A weather disturbance extending from the Gulf Coast States to Kentucky brought a widespread snowfall to Eastern Kentucky beginning late in the afternoon of March 12th, lasting into the early morning hours of March 13th. Sleet was reported in many locations, along with some freezing rain.
Every event with a place to put it; 40 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.
A weather disturbance extending from the Gulf Coast States to Kentucky brought a widespread snowfall to Eastern Kentucky beginning late in the afternoon of March 12th, lasting into the early morning hours of March 13th. Sleet was reported in many locations, along with some freezing rain. In general, one to four inches of snow fell across the area, with locally higher amounts where the heavier snow and sleet persisted.
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 12, 3:27 PM EST, 1 hour 3 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSON KY 427 PM EDT THU MAR 12 2009 .SHORT TERM.../TONIGHT THROUGH SATURDAY NIGHT/...UPDATED MOISTURE CONTINUES TO OVERSPREAD THE AREA THIS AFTERNOON. WITH COOL AIR IN PLACE...PRECIPITATION IN THE FORM OF SLEET AND RAIN HAS BEEN FALLING ACROSS THE AREA. BASED ON TIME HEIGHT PROFILES...THE COLUMN OVER OUR REGION WILL REMAIN COLD ENOUGH TO ALLOW THIS TO CONTINUE... WITH PRECIPITATION CHANGING OVER TO JUST SLEET AND SNOW THROUGH THE EVENING HOURS. SOME LIGHT ACCUMULATIONS ARE EXPECTED. IN GENERAL... WITH BOTH THE 12Z GFS AND NAM IN SUCH GOOD AGREEMENT...WENT WITH A SWATH OF HIGHER ACCUMULATIONS WHERE RAW MODEL DATA PLACED HIGHEST SNOWFALL TOTALS. OTHERWISE...WENT WITH LIGHTER AMOUNTS EXCEPT FOR THE THERMAL BELT LOCATIONS...WHERE TOTALS MAY BE A BIT HIGHER. PROFILE WARMS QUICKLY IN THE MORNING AS PRECIPITATION EXITS THE REGION. WENT WITH A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FOR THE MIXTURE OF PRECIPITATION...SLEET AND SNOW. SFC TEMPS REMAIN VERY WARM HOWEVER. SO ACCUMULATIONS MAY BE HAMPERED A BIT...ESPECIALLY IN THE WARMER VALLEY LOCATIONS UNLESS PRECIPITATION BECOMES INTENSE ENOUGH TO OVERCOME THOSE EFFECTS. OTHERWISE...SECOND WAVE OF LOW PRESSURE MOVES THROUGH EAST KENTUCKY LATE SATURDAY INTO SUNDAY MORNING. MODELS DIFFER ON TIMING HERE WITH THE NAM BEING THE SLOWEST. THEREFORE TRENDED TOWARDS QUICKER GFS AND ECMWF FOR THE TIMING OF THE SECOND WAVE...RAMPING POPS BACK UP TO BETWEEN LIKELY AND CAT LEVELS. .LONG TERM.../SUNDAY THROUGH THURSDAY/...UPDATED LOW CONFIDENCE IN THE FORECAST FOR THE TIME PERIOD. THERE IS POOR AGREEMENT IN THE MODELS BOTH RUN TO RUN AND MODEL TO MODEL...WITH THE DIFFERENCES BEING THE WORST AT LONGER TIME FRAMES. EARLY ON...THE ECMWF AND GFS BOTH HAVE ANOTHER WAVE IMPACTING THE SOUTHEAST CONUS...INCLUDING EASTERN KY. THEY DIFFER IN HANDLING THE TRACK...BUT THE OVERALL IMPACT OF THE DIFFERENCES ON THE FORECAST IS MINOR. AT MIDWEEK...THE QUESTION REVOLVES AROUND THE POTENTIAL DEVELOPMENT OF AN EASTERN CONUS UPPER TROUGH. THE ECMWF SHOWED A VERY POTENT TROUGH IN ITS RUNS FROM 12Z ON 3/11 AND 00Z ON 3/12. THE GFS AND ITS ENSEMBLE HAVE NOT BEEN SUPPORTIVE OF THIS. THE 12Z 3/13 ECMWF CAME IN DRASTICALLY DIFFERENT THAN ITS EARLIER RUNS. THE UPPER SYSTEM WHICH DIVES SOUTH TO DEEPEN THE TROUGH MAKES ITS MOVE FURTHER EAST AND DOES NOT DIVE AS FAR SOUTH. AS A RESULT...OUR LOCAL TEMPS AT 850 MB ARE ABOUT 14 DEG C WARMER ON WEDNESDAY THAN ON THE EARLIER RUNS. IN LIGHT OF THIS...DECIDED TO TONE DOWN THE GFS TEMPS ONLY SLIGHTLY AT MIDWEEK. THE GFS...AND NOW THE LATEST RUN OF THE ECMWF...SUPPORT A COLD FRONT DROPPING IN FROM THE NORTH LATE IN THE PERIOD. TIMING AND MOISTURE AVAILABILITY ARE HIGHLY QUESTIONABLE... SO HAVE ONLY USED A 20 PERCENT POP FROM WEDNESDAY NIGHT ON. && .AVIATION.../18Z TO 18Z/ CEILINGS WILL LOWER AND PRECIP WILL SPREAD NORTH ACROSS THE REGION DURING THE LATE AFTERNOON AND EVENING. A VARIETY OF PRECIP IS EXPECTED. NORTH OF JKL...PRECIP SHOULD BE MOSTLY IN THE FORM OF SNOW. SOUTH OF JKL...SNOW WILL MIX WITH OR CHANGE TO SLEET. THE PRECIP WILL START BETWEEN 18Z AND 21 Z SOUTH OF SME AND LOZ. BY 00Z IT WILL SPREAD NORTH AND EAST TO NEAR MOREHEAD AND THE WV BORDER. SHORTLY AFTER PRECIP BEGINS...CEILINGS WILL LOWER TO IFR OR LOW MVFR...AND EVENTUALLY GO TO IFR OVERNIGHT. THE PRECIP WILL TAPER TO DRIZZLE OR FREEZING DRIZZLE BEFORE DAWN...WITH DRIZZLE THEN LINGERING DURING THE LATE MORNING AND EARLY AFTERNOON ON FRIDAY. VISIBILITY SHOULD SETTLE TO 3-5 MILES AFTER PRECIP STARTS...WITH LOCALLY LOWER VALUES IN HEAVIER PRECIP OR WHERE FOG/CLOUDS OBSCURE RIDGES. && .JKL WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL 10 AM EDT FRIDAY FOR KYZ058>060- 068-069-079-080-083>088-104-106>120. && SHORT TERM...RAY LONG TERM...HAL AVIATION...HAL
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSON KY 455 PM EDT THU MAR 12 2009 KYZ058>060-068-069-079-080-083>088-104-106>120-131200- ESTILL-POWELL-MENIFEE-ROCKCASTLE-JACKSON-PULASKI-LAUREL-WAYNE- MCCREARY-WHITLEY-KNOX-BELL-HARLAN-ELLIOTT-MORGAN-JOHNSON-WOLFE- MAGOFFIN-FLOYD-LEE-BREATHITT-KNOTT-OWSLEY-PERRY-CLAY-LESLIE-LETCHER- MARTIN-PIKE- INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...IRVINE...STANTON...FRENCHBURG... MOUNT VERNON...MCKEE...SOMERSET...LONDON...MONTICELLO... WHITLEY CITY...CORBIN...WILLIAMSBURG...BARBOURVILLE...MIDDLESBORO... PINEVILLE...HARLAN...SANDY HOOK...WEST LIBERTY...PAINTSVILLE... CAMPTON...SALYERSVILLE...PRESTONSBURG...BEATTYVILLE...JACKSON... HINDMAN...BOONEVILLE...HAZARD...MANCHESTER...HYDEN...WHITESBURG... INEZ...PIKEVILLE 455 PM EDT THU MAR 12 2009 ...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 10 AM EDT FRIDAY... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF EASTERN KENTUCKY. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT. A MIXTURE OF SNOW AND SLEET IS EXPECTED ACROSS THE AREA TONIGHT. ON AVERAGE BETWEEN 1 AND 2 INCHES OF SLEET AND SNOW IS EXPECTED BY DAWN FRIDAY...WITH LOCALLY HIGHER AMOUNTS OF UP TO 3 INCHES POSSIBLE. LOCATIONS MOST LIKELY TO SEE ANY SIGNIFICANT SLEET AND SNOW ACCUMULATIONS WILL BE AREAS GENERALLY BETWEEN THE MOUNTAIN PARKWAY AND THE INTERSTATE 64 CORRIDOR...RIDGETOP LOCATIONS...AND GRASSY AREAS...OR EXPOSED OBJECTS SUCH AS DECKS AND SIDEWALKS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY. NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO CALL IN ANY SNOWFALL AMOUNTS TONIGHT. KYZ044-050>052-131200- FLEMING-MONTGOMERY-BATH-ROWAN- INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...FLEMINGSBURG...MOUNT STERLING... OWINGSVILLE...MOREHEAD 455 PM EDT THU MAR 12 2009 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF EASTERN KENTUCKY. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT. A MIXTURE OF SNOW AND SLEET IS EXPECTED ACROSS THE AREA TONIGHT. UP TO AN INCH OF SNOW AND SLEET ACCUMULATION WILL BE POSSIBLE BY DAWN FRIDAY MORNING. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY. THERE IS A CHANCE OF SNOW FRIDAY MORNING. LITTLE OR NO SNOW ACCUMULATIONS IS EXPECTED. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO CALL IN ANY SNOWFALL AMOUNTS TONIGHT. RAY
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
30 winter weather, 9 heavy snow, 1 winter storm. Local standard time, as filed.
One and a half inches of snow fell in Jeremiah.
One inch of snow fell 6 miles west of Barbourville.
An inch of snow fell in North Corbin.
Two inches of snow fell 3 miles southeast of Barbourville.
Two inches of snow fell 1 mile northeast of Rossland.
Two and a half inches of snow fell in Ary.
Precipitation started out as sleet in the afternoon beforing changing over to all snow and then transitioning back to sleet in West Blackey.
Three inches of snow fell 2 miles northwest of Dorthae.
A trained spotter reported that the roadways 5 miles west of Bee Lick were snow covered.
An NWS employee reported that 1.6 inches of snow had fallen at the Jackson weather office.
One inch of snow fell 1 mile east southeast of Moon.
Two and a half inches of snow fell 2 miles southeast of Talbert.
Two inches of snow and sleet fell in Monticello.
Two and six tenths of an inch of snow fell 1 mile south southeast of Mount Vernon.
Five and a half inches of snow fell in Tuttle.
Two and eight tenths of an inch of snow fell 2 miles north of Jackson.
Two and two tenths of an inch of snow fell in Emma.
One and three tenths of an inch of snow fell in Pikeville.
Three inches of snow fell in Tuttle.
Three and eight tenths of an inch of snow fell 4 miles west southwest of Prestonsburg. One and three tenths of an inch of this snow fell between 9:30 pm and 11:30 pm.
Six inches of snow fell in Mousie.
Three and three tenths of an inch of snow fell 1 mile east southeast of Moon.
Three inches of snow fell in Mount Vernon.
Four and three tenths of an inch of snow and sleet fell 2 miles southeast of Talbert.
Five and a half inches of snow fell 4 miles west southwest of Prestonsburg.
Four and one tenth of an inch of snow fell at the Jackson weather office.
Six and two tenths of an inch of snow fell 4 miles west southwest of Prestonsburg.
Two and a half inches of snow fell 4 miles west southwest of Prestonsburg.
Three and a half inches of snow fell in Brodhead.
Four and three tenths of an inch of snow fell 1 mile east southeast of Moon.
Four and six tenths of an inch of snow fell 2 miles southeast of Talbert.
Three inches of snow fell in Virgie.
Three and a half inches of snow fell in Frozen Creek.
Three and nine tenths of an inch of snow fell in Jackson.
Three inches of snow fell 5 miles southeast of Somerset.
Three and one half inches of snow fell in North Corbin.
Three inches of snow fell in Emma. Roads were covered with snow.
Two inches of snow fell 5 miles east of Whitesburg.
Two inches of snow fell in London.
Three inches of snow fell in Science Hill.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Kentucky in 2009Every state in 2009This day in weather historyWarnings in Kentucky, March 2009
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: 161618, 161744, 161747, 161748, 161749, 161621, 161624, 161682, 161687, 161688, 161690, 161695, 161696, 161698, 161699, 161700, 161702, 161703, 161713, 161726, 161728, 161730, 161731, 161735, 161737, 161739, 161741, 161715, 161751, 161752, 161754, 161755, 161756, 161757, 161716, 161718, 161719, 161721, 161723, 161724.