION IS EXPECTED. SNOW SHOWERS WILL BECOME WIDESPREAD TONIGHT...BRINGING 2 TO 4 INCHES OF SNOW FOR ELEVATIONS ABOVE 2500 FEET...WITH 1 TO 2 INCHES OF SNOW EXPECTED FOR ELEVATIONS BELOW 2500 FEET. GUSTY WINDS MAY CREATE SOME BLOWING AND DRIFTING OF SNOW AT TIMES AS WELL. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY. SNOW SHOWERS ARE EXPECTED TO CONTINUE INTO WEDNESDAY EVENING. 2 TO 4 INCHES OF SNOW ARE EXPECTED TO FALL WEDNESDAY INTO WEDNESDAY EVENING FOR ELEVATIONS ABOVE 2500 FEET...WITH 1 TO 2 INCHES EXPECTED BELOW 2500 FEET. THIS WILL CREATE TOTAL SNOW ACCUMULATIONS TONIGHT INTO WEDNESDAY EVENING OF 4 TO 8 INCHES FOR ELEVATIONS ABOVE 2500 FEET...WITH 2 TO 4 INCHES FOR LOCATIONS BELOW 2500 FEET. THIS WILL CREATE HAZARDOUS TRAVEL CONDITIONS ACROSS THE AREA. SNOW IS POSSIBLE ONCE AGAIN THURSDAY NIGHT. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT SNOWFALL AMOUNTS TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN JACKSON. KYZ086-087-110-113-115>117-120-271200- KNOX-BELL-FLOYD-KNOTT-PERRY-CLAY-LESLIE-PIKE- INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...BARBOURVILLE...MIDDLESBORO...PINEVILLE... PRESTONSBURG...HINDMAN...HAZARD...MANCHESTER...HYDEN...PIKEVILLE 450 AM EST TUE FEB 26 2008 ...SNOW ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 7 PM THIS EVENING TO 1 AM EST THURSDAY... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF EASTERN KENTUCKY. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT. THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE THIS MORNING AS A COLD FRONT MOVES ACROSS THE AREA. MUCH COLDER AIR WILL MOVE IN BEHIND THE FRONT THIS AFTERNOON...BRINGING RAIN AND SNOW SHOWERS. LITTLE OR NO SNOW ACCUMULATION IS EXPECTED. SNOW SHOWERS ARE EXPECTED TO BECOME WIDESPREAD TONIGHT...BRINGING 1 TO 2 INCHES OF SNOW. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY. SNOW SHOWERS ARE EXPECTED TO CONTINUE INTO WEDNESDAY EVENING. 1 TO 2 INCHES OF SNOW IS EXPECTED TO FALL WEDNESDAY INTO WEDNESDAY EVENING. THIS WILL CREATE TOTAL SNOW ACCUMULATIONS TONIGHT INTO WEDNESDAY EVENING OF 2 TO 4 INCHES. THIS WILL CREATE HAZARDOUS TRAVEL CONDITIONS ACROSS THE AREA. SNOW IS POSSIBLE ONCE AGAIN THURSDAY NIGHT. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT SNOWFALL AMOUNTS TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN JACKSON. KYZ044-050>052-058>060-068-069-079-080-083>085-104-106>109-111-112- 114-119-271200- FLEMING-MONTGOMERY-BATH-ROWAN-ESTILL-POWELL-MENIFEE-ROCKCASTLE- JACKSON-PULASKI-LAUREL-WAYNE-MCCREARY-WHITLEY-ELLIOTT-MORGAN-JOHNSON- WOLFE-MAGOFFIN-LEE-BREATHITT-OWSLEY-MARTIN- INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...FLEMINGSBURG...MOUNT STERLING... OWINGSVILLE...MOREHEAD...IRVINE...STANTON...FRENCHBURG... MOUNT VERNON...MCKEE...SOMERSET...LONDON...MONTICELLO... WHITLEY CITY...CORBIN...WILLIAMSBURG...SANDY HOOK...WEST LIBERTY... PAINTSVILLE...CAMPTON...SALYERSVILLE...BEATTYVILLE...JACKSON... BOONEVILLE...INEZ 450 AM EST TUE FEB 26 2008 ...SNOW ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 7 PM THIS EVENING TO 9 PM EST WEDNESDAY... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF EASTERN KENTUCKY. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT. THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE THIS MORNING AS A COLD FRONT MOVES ACROSS THE AREA. MUCH COLDER AIR WILL MOVE IN BEHIND THE FRONT THIS AFTERNOON...BRINGING RAIN AND SNOW SHOWERS. LITTLE OR NO SNOW ACCUMULATION IS EXPECTED. SNOW SHOWERS ARE EXPECTED TO BECOME WIDESPREAD TONIGHT...BRINGING 1 TO 2 INCHES OF SNOW. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY. SNOW SHOWERS ARE EXPECTED TO CONTINUE INTO WEDNESDAY EVENING. 1 TO 2 INCHES OF SNOW IS EXPECTED TO FALL WEDNESDAY INTO WEDNESDAY EVENING. THIS WILL CREATE TOTAL SNOW ACCUMULATIONS TONIGHT INTO WEDNESDAY EVENING OF 2 TO 4 INCHES. THIS WILL CREATE HAZARDOUS TRAVEL CONDITIONS ACROSS THE AREA. SNOW IS POSSIBLE ONCE AGAIN THURSDAY NIGHT. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT SNOWFALL AMOUNTS TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN JACKSON. WJM
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
4 heavy snow. Local standard time, as filed.
Six inches of snow fell at Phelps Tower 4 miles west of Phelps.
The State Highway Garage reported that 5 to 6 inches of snow had fallen along the higher terrain on Highways 74 and 66 in the Fonde area.
A coop observer measured 8 inches of snowfall on Black Mountain.
The State Highway Garage reported that 4 to 5 inches of snow had fallen on Pine Mountain near Whitesburg.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Kentucky in 2008Every state in 2008This day in weather historyWarnings in Kentucky, February 2008
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: 80797, 80794, 80793, 80795.