Low pressure weakened over the eastern Ohio Valley and central Appalachians sending several waves of snow showers into east Kentucky. Snowfall amounts ranged from 1 to 3 inches in most valley locations, with much of this snow melting on contact with the ground and roads.
Every event with a place to put it; 6 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.
Low pressure weakened over the eastern Ohio Valley and central Appalachians sending several waves of snow showers into east Kentucky. Snowfall amounts ranged from 1 to 3 inches in most valley locations, with much of this snow melting on contact with the ground and roads. However, 6 to 12 inches of snow accumulated over the higher terrain along the Virginia border.
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 24, 8:01 PM EST, 2 hours 59 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSON KY 901 PM EDT SUN MAR 24 2013 .UPDATE... ISSUED AT 901 PM EDT SUN MAR 24 2013 IT HAS BEEN AN EXCITING EVENING TONIGHT. THERE HAVE BEEN REPORTS OF WIND DAMAGE IN WAYNE AND PULASKI COUNTIES THAT WERE MOST LIKELY CAUSED BY A MICROBURST. THERE WERE REPORTS OF STORAGE BUILDINGS LEVELED AND ROOFS TORN OFF OF STRUCTURES. WILL WAIT UNTIL THE LIGHT OF DAY TO SEE IF ANY MORE INVESTIGATION IS REQUIRED. FROM THE GROUND REPORTS...IT APPEARED TO BE STRAIGHT LINE WINDS. THERE WAS ALSO A REPORT OF A STRUCTURE FIRE THAT MIGHT HAVE BEEN STARTED BY A LIGHTNING STRIKE IN IN SE CORBIN. THE THUNDER APPEARS TO BE OVER AS THE FRONT CONTINUES TO MOVE TO THE EAST. THE FRONT SHOULD BE OUT OF THE AREA BETWEEN 10 AND 11 PM. THERE WERE SOME STRONG GUSTS WITH THE FRONT AND A FEW HOURS BEHIND THE FRONT THE WINDS WILL PICK UP AND STAY BLUSTERY THROUGH TOMORROW. AS COLD AIR AT THE SURFACE MOVES IN AND THE UPPER LOW MOVES ACROSS THE NORTHERN PORTION OF KENTUCKY...EXPECT THE RAIN TO TURN TO ALL SNOW OR A MIX OF RAIN AND SNOW. THERE WILL BE TEMPORARY DRY SLOT UNTIL THE SHOWERS PICK UP AGAIN. THE REST OF THE FORECAST IS ON TRACK. && .SHORT TERM...(THIS EVENING THROUGH MONDAY NIGHT) ISSUED AT 358 PM EDT SUN MAR 24 2013 COMPLEX FORECAST AS LOW PRESSURE TRACKS ACROSS WESTERN KENTUCKY TOWARDS CINCINNATI BY MIDNIGHT TONIGHT SENDING A STOUT COLD FRONT ACROSS OUR AREA. THE LOW WILL THEN SLOWLY TRACK TO THE EAST SENDING WRAP AROUND MOISTURE...AND A PROLONGED PERIOD OF SNOW INTO OUR REGION. ELEVATED STORMS HAVE DEVELOPED IN ADVANCE OF THE FRONT COVERING BOWLING GREEN WITH UP TO GOLF BALL SIZED HAIL...ALL WHILE THE TEMP WAS IN THE 40S. 24/12Z NAM INDICATES SUFFICIENT MUCAPE TO ALLOW THESE STORMS TO CONTINUE TO AFFECT AREAS AS FAR NORTH AS A MT VERNON TO HARLAN LINE. OTHERWISE...WINDS WILL INCREASE DRAMATICALLY ALONG AND BEHIND THE FRONT WITH GUSTS UP TO 35 MPH LIKELY BASED ON UPSTREAM OBS. THIS MEETS OUR LOCAL CRITERIA FOR A LAKE WIND ADVISORY...ALTHOUGH I DOUBT WIND WILL BE THE ONLY WEATHER ELEMENT KEEPING FOLKS OFF THE LAKES TONIGHT. THE OTHER CONCERN IS THE PROLONGED SNOWFALL EVENT SHAPING UP FOR OUR AREA LATE TONIGHT THROUGH AT LEAST TUESDAY. RAIN IS EXPECTED TO CHANGE TO SNOW BETWEEN MIDNIGHT AND DAWN AS MUCH COLDER AIR SWEEPS IN FROM THE WEST. THE SNOW WILL THEN CONTINUE IN SHOWERS OFF AND ON THROUGH THE REST OF THIS PERIOD AND INTO THE LONG TERM. DUE TO THE LONG DURATION OF THE EVENT...SEVERAL INCHES OF SNOW WILL PILE UP OVER OUR HIGHER TERRAIN AND HAVE ISSUED A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FOR OUR FOUR VIRGINIA BORDER COUNTIES. FOR THE REST OF THE AREA...I HAD A HARD TIME JUSTIFYING AN ADVISORY AS DESPITE THE PROLONGED NATURE OF THE EVENT...SNOWFALL RATES DO NOT LOOK EXCEEDINGLY HEAVY SINCE WE WILL LACK AN UPSLOPE COMPONENT UNTIL LATE TUESDAY NIGHT AND THE LATE MARCH SUN ANGLE SHOULD KEEP THE SNOW FROM ACCUMULATING ON ROADS THROUGH THE DAY ON MONDAY AT LEAST. WE MAY NEED AN ADVISORY MONDAY NIGHT AS THE SNOW MAY BECOME MORE IMPACTFUL AFTER WE LOSE THE INFLUENCE OF THE SUN...BUT WILL LET LATER SHIFTS REEVALUATE THE NEED FOR THAT. .LONG TERM...(TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY) ISSUED AT 447 PM EDT SUN MAR 24 2013 THE GFS AND ECMWF ARE IN AGREEMENT FOR OUR LOCAL WEATHER FOR THE FIRST HALF OF THE PERIOD. THE SYSTEM AFFECTING THE REGION DURING THE SHORT TERM WILL CONTINUE ITS INFLUENCE THROUGH WEDNESDAY. DEEP MOISTURE AND COLD AIR ADVECTION ON UPSLOPE FLOW ARE STILL EXPECTED TO BE PRESENT EARLY ON TUESDAY...WITH THE DEEPEST MOISTURE IN THE SOUTH AND SOUTHEAST PART OF THE AREA. WILL USE LIKELY POPS FOR SNOW SHOWERS THERE...WITH CHANCE TO THE NORTH. THE UPPER TROUGH WILL BE PASSING BY ON TUESDAY AND THE DEEP MOISTURE WILL DRY UP WITH ITS PASSAGE. THIS WILL LEAVE JUST MORE LIMITED SNOW SHOWERS AND FLURRIES TUESDAY NIGHT INTO WEDNESDAY. DRY WEATHER AND DECREASING CLOUDS ARE FINALLY EXPECTED BY THURSDAY AS SURFACE RIDGING BUILDS IN FROM THE WEST UNDER CONTINUED NW FLOW ALOFT. SOME MODEL DISAGREEMENT BEGINS TO AFFECT THE LOCAL AREA BY FRIDAY. THE GFS AND ECMWF AGREE ON THE OVERALL PATTERN...BUT DIFFER ON THE POSITION OF AN AREA OF CLOUDS AND LIGHT PRECIP IN A WARM AIR ADVECTION REGIME OVER THE SOUTH CENTRAL CONUS. THE GFS BRINGS THE LIGHT PRECIP AS FAR EAST AS THE KJKL FORECAST AREA...WITH THE GREATEST LIKELIHOOD ON FRIDAY NIGHT. HAVE USED A MODEL COMPROMISE AND INCLUDED JUST A 20 PERCENT POP FOR FRIDAY NIGHT. BOTH MODELS AGREE ON A COLD FRONT APPROACHING FROM THE NW ON SUNDAY AND BRINGING PRECIP IN THE WARM AIR ADVECTION AHEAD OF IT...AND HAVE INCLUDED CHANCE POPS THEN. && .AVIATION...(FOR THE 00Z TAFS THROUGH 00Z MONDAY EVENING) ISSUED AT 901 PM EDT SUN MAR 24 2013 THE FRONT HAS MIXED OUT A LOT OF THE LIFR CIGS AS IT HAS MOVED ACROSS THE AREA. EXPECT THE CIGS TO DROP AGAIN AS THE UPPER LOW AND POST FRONTAL SHOWERS MOVE ACROSS THE AREA. EXPECTING QUITE A BIT OF VARIABILITY IN THE CIGS...HOWEVER TRIED TO REFLECT THE PREDOMINATE CONDITIONS IN THE TAF. THE WINDS WILL BE PICKING UP OVER THE NEXT FEW HOURS AND WILL STAY FAIRLY BRISK THROUGH THE DAY. && .JKL WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... LAKE WIND ADVISORY UNTIL 6 PM EDT MONDAY FOR KYZ044-050>052- 058>060-068-069-079-080-083>088-104-106>120. WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FROM MIDNIGHT TONIGHT TO 8 PM EDT TUESDAY FOR KYZ087-088-118-120. && UPDATE...JJ SHORT TERM...ABE LONG TERM...HAL AVIATION...JJ
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSON KY 1047 PM EDT SUN MAR 24 2013 KYZ044-050>052-058>060-068-069-079-080-083>086-104-106>117-119- 251100- FLEMING-MONTGOMERY-BATH-ROWAN-ESTILL-POWELL-MENIFEE-ROCKCASTLE- JACKSON-PULASKI-LAUREL-WAYNE-MCCREARY-WHITLEY-KNOX-ELLIOTT-MORGAN- JOHNSON-WOLFE-MAGOFFIN-FLOYD-LEE-BREATHITT-KNOTT-OWSLEY-PERRY-CLAY- LESLIE-MARTIN- INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...FLEMINGSBURG...MOUNT STERLING... OWINGSVILLE...MOREHEAD...IRVINE...STANTON...FRENCHBURG... MOUNT VERNON...MCKEE...SOMERSET...LONDON...MONTICELLO... WHITLEY CITY...CORBIN...WILLIAMSBURG...BARBOURVILLE...SANDY HOOK... WEST LIBERTY...PAINTSVILLE...CAMPTON...SALYERSVILLE...PRESTONSBURG... BEATTYVILLE...JACKSON...HINDMAN...BOONEVILLE...HAZARD...MANCHESTER... HYDEN...INEZ 1047 PM EDT SUN MAR 24 2013 ...LAKE WIND ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 PM EDT MONDAY... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF EASTERN KENTUCKY. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT. SOUTHWEST WINDS WILL GUST UP TO 35 MPH AT TIMES THROUGH THE NIGHT. RAIN WILL CHANGE TO SNOW SHOWERS OVERNIGHT TONIGHT. LITTLE OR NO SNOW ACCUMULATION IS EXPECTED. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY. WINDS WILL GUST UP TO 35 MPH AT TIMES THROUGH DAY ON MONDAY. SNOW SHOWERS WILL OCCUR FROM MONDAY THROUGH TUESDAY FOR MOST LOCATIONS. EVENT TOTAL SNOWFALL IS EXPECTED TO RANGE FROM 1 TO 3 INCHES FOR MOST LOCATIONS...WITH ACCUMULATING SNOW MAINLY CONFINED TO GRASSY AREAS. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO PASS ALONG SNOWFALL REPORTS OVER THE NEXT FEW DAYS. KYZ087-088-118-120-251100- BELL-HARLAN-LETCHER-PIKE- INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...MIDDLESBORO...PINEVILLE...HARLAN... WHITESBURG...PIKEVILLE 1047 PM EDT SUN MAR 24 2013 ...LAKE WIND ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 PM EDT MONDAY... ...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 8 PM EDT TUESDAY... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF EASTERN KENTUCKY. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT. SOUTHWEST WINDS WILL GUST UP TO 35 MPH AT TIMES THROUGH THE NIGHT. RAIN WILL CHANGE TO SNOW SHOWERS OVERNIGHT TONIGHT. SNOW ACCUMULATIONS WILL BE LESS THAN AN INCH IN THE VALLEYS WITH AROUND AN INCH POSSIBLE ABOVE 2000 FEET NEAR THE VIRGINIA BORDER. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY. WINDS WILL GUST UP TO 35 MPH AT TIMES THROUGH DAY ON MONDAY. SNOW SHOWERS ARE IN THE FORECAST FROM MONDAY THROUGH TUESDAY NIGHT. SNOWFALL ACCUMULATIONS WILL BE VARIABLE...RANGING FROM 1 TO 3 INCHES BELOW 2000 FEET ELEVATION TO 3 TO 6 INCHES ABOVE 2000 FEET. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO PASS ALONG SNOWFALL REPORTS OVER THE NEXT FEW DAYS. ABE/JJ
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSON KY 605 PM EDT SUN MAR 24 2013 KYZ058-068-069-080-085>087-116-242230- ESTILL-ROCKCASTLE-WHITLEY-LAUREL-KNOX-JACKSON-BELL-CLAY- 605 PM EDT SUN MAR 24 2013 ...A LINE OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS TO AFFECT THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES THROUGH 630 PM EDT SUNDAY EVENING... KNOX... JACKSON... ROCKCASTLE... WHITLEY... SOUTHWESTERN BELL... WESTERN CLAY... EXTREME SOUTH CENTRAL ESTILL AND LAUREL. AT 605 PM EDT...SHOWERS AND STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WERE LOCATED ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM MARETBURG TO KRUPP TO ZION HILL...OR ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM MOUNT VERNON TO 6 MILES NORTHWEST OF WILLIAMSBURG TO 11 MILES SOUTHWEST OF WILLIAMSBURG...MOVING EAST AT 40 MPH. LOCATIONS AFFECTED INCLUDE...BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO...FLAT ROCK AROUND 610 PM EDT...DONARO AROUND 615 PM EDT...JEP HILL AROUND 620 PM EDT...DANGO AROUND 625 PM EDT...BIRDSEYE AROUND 630 PM EDT... RESIDENTS SHOULD EXPECT HEAVY RAIN...GUSTY WINDS OF 30 TO 40 MPH...FREQUENT LIGHTNING AND SMALL HAIL IN THESE AREAS. JJ
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSON KY
615 PM EDT SUN MAR 24 2013
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0538 PM TSTM WND DMG FERGUSON 37.07N 84.59W
03/24/2013 PULASKI KY EMERGENCY MNGR
60 FOOT BY 100 FOOT METAL BUILDING LEVELED AND ROOF BLOWN
OFF UNDER BUILDING.
&&
KASPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSON KY
632 PM EDT SUN MAR 24 2013
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0516 PM TSTM WND DMG MONTICELLO 36.84N 84.85W
03/24/2013 WAYNE KY EMERGENCY MNGR
TWO ROOFS TAKEN OFF STORAGE BUILDINGS. PULLED POST OUT OF
GROUND IN CEMENT.
&&
KASSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSON KY 639 PM EDT SUN MAR 24 2013 KYZ080-086>088-115>117-242330- LAUREL-KNOX-LESLIE-PERRY-BELL-CLAY-HARLAN- 639 PM EDT SUN MAR 24 2013 ...A LINE OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS TO AFFECT THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES THROUGH 730 PM EDT SUNDAY EVENING... KNOX... LESLIE... NORTHWESTERN PERRY... BELL... CLAY... WESTERN HARLAN AND EASTERN LAUREL. AT 639 PM EDT...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WERE LOCATED ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM BROCK TO FRAKES...OR ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM LONDON TO 10 MILES WEST OF MIDDLESBORO...MOVING EAST AT 45 MPH. LOCATIONS AFFECTED INCLUDE...BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO...URBAN AROUND 645 PM EDT...SIDELL AROUND 650 PM EDT...BERNICE AROUND 655 PM EDT... TANKSLEY AROUND 700 PM EDT...SPURLOCK AROUND 705 PM EDT... RESIDENTS SHOULD EXPECT VERY HEAVY RAIN...GUSTY WINDS OF 40 TO 50 MPH...FREQUENT LIGHTNING AND SMALL HAIL IN THESE AREAS. JJ
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSON KY 934 PM EDT SUN MAR 24 2013 KYZ044-050>052-058>060-068-069-079-080-083>086-104-106>117-119- 251100- FLEMING-MONTGOMERY-BATH-ROWAN-ESTILL-POWELL-MENIFEE-ROCKCASTLE- JACKSON-PULASKI-LAUREL-WAYNE-MCCREARY-WHITLEY-KNOX-ELLIOTT-MORGAN- JOHNSON-WOLFE-MAGOFFIN-FLOYD-LEE-BREATHITT-KNOTT-OWSLEY-PERRY-CLAY- LESLIE-MARTIN- INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...FLEMINGSBURG...MOUNT STERLING... OWINGSVILLE...MOREHEAD...IRVINE...STANTON...FRENCHBURG... MOUNT VERNON...MCKEE...SOMERSET...LONDON...MONTICELLO... WHITLEY CITY...CORBIN...WILLIAMSBURG...BARBOURVILLE...SANDY HOOK... WEST LIBERTY...PAINTSVILLE...CAMPTON...SALYERSVILLE...PRESTONSBURG... BEATTYVILLE...JACKSON...HINDMAN...BOONEVILLE...HAZARD...MANCHESTER... HYDEN...INEZ 934 PM EDT SUN MAR 24 2013 ...STRONG STORM SYSTEM TO BRING RAIN...WIND AND ACCUMULATING SNOWFALL TO EAST KENTUCKY... A STRONG COLD FRONT HAS SWEPT ACROSS EASTERN KENTUCKY THIS EVENING. WINDS HAVE SWITCHED TO THE SOUTHWEST AND WILL START GUSTING UP TO 35 MPH...WITH THE GUSTY WINDS CONTINUING THROUGH THE DAY ON MONDAY. RAIN SHOWERS WILL CHANGE TO SNOW SHOWERS OVERNIGHT TONIGHT AS A COLDER AIR MASS FILTERS INTO THE REGION. SNOW SHOWERS WILL THEN CONTINUE OFF AND ON THROUGH TUESDAY BEFORE TAPERING TO FLURRIES TUESDAY NIGHT AND WEDNESDAY. EVENT TOTAL SNOWFALL FROM LATE TONIGHT THROUGH TUESDAY NIGHT IS EXPECTED TO RANGE FROM 1 TO 3 INCHES FOR MOST VALLEY LOCATIONS... WITH ACCUMULATING SNOW MAINLY CONFINED TO GRASSY AREAS. THE SNOW WILL HAVE A HARD TIME ACCUMULATING ON ROADWAYS DURING THE DAYTIME HOURS. HOWEVER...AFTER SUNSET MONDAY NIGHT...UNTREATED ROADS MAY BECOME SNOW COVERED...SLICK AND HAZARDOUS. STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO AND LOCAL MEDIA OUTLETS FOR THE LATEST INFORMATION ON THIS STORM SYSTEM. ABE/JJ
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
4 heavy snow, 2 winter weather. Local standard time, as filed.
Snowfall amounts ranged from 2 to 4 inches in the lower elevations, with 5 to 12 inches reported on Pine and Black Mountains.
Snowfall amounts ranged from an inch or less in the lower valleys with 4 to 7 inches reported over the higher mountains near Fonde and Red Bird Mountain.
Snowfall amounts ranged from an inch in the valleys up to 5 inches near Roark.
Snowfall amounts ranged from 1 to 3 inches in the lower elevations, however, 5 to 10 inches is estimated to have fallen over the higher ridges based on reports from nearby counties.
Snowfall amounts ranged from 1 to 3 inches in the valleys, although much of that melted on contact with the ground, up to 4.4 inches on the ridge at the NWS Office.
Snowfall amounts ranged from 1 to 3 inches in the valleys, although much of that melted on contact with the ground, up to 3.5 inches was measured on a ridge near Viper.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Kentucky in 2013Every state in 2013This day in weather historyWarnings in Kentucky, March 2013
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: 432172, 432173, 432174, 432175, 432176, 432185.