A rare November winter storm moved through the coal fields on November 26 and 27. Rain chanced to snow during the evening of November 26th and the snow continued through the day on the 27th before tapering off during the evening.
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.
A rare November winter storm moved through the coal fields on November 26 and 27. Rain chanced to snow during the evening of November 26th and the snow continued through the day on the 27th before tapering off during the evening. Snowfall amounts ranged from a few tenths of an inch to over four inches over the higher elevations of southeast Kentucky near 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 Nov 26, 7:00 PM EST, 30 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION...UPDATED NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSON KY 700 PM EST TUE NOV 26 2013 .UPDATE... ISSUED AT 650 PM EST TUE NOV 26 2013 23Z SFC ANALYSIS SHOWS A DEEPENING LOW PRESSURE CENTER OVER SOUTHEAST GEORGIA. THIS SYSTEM IS NOW WRAPPING THE COLD AIR INTO EAST KENTUCKY AND AS A RESULT THE WESTERN PARTS OF ITS COMMA HEAD OF PCPN IS TRANSITIONING TO SNOW...HEAVY AT TIMES. ON WV SATELLITE...THE SOUTHERN SHORT WAVE SHOWS UP WELL AS IT PUNCHES INTO THE REGION. THIS WILL QUICKLY RENEW THE PCPN RETURNS THROUGH THIS PART OF KENTUCKY AND THE EASTERN TENNESSEE VALLEY AS THE FIRST WAVE MOVES OUT. PER THE LATEST HRRR AND 18Z NAM12 HAVE INCORPORATED THIS INTO THE FORECAST AND FINE TUNED SNOW AMOUNTS AND TIMING OF THIS WINTER EVENT THROUGH THE NIGHT...GENERALLY A BIT MORE SNOW TO THE NORTHEAST AND A ONE TO TWO HOUR FASTER CHANGEOVER HEADING EAST. THE LATEST TWEETS AND OBS INDICATE THAT THE SNOW LINE IS MOVING DEEPER INTO OUR NORTHWESTERN COUNTIES WITH ENHANCEMENTS ON RADAR SUGGESTING A QUICK INCH POSSIBLE AS THIS BAND MOVES EAST. THE UPDATED FORECAST HAS BEEN SENT TO THE NDFD AND WEB SERVERS. A ZFP UPDATE WILL FOLLOW SHORTLY. && .SHORT TERM...(THIS EVENING THROUGH WEDNESDAY NIGHT) ISSUED AT 256 PM EST TUE NOV 26 2013 THE MODELS CONTINUE TO BE IN PRETTY GOOD AGREEMENT WITH THE PROGRESSION OF THE SYSTEM. SOME HEAVY RAIN HAS PROMPTED AN AREAL FLOOD ADVISORY FOR WHITLEY KNOX AND BELL COUNTIES. THE RAIN SHOULD BEGIN TO TAPER OFF A LITTLE IN THE NEXT FEW HOURS. PUT A SLIDE ON THE INTERNET TO SHOW THE PROGRESSION OF THE CHANGEOVER THIS EVENING FROM RAIN TO SNOW. FOR THE SNOW AMOUNTS...THE NEW MODEL RUNS HAD LITTLE CHANGE. THE DIFFERENCES IN THE NEW SNOW AMOUNT FORECAST WERE NOT VERY SIGNIFICANT. FEEL LIKE THE FORECAST HAS CAPTURED THE UPPER END OF THE SNOW FORECAST. ONE CONCERN IS THE COMBINATION OF THE SNOW AND THE WIND FOR TOMORROW AND TOMORROW EVENING. THIS HAS THE POTENTIAL FOR CREATING NEAR BLIZZARD CONDITIONS WITH LOW VISIBILITY DUE TO THE BLOWING SNOW. IT WILL ALSO CAUSE THE WIND CHILLS TO DIP DOWN PRETTY LOW. ANYONE TRAVELING ON WEDNESDAY NEED TO HAVE BLANKETS AND WARM COATS IN THE CAR. WITH THE NORTHERLY WINDS BEHIND THE SYSTEM... UPSLOPE WILL BE A FACTOR AT UPPER ELEVATIONS ALONG THE VIRGINIA AND TENNESSEE BORDERS. THE UPPER ELEVATIONS ABOVE 2000 FEET HAVE A POTENTIAL TO SEE SOME PRETTY SUBSTANTIAL SNOW AMOUNTS. WILL UPDATE THE CHANGE OVER FORECAST SLIDE ON THE INTERNET WITH THE FORECAST CHANGEOVER TIMES IF THE FORECAST CHANGES. .LONG TERM...(THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY) ISSUED AT 256 PM EST TUE NOV 26 2013 UPPER LEVEL TROUGH WILL LINGER THROUGH THANKSGIVING DAY WITH A TREND TOWARDS ZONAL FLOW AS WE HEAD INTO THE WEEKEND. THIS WILL YIELD A COLD THANKSGIVING DAY...WITH A SLOW WARMING TREND INTO THE WEEKEND. HIGH PRESSURE WILL SKIRT ACROSS THE AREA FROM THURSDAY THROUGH SATURDAY...PROVIDING A QUIET STRETCH OF WEATHER FOR A GOOD CHUNK OF THE HOLIDAY WEEKEND. A FAST MOVING SHORTWAVE WILL PUSH EAST ACROSS THE AREA LATE IN THE WEEKEND...PRODUCING A SMALL CHANCE FOR RAIN. A STRONGER SOUTHERN STREAM WAVE WILL PUSH SOUTH OF THE AREA MONDAY INTO MONDAY NIGHT...PRODUCING A BETTER CHANCE FOR SOME RAIN. OVERALL...MODELS ARE IN PRETTY DECENT AGREEMENT...SO CONFIDENCE IS DECENT WELL INTO THE EXTENDED. && .AVIATION...(FOR THE 00Z TAFS THROUGH 00Z WEDNESDAY EVENING) ISSUED AT 700 PM EST TUE NOV 26 2013 EXPECT WIDESPREAD IFR/LIFR CEILINGS AND VISIBILITIES THROUGH MOST OF THE PERIOD...AS A STRONG STORM SYSTEM SPREADS RAIN AND THEN SNOW ACROSS THE AREA. RAIN WILL CHANGE OVER TO SNOW FROM NORTHWEST TO SOUTHEAST THIS EVENING...WITH SNOW CONTINUING INTO WEDNESDAY. CONDITIONS WILL IMPROVE AFTER 12Z FOR MOST SITES AS THE SYSTEM MOVES OUT TO THE EAST. HOWEVER...EASTERN LOCATIONS LIKE JKL AND SJS WILL CONTINUE TO SEE LOWER VIS AND CIGS THROUGH THE DAY WEDNESDAY AS THE SNOW BECOMES MORE UPSLOPE DRIVEN. WINDS WILL BE BRISK OUT OF THE NORTHWEST AT 10 TO 20 KTS THROUGH THE PERIOD. && .JKL WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL 4 PM EST WEDNESDAY FOR KYZ044- 050>052-058>060-069-080-085-086-104-106>109-111-112-114-116. WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL 1 PM EST WEDNESDAY FOR KYZ068-079- 083-084. WINTER STORM WARNING UNTIL 7 PM EST WEDNESDAY FOR KYZ087-088-110- 113-115-117>120. && UPDATE...GREIF SHORT TERM...JJ LONG TERM...KAS AVIATION...GREIF
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...UPDATED NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSON KY 410 PM EST TUE NOV 26 2013 KYZ044-050>052-058>060-069-080-085-086-104-106>109-111-112-114-116- 280015- FLEMING-MONTGOMERY-BATH-ROWAN-ESTILL-POWELL-MENIFEE-JACKSON-LAUREL- WHITLEY-KNOX-ELLIOTT-MORGAN-JOHNSON-WOLFE-MAGOFFIN-LEE-BREATHITT- OWSLEY-CLAY- INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...FLEMINGSBURG...MOUNT STERLING... OWINGSVILLE...MOREHEAD...IRVINE...STANTON...FRENCHBURG...MCKEE... LONDON...CORBIN...WILLIAMSBURG...BARBOURVILLE...SANDY HOOK... WEST LIBERTY...PAINTSVILLE...CAMPTON...SALYERSVILLE...BEATTYVILLE... JACKSON...BOONEVILLE...MANCHESTER 410 PM EST TUE NOV 26 2013 ...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 4 PM EST WEDNESDAY... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF EASTERN KENTUCKY. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT. RAIN WILL CHANGE OVER TO SNOW THIS EVENING FROM NORTHWEST TO SOUTHEAST. THE SNOW WILL PICK UP IN INTENSITY DURING THE OVERNIGHT HOURS...WITH 1 TO 3 INCHES OF ACCUMULATION EXPECTED. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY. SNOW SHOWERS WILL CONTINUE THROUGH THE MORNING...BEFORE GRADUALLY TAPERING OFF DURING THE AFTERNOON AND EVENING. UP TO 1 INCH OF SNOW IS EXPECTED TO FALL WEDNESDAY...WITH STORM TOTAL ACCUMULATIONS OF 2 TO 4 INCHES. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO CALL IN SNOWFALL MEASUREMENTS THIS EVENING AND INTO THE DAY WEDNESDAY. KYZ068-079-083-084-280015- ROCKCASTLE-PULASKI-WAYNE-MCCREARY- INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...MOUNT VERNON...SOMERSET...MONTICELLO... WHITLEY CITY 410 PM EST TUE NOV 26 2013 ...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 1 PM EST WEDNESDAY... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF EASTERN KENTUCKY. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT. RAIN WILL CHANGE OVER TO SNOW THIS EVENING FROM NORTHWEST TO SOUTHEAST. THE SNOW WILL PICK UP IN INTENSITY DURING THE OVERNIGHT HOURS...WITH 1 TO 3 INCHES OF ACCUMULATION EXPECTED. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY. THERE IS A CHANCE OF SNOW SHOWERS ON WEDNESDAY. LESS THAN A HALF INCH OF SNOW ACCUMULATION IS EXPECTED. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO CALL IN SNOWFALL MEASUREMENTS THIS EVENING AND INTO THE DAY WEDNESDAY. KYZ087-088-110-113-115-117>120-280015- BELL-HARLAN-FLOYD-KNOTT-PERRY-LESLIE-LETCHER-MARTIN-PIKE- INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...MIDDLESBORO...PINEVILLE...HARLAN... PRESTONSBURG...HINDMAN...HAZARD...HYDEN...WHITESBURG...INEZ... PIKEVILLE 410 PM EST TUE NOV 26 2013 ...WINTER STORM WARNING IN EFFECT UNTIL 7 PM EST WEDNESDAY... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF EASTERN KENTUCKY. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT. RAIN...HEAVY AT TIMES THROUGH EARLY EVENING...WILL CHANGE OVER TO SNOW FROM WEST TO EAST BETWEEN 8 PM AND MIDNIGHT. THIS SNOW WILL FALL HEAVY AT TIMES DURING THE OVERNIGHT HOURS...WITH 2 TO 6 INCHES OF ACCUMULATION EXPECTED...WITH THE HIGHEST TOTALS OCCURRING IN ELEVATIONS ABOVE 2000 FEET. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY. SNOW SHOWERS WILL CONTINUE THROUGH WEDNESDAY...BEFORE TAPERING OFF IN THE EVENING. 1 TO 2 INCHES IS EXPECTED TO FALL ON WEDNESDAY...YIELDING STORM TOTAL ACCUMULATIONS OF 3 TO 8 INCHES...WITH THE HIGHEST TOTALS OCCURRING AT ELEVATIONS ABOVE 2000 FEET. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO CALL IN SNOWFALL MEASUREMENTS THIS EVENING AND INTO THE DAY WEDNESDAY. GREIF/JJ
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
5 winter storm, 1 winter weather. Local standard time, as filed.
Slick snow covered roads resulted in a fatal multiple vehicle accident on I-75 near Williamsburg and lead to the closure of all north and south bound lanes.
The Knott and Floyd County State Highway Garages reported that 4 to 6 inches of snow had accumulated east of Topmost along Highway 7 and Highway 1091 in extreme southeast Knott and southern Floyd counties.
Four to six inches of snow fell above 2400 feet elevation across Letcher County. A trained spotter at 2400 feet elevation reported 3.9 inches of new snow as of 9:38 AM EST on the 27th.
The Knott and Floyd County State Highway Garages reported that 4 to 6 inches of snow had accumulated east of Topmost along Highway 7 and Highway 1091 in extreme southeast Knott and southern Floyd counties.
Four to six inches of snow fell across the higher elevations of Harlan County. A trained spotter five miles south-southeast of Cumberland reported four inches of snow as of 10:30 am EST the 27th.
Four to six inches of snow fell across the higher elevations of Pike County. A trained spotter located two miles north of Ashcamp at near 2000 feet elevation report 4.5 inches of snow as of 10:40 am EST the 27th.
As the offices recorded each death: direct deaths were caused by the weather itself, indirect ones by something it set in motion.
| Event | Date | Age | Sex | Where | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Winter Weather, Whitley | 2013-11-26 | Vehicle/Towed Trailer | Direct |
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, November 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: 484342, 480842, 480844, 484367, 480849, 480850.