Strong winds occurred across eastern Kentucky on December 20, 2012 as a potent storm system tracked through the Ohio Valley. The high winds were noticed over the high terrain along the Virginia border first.
Every event with a place to put it; 5 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.
Strong winds occurred across eastern Kentucky on December 20, 2012 as a potent storm system tracked through the Ohio Valley. The high winds were noticed over the high terrain along the Virginia border first. High winds surfaced in Cumberland late in the morning associated with mountain wave activity and this produced isolated damage. Less severe winds occurred as the storm system passed to our east during the late afternoon and early evening.
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 Dec 20, 6:52 AM EST, 3 hours 48 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION...UPDATED NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSON KY 652 AM EST THU DEC 20 2012 .UPDATE... ISSUED AT 651 AM EST THU DEC 20 2012 A LARGE AREA OF PRECIPITATION HAS DEVELOPED ALONG THE NOSE OF A STRONG LOW LEVEL JET. THE SURFACE WARM FRONT IS STILL CURLED ACROSS EASTERN KENTUCKY...WITH A FEW STUBBORN VALLEYS STILL REFUSING TO YIELD TO MIXING. PRECIPITATION WILL LIKELY OVERSPREAD ALL OF THE AREA THROUGH 10 AM...WHICH WILL HELP TO SCOUR OUT THE LINGERING COLD POCKETS. A CHANGE TO THE ZONES WILL NOT BE NEEDED...HOWEVER DID FRESHEN UP THE GRIDS TO REFLECT THE LATEST TRENDS IN OBSERVATIONS AND RADAR. && .SHORT TERM...(TODAY THROUGH FRIDAY NIGHT) ISSUED AT 311 AM EST THU DEC 20 2012 AN INTENSIFYING AREA OF SURFACE LOW PRESSURE IS CURRENTLY MOVING ACROSS WESTERN MISSOURI...WITH A WARM FRONT BRANCHED OUT TO THE EAST THROUGH NORTH CENTRAL KENTUCKY...BEFORE DANGLING MORE SOUTHEAST TOWARD THE I-75 CORRIDOR. SOME SHELTERED VALLEYS IN OUR EAST ARE STILL DECOUPLED...REPORTING IN THE LOWER TO MIDDLE 30S...WITH LOCATIONS SOUTH AND SOUTHWEST OF THE WARM FRONT IN THE UPPER 40S TO LOWER 50S. THE MODELS ARE IN GOOD AGREEMENT THROUGH THE SHORT TERM. THE LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM WILL CONTINUE TO INTENSIFY AS IT BARRELS THROUGH THE OHIO VALLEY THROUGH TONIGHT...IN RESPONSE TO A VIGOROUS UPPER LEVEL SHORT WAVE TROUGH THAT WILL CUTOFF AND BROADEN A DEEP TROUGH ACROSS THE OHIO VALLEY AND NEW ENGLAND THROUGH THE END OF THE WORK WEEK. EXPECT A BAND OF SHOWERS WITH A FEW THUNDERSTORMS POSSIBLE TODAY AS THE COLD FRONT MAKES ITS WAY EAST TOWARD THE AREA. STRONG AND GUSTY WINDS CONTINUE TO LOOK LIKE A GOOD BET...ALTHOUGH THESE MAY NOT BE QUITE AS STRONG DURING THE DAY TODAY AS A DEEP INVERSION WILL BE PRESENT THROUGH THE MORNING. STILL EXPECT A GOOD ROUND OF GUSTS IN THE 40 TO 45 MPH RANGE ALONG AND JUST BEHIND THE FRONT. THERE WILL BE A LULL IN THE PRECIPITATION AS A DRY SLOT WORKS IN THROUGH THIS EVENING. MUCH COLDER AIR WILL FUNNEL IN TONIGHT...WITH THE UPPER TROUGH TO WORK THROUGH LATE TONIGHT INTO THE DAY ON FRIDAY...PROVIDING AMPLE LIFT AND A WINDOW OF FAIRLY DEEP MOISTURE FOR A SHOT OF LIGHT SNOW. MODEL AMOUNTS ARE LOOKING SIMILAR TO THE INHERITED FORECAST...SO HAVE NOT CHANGED THESE MUCH...WITH GENERALLY AN INCH OR LESS TOTAL FOR MOST LOCATIONS AND THEN UP TO 2 INCHES FOR THE HIGHEST ELEVATIONS IN FAR SOUTHEASTERN KENTUCKY. THE SNOW WILL BEGIN TO TAPER OFF BY FRIDAY AFTERNOON...AS THE DEEPER MOISTURE EXITS...ALTHOUGH SOME LIGHT SNOW WILL LINGER IN THE EAST INTO THE OVERNIGHT HOURS FRIDAY NIGHT. FOR TEMPERATURES...STUCK CLOSE TO A BLEND OF THE LATEST GUIDANCE AND THE INHERITED FORECAST. HIGHS TODAY WILL LIKELY REACH THE MIDDLE TO UPPER 50S AT MOST LOCATIONS...WITH A FEW SITES PEAKING AROUND 60 DEGREES. LOWS TONIGHT WILL BOTTOM OUT IN THE MID TO UPPER 20S FOR MOST...AND LIKELY WILL ONLY RECOVER TO THE LOWER TO MIDDLE 30S ON FRIDAY WITH COLD...SNOWY...AND BLUSTERY CONDITIONS ON TAP. LOWS FRIDAY NIGHT WILL BOTTOM OUT IN THE 20 TO 25 DEGREE RANGE...ALTHOUGH SOME TEENS IN THE VALLEYS WEST OF I-75 CAN NOT BE RULED OUT DEPENDING UPON HOW QUICKLY THE WINDS CALM DOWN. .LONG TERM...(SATURDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY) ISSUED AT 311 AM EST THU DEC 20 2012 SAT WILL START TO SEE SOME CLEARING BEHIND A VIGOROUS COLD FRONT. MODELS AGREE THAT THE LAKE EFFECT SNOW SHOULD END AS THE FETCH BECOMES LESS FAVORABLE ACROSS LAKE MI RATHER THAN DOWN THE LENGTH. THE COLD AIR WILL SET IN AND EVEN WITH THE ADDITION OF SOME SUN... TEMPERATURES ARE NOT EXPECTED MUCH ABOVE 40 DEG WITH THE NW WINDS. TEMPERATURES WILL BEGIN TO MODERATE ON SUN AFTER A CHILLY NIGHT IN THE UPPER 20 SAT NIGHT. LOOK FOR THE END OF THE WEEKEND AND THE START OF THE NEW WEEK TO SEE HIGHS IN THE UPPER 40S WITH LOWS IN THE MID TO UPPER 30S. THE NEXT IS THE SERIES OF ACTIVE FRONTS WILL SWEEP OUT OF THE SRN PLAINS AND BRING ANOTHER ROUND OF RAIN TO ERN KY BY MON NIGHT. THE MODELS AGREE ON THE DETAILS BUT DISAGREE ON THE TIMING WITH THE ECMWF MUCH FASTER THAN THE GFS. AS THE 00Z ECMWF HAS BEEN MORE CONSISTENT RECENTLY WE WILL LEAN TOWARDS ITS SOLUTION. THIS BRINGS A WARM FRONT AND LIGHT RAIN MON NIGHT. WITH A STRONGER WAVE AND FOLLOWING COLD FRONT TUE NIGHT AND WED. TEMPERATURES WILL AGAIN FALL WITH THE PASSAGE OF THE COLD FRONT AND MORNING LOWS WED NIGHT WILL ONCE AGAIN BE IN THE UPPER 20S. WITH THE POSSIBILITY OF A HALF TO AN INCH OF SNOWFALL OVERNIGHT. && .AVIATION...(FOR THE 12Z TAFS THROUGH 12Z FRIDAY MORNING) ISSUED AT 651 AM EST THU DEC 20 2012 PRECIPITATION WILL MOVE IN FROM THE SOUTHWEST...OVERTAKING MOST OF THE AREA BY 10 AM. CEILINGS WILL GRADUALLY DROP TO MVFR. LOW LEVEL WIND SHEAR WILL ALSO BE A CONCERN THROUGH THE MORNING...AS SOUTHERLY WINDS IN THE 1000-1500 FT AGL RANGE ENGAGE AT 40 TO 45 KTS. SOUTH TO SOUTHEAST WINDS AT THE SURFACE WILL AVERAGE IN THE 10 TO 20 KT RANGE...WITH HIGHER GUSTS EXPECTED AS THE COLD FRONT PASSES THROUGH THE AREA LATER TODAY. PRECIPITATION WILL DIMINISH TEMPORARILY AFTER THE FRONTAL PASSAGE...HOWEVER STRONG AND GUSTY WINDS OUT OF THE WEST WILL CONTINUE INTO THE OVERNIGHT...WITH LIGHT SNOW MOVING IN AT AROUND MIDNIGHT. && .JKL WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... WIND ADVISORY FROM 10 AM THIS MORNING TO 5 PM EST FRIDAY FOR KYZ044-050>052-058>060-068-069-079-080-083>088-104-106>120. && UPDATE...GEOGERIAN SHORT TERM...GEOGERIAN LONG TERM....DUSTY AVIATION...GEOGERIAN
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSON KY 425 AM EST THU DEC 20 2012 KYZ044-050>052-058>060-068-069-079-080-083>088-104-106>120-211200- FLEMING-MONTGOMERY-BATH-ROWAN-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...FLEMINGSBURG...MOUNT STERLING... OWINGSVILLE...MOREHEAD...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 425 AM EST THU DEC 20 2012 ...WIND ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 10 AM THIS MORNING TO 5 PM EST FRIDAY... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF EASTERN KENTUCKY. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT. THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE TODAY IN ASSOCIATION WITH A POTENT COLD FRONT THAT WILL CROSS THE AREA. STRONG AND GUSTY WINDS OF 40 TO 45 MPH ARE EXPECTED TODAY... ESPECIALLY ALONG AND BEHIND THE COLD FRONT. WINDS WILL SHIFT TO THE WEST TONIGHT AND WILL CONTINUE TO BE STRONG AND GUSTY. MUCH COLDER AIR MOVING IN BEHIND THE DEPARTING COLD FRONT WILL ALLOW FOR SOME LIGHT SNOW TONIGHT. ADDITIONALLY...THE COMBINATION OF WIND AND SNOW FALLING WILL RESULT IN POOR DRIVING CONDITIONS DUE TO LOW VISIBILITY. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY. LIGHT SNOW AND STRONG WINDS WILL CONTINUE INTO FRIDAY...BEFORE DIMINISHING LATE IN THE DAY. LIGHT SNOW IS ALSO POSSIBLE SUNDAY NIGHT INTO MONDAY MORNING...MAINLY NORTH OF THE HAL ROGERS PARKWAY AND HIGHWAY 80 CORRIDORS. THUNDERSTORMS ARE ALSO POSSIBLE TUESDAY NIGHT AND WEDNESDAY. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE NEEDED FOR STORM REPORTS TODAY THROUGH FRIDAY. GREIF/GEOGERIAN
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSON KY 454 AM EST THU DEC 20 2012 KYZ044-050>052-058>060-068-069-079-080-083>088-104-106>120-202200- FLEMING-MONTGOMERY-BATH-ROWAN-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...FLEMINGSBURG...MOUNT STERLING... OWINGSVILLE...MOREHEAD...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 454 AM EST THU DEC 20 2012 ...A POTENT WEATHER SYSTEM TO CROSS THE OHIO VALLEY TODAY THROUGH FRIDAY... AN INTENSIFYING AREA OF LOW PRESSURE WILL MOVE INTO THE OHIO VALLEY TODAY. WITH THIS...A STRONG COLD FRONT WILL CROSS EAST KENTUCKY. STRONG AND GUSTY SOUTHERLY WINDS WILL PRECEDE THE FRONT...AND THEN SHIFT TO THE WEST BEHIND THE FRONT. MANY LOCATIONS WILL SEE GUSTS OF 40 TO 45 MPH AT TIMES TODAY THROUGH FRIDAY...WITH THE STRONG GUSTS BEING MOST FREQUENT ALONG AND BEHIND THE COLD FRONT TONIGHT. THE WEATHER WILL TURN SHARPLY COLDER TONIGHT...RESULTING IN LIGHT SNOW AND SNOW SHOWERS ACROSS THE AREA INTO FRIDAY. SNOW ACCUMULATIONS OF AN INCH OR LESS CAN BE EXPECTED IN MOST LOCATIONS...THOUGH UP TO 2 INCHES ARE EXPECTED ACROSS THE HIGHER TERRAIN OF FAR SOUTHEASTERN KY NEAR THE VIRGINIA BORDER. SNOW SHOWERS WILL LINGER LONGEST IN EXTREME EASTERN KENTUCKY...POSSIBLY NOT ENDING UNTIL LATE FRIDAY NIGHT. THE COMBINATION OF THE WIND AND SNOW TONIGHT AND FRIDAY MAY LEAD TO LOW VISIBILITY AT TIMES...ALONG WITH A POTENTIAL FOR SLICK PAVEMENT. THIS COULD AFFECT THE THE MORNING COMMUTE ON FRIDAY...AND TRAVELERS ARE URGED TO USE CAUTION. FOR MORE INFORMATION...VISIT OUR INTERNET WEB SITE AT WEATHER.GOV/JACKSONKY. HAL/GEOGERIAN
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT...CORRECTED NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSON KY 1015 AM EST THU DEC 20 2012 KYZ044-050>052-058>060-068-069-079-080-083>088-104-106>120-202200- FLEMING-MONTGOMERY-BATH-ROWAN-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...FLEMINGSBURG...MOUNT STERLING... OWINGSVILLE...MOREHEAD...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 1015 AM EST THU DEC 20 2012 ...A POTENT WEATHER SYSTEM TO CROSS THE OHIO VALLEY TODAY THROUGH FRIDAY... AN INTENSIFYING AREA OF LOW PRESSURE WILL MOVE INTO THE OHIO VALLEY TODAY. WITH THIS...A STRONG COLD FRONT WILL CROSS EAST KENTUCKY. STRONG AND GUSTY SOUTHERLY WINDS WILL PRECEDE THE FRONT...AND THEN SHIFT TO THE WEST BEHIND THE FRONT. MANY LOCATIONS WILL SEE GUSTS OF 40 TO 45 MPH AT TIMES TODAY THROUGH FRIDAY...WITH THE STRONG GUSTS BEING MOST FREQUENT ALONG AND BEHIND THE COLD FRONT TONIGHT. THE WEATHER WILL TURN SHARPLY COLDER TONIGHT...RESULTING IN LIGHT SNOW AND SNOW SHOWERS ACROSS THE AREA INTO FRIDAY. SNOW ACCUMULATIONS OF AN INCH OR LESS CAN BE EXPECTED IN MOST LOCATIONS...THOUGH UP TO 2 INCHES ARE EXPECTED ACROSS THE HIGHER TERRAIN OF FAR SOUTHEASTERN KY NEAR THE VIRGINIA BORDER. SNOW SHOWERS WILL LINGER LONGEST IN EXTREME EASTERN KENTUCKY...POSSIBLY NOT ENDING UNTIL LATE FRIDAY NIGHT. THE COMBINATION OF THE WIND AND SNOW TONIGHT AND FRIDAY MAY LEAD TO LOW VISIBILITY AT TIMES...ALONG WITH A POTENTIAL FOR SLICK PAVEMENT. THIS COULD AFFECT THE MORNING COMMUTE ON FRIDAY...AND TRAVELERS ARE URGED TO USE CAUTION. FOR MORE INFORMATION...VISIT OUR INTERNET WEB SITE AT WEATHER.GOV/JACKSONKY. HAL/GEOGERIAN/JJ
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
3 strong wind, 2 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.
A 60 mph wind gust was measured at the Pike County mesonet site at an elevation of 2774 feet.
Windows were blown out and a roof was displaced on a structure in Cumberland.
A 47 mph non-thunderstorm wind gust was recorded in Mt. Sterling.
A 55 mph wind gust was measured at the Triangle Mountain RAWS site.
A 45 mph wind gust was measured at the Bath county mesonet site.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Kentucky in 2012Every state in 2012This day in weather historyWarnings in Kentucky, December 2012
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: 419272, 419273, 419274, 419275, 419276.