A major winter storm pummeled portions of eastern Kentucky on February 12th and 13th. The highest snow fall totals were measured in the higher terrain of our Virginia border counties, where 8 to 14 inches of snow fell.
Every event with a place to put it; 14 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 major winter storm pummeled portions of eastern Kentucky on February 12th and 13th. The highest snow fall totals were measured in the higher terrain of our Virginia border counties, where 8 to 14 inches of snow fell. All or portions of the tier of counties just to the west of the border counties received 5 to 11 inches of snow. The snow first began to accumulate during the early evening hours of Wednesday, February 12th and didn't stop causing issues until late on the morning of Thursday, February 13th.
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 12, 3:55 PM EST, 5 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSON KY 355 PM EST WED FEB 12 2014 .SHORT TERM...(THIS EVENING THROUGH THURSDAY NIGHT) ISSUED AT 343 PM EST WED FEB 12 2014 VIRGA DEVELOPED AND SPREAD NORTH OVER THE FORECAST AREA DURING THE DAY. SURFACE REPORTS SHOWED PRECIP STILL HOLDING MAINLY TO OUR SOUTH IN TN EARLY IN THE AFTERNOON...WITH JUST LOCALIZED REPORTS OF SNOW REACHING THE GROUND IN LETCHER COUNTY OF KY UNDER A HEAVIER RADAR RETURN BY 3 PM. THE SNOW SHOULD FILL IN AND SPREAD NORTH INTO KY DURING THE LATE AFTERNOON AND EVENING. THE NAM AND GFS ARE NOW IN RELATIVELY GOOD AGREEMENT FOR THE SYSTEM...AND HAVE USED A BLEND OF THE TWO. THE RIGHT ENTRANCE REGION OF AN UPPER JET WILL PROVIDE MID- UPPER LEVEL LIFT THIS EVENING. THIS WILL PULL OUT TO THE EAST TONIGHT. HOWEVER...AS THE STORM SYSTEM DEVELOPS...THE COMMA HEAD REGION EXTENDING BACK UNDER THE UPPER TROUGH WILL PERSIST OVER THE APPALACHIANS...WITH WEAK WARM AIR ADVECTION IN THE LOW-MID LEVELS. THIS WILL BRING A CONTINUATION OF LIGHTER SNOW OVERNIGHT...WITH SNOW TAPERING OFF FROM WEST TO EAST FROM AROUND DAWN THROUGH NOON. THERE SHOULD BE A SHARP GRADIENT IN SNOWFALL. VALLEY TEMPS ABOVE FREEZING INITIALLY LATE TODAY WILL CUT INTO ACCUMULATIONS A BIT AS THE SNOW STARTS NEAR THE VA BORDER...BUT EVAPORATIONAL COOLING WILL BRING READINGS BELOW FREEZING AS SNOW CONTINUES. WITH FAIRLY COLD AIR ALOFT DURING MOST OF THE EVENT...THE SNOW SHOULD BE FAIRLY DRY ONCE SURFACE TEMPS COOL OFF. HAVE USED A RATIO OF ABOUT 13:1. 4-6 INCH TOTALS CAN BE EXPECTED NEAR THE VA BORDER...ESPECIALLY ON RIDGES. AMOUNTS SHOULD TAPER BACK TO ABOUT AN INCH IN A CORRIDOR FROM WHITLEY TO JOHNSON COUNTIES...WITH A LIKELIHOOD OF LITTLE OR NO ACCUMULATION NW OF THERE. NO INFLUX OF COLD AIR AIR IS EXPECTED IN THE WAKE OF THE SYSTEM...AND SIGNIFICANT WARM AIR ADVECTION WILL ALREADY GET UNDERWAY THURSDAY NIGHT AHEAD OF AN ARCTIC COLD FRONT. AN INCREASE IN CLOUDS IS EXPECTED IN THE ISENTROPIC LIFT...BUT HAVE NOT INCLUDED ANY PRECIP THURDAY NIGHT. .LONG TERM...(THURSDAY NIGHT THROUGH TUESDAY) ISSUED AT 340 AM EST WED FEB 12 2014 BY THURSDAY NIGHT THE BACK EDGE OF THE POTENT SYSTEM WILL HAVE MOVED THROUGH THE AREA. IN THE UPPER AIR...THE AREA WILL BE ON THE BACK SIDE OF THE UPPER TROUGH. THIS IS A VERY GOOD SET UP FOR CLIPPER TYPE SYSTEMS AND SURE ENOUGH...THE FIRST CLIPPER WILL MOVE INTO THE AREA ON FRIDAY. ON FRIDAY THERE WILL BE MIXED BAG OF RAIN AND SNOW THAT WILL TURN TO ALL SNOW BY FRIDAY EVENING...THIS SYSTEM WILL DROP BETWEEN ONE AND TWO INCHES ACROSS THE AREA. IF THE MODELS HOLD TOGETHER...THIS MAY BE ENOUGH FOR A LOW END ADVISORY. WITH THE NORTHWESTERLY FLOW STAYING IN PLACE ANOTHER FOR ANOTHER FEW DAYS. THE NEXT CLIPPER WILL BE MOVING ACROSS THE AREA ON SATURDAY NIGHT AND THEN MOVE OUT OF THE AREA ON SUNDAY MORNING. THIS IS WHERE THE MODELS REALLY START TO DIVERGE WITH THE TIMING OF THE NEXT SYSTEM. THE MODELS AND THE NEIGHBORING OFFICES...FAVOR A FASTER SYSTEM WITH CLIPPER MOVING THROUGH THE AREA ON MONDAY AND MONDAY NIGHT. THE ECMWF PREFERS TUESDAY AND TUESDAY NIGHT. THE FORECAST WAS AN EFFORT TO SLOW THE SYSTEM DOWN...HOWEVER WANTED TO SLOW IT DOWN EVEN MORE...HOWEVER DID NOT WANT TO SHOW TOO LARGE A DIFFERENCE WITH THE NEIGHBORING OFFICES. THERE IS A GRADUAL WARMING SO THE SUBSEQUENT CLIPPERS WILL HAVE A HARDER TIME TO PRODUCE MUCH SNOW EXCEPT DURING THE OVERNIGHT HOURS. AT THIS TIME...DO NOT EXPECT TO SEE MUCH SNOW FROM THE LAST TWO CLIPPERS. && .AVIATION...(FOR THE 18Z TAFS THROUGH 18Z THURSDAY AFTERNOON) ISSUED AT 150 PM EST WED FEB 12 2014 CLOUDS WILL LOWER WITH TIME DURING THE AFTERNOON AND EVENING...AND SNOW WILL DEVELOP NORTHWARD AND NORTHWESTWARD...LIKELY REACHING AS FAR AS A LONDON TO PAINTSVILLE LINE. MOST LOCATIONS CAN EXPECT IFR CEILINGS BY ABOUT 05Z. OVERNIGHT AND THURSDAY MORNING THE SNOW WILL MOVE OUT TO THE EAST...AND CEILINGS WILL ALSO CLIMB AND CLOUDS WILL THIN OUT FOLLOWING THE RETREAT OF THE SNOW. GENERALLY VFR SHOULD RETURN WEST OF A LINE FROM HARLAN TO PAINTSVILLE BY 18Z ON THURSDAY. && .JKL WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... WINTER STORM WARNING UNTIL NOON EST THURSDAY FOR KYZ087-088-118- 120. WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL 6 AM EST THURSDAY FOR KYZ084>086- 116. WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL 10 AM EST THURSDAY FOR KYZ110-113- 115-117-119. && SHORT TERM...HAL LONG TERM...JJ AVIATION...HAL
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...UPDATED NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSON KY 410 AM EST WED FEB 12 2014 KYZ044-050>052-131215- FLEMING-MONTGOMERY-BATH-ROWAN- INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...FLEMINGSBURG...MOUNT STERLING... OWINGSVILLE...MOREHEAD 410 AM EST WED FEB 12 2014 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF EASTERN KENTUCKY. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT. THERE IS A SLIGHT CHANCE OF SNOW THIS EVENING. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY. SNOW WITH LIGHT ACCUMULATIONS IS POSSIBLE FROM FRIDAY THROUGH FRIDAY NIGHT. SNOW IS AGAIN POSSIBLE ON SATURDAY NIGHT. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT ANTICIPATED. KYZ058>060-068-069-079-080-083-104-106>109-111-112-114-131215- ESTILL-POWELL-MENIFEE-ROCKCASTLE-JACKSON-PULASKI-LAUREL-WAYNE- ELLIOTT-MORGAN-JOHNSON-WOLFE-MAGOFFIN-LEE-BREATHITT-OWSLEY- INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...IRVINE...STANTON...FRENCHBURG... MOUNT VERNON...MCKEE...SOMERSET...LONDON...MONTICELLO...SANDY HOOK... WEST LIBERTY...PAINTSVILLE...CAMPTON...SALYERSVILLE...BEATTYVILLE... JACKSON...BOONEVILLE 410 AM EST WED FEB 12 2014 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF EASTERN KENTUCKY. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT. THERE IS A GOOD CHANCE OF SNOW FROM LATER THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH TONIGHT. ACCUMULATIONS OF AN INCH OR LESS WILL BE POSSIBLE. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY. THERE IS A CHANCE OF SNOW EARLY THURSDAY MORNING. SNOW WITH LIGHT ACCUMULATIONS IS POSSIBLE FROM FRIDAY THROUGH FRIDAY NIGHT. SNOW IS AGAIN POSSIBLE ON SATURDAY NIGHT. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO CALL IN ANY SNOW REPORTS THROUGH THURSDAY MORNING. KYZ084>086-110-113-115>117-119-131215- MCCREARY-WHITLEY-KNOX-FLOYD-KNOTT-PERRY-CLAY-LESLIE-MARTIN- INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...WHITLEY CITY...CORBIN...WILLIAMSBURG... BARBOURVILLE...PRESTONSBURG...HINDMAN...HAZARD...MANCHESTER... HYDEN...INEZ 410 AM EST WED FEB 12 2014 ...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM NOON TODAY TO 9 AM EST THURSDAY... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF EASTERN KENTUCKY. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT. SNOW IS EXPECTED THIS AFTERNOON AND THROUGH THE NIGHT. GENERALLY... BETWEEN AN INCH AND THREE INCHES OF ACCUMULATION IS ANTICIPATED. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY. SNOW WILL TAPER OFF AND END THURSDAY MORNING WITH LITTLE ADDITIONAL ACCUMULATIONS. SNOW WITH LIGHT ACCUMULATIONS IS POSSIBLE FROM FRIDAY THROUGH FRIDAY NIGHT. SNOW IS AGAIN POSSIBLE ON SATURDAY NIGHT. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO CALL IN SNOW REPORTS THROUGH THURSDAY MORNING. KYZ087-088-118-120-131215- BELL-HARLAN-LETCHER-PIKE- INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...MIDDLESBORO...PINEVILLE...HARLAN... WHITESBURG...PIKEVILLE 410 AM EST WED FEB 12 2014 ...WINTER STORM WARNING IN EFFECT FROM NOON TODAY TO NOON EST THURSDAY... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF EASTERN KENTUCKY. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND NIGHT. TIMES OF HEAVY SNOW ARE EXPECTED IN THE COUNTIES ALONG THE VIRGINIA BORDER FROM THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH THE NIGHT. ACCUMULATIONS OF 3 TO 5 INCHES ARE ANTICIPATED...THOUGH SOME OF THE HIGHER RIDGES COULD SEE 6 OR MORE INCHES BY MIDDAY THURSDAY. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY. SNOW WILL TAPER OFF AND COME TO AN END BY MIDDAY THURSDAY. FROM THIS LESS THAN AN ADDITIONAL INCH OF ACCUMULATION IS EXPECTED. SNOW WITH LIGHT ACCUMULATIONS IS POSSIBLE FROM FRIDAY THROUGH FRIDAY NIGHT. SNOW IS AGAIN POSSIBLE ON SATURDAY NIGHT. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO CALL IN SNOW REPORTS FROM LATER TODAY THROUGH THURSDAY. GREIF
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
14 heavy snow. Local standard time, as filed.
Snowfall amounts across the county ranged from around five inches near Canada up to a foot along the Virginia state line. At the end of the storm, nearly 600 people were without power in Pike County.
Snowfall amounts ranged from seven up to 14 inches with the highest amounts near the Virginia border. Near the height of the storm, nearly 1400 residents were without power in Letcher County.
Snowfall amounts of up to four inches were observed from Barbourville eastward. Lesser amounts of snow were observed over the western half of the county.
Snowfall amounts ranged from two and a half inches near Williamsburg, up to near seven inches along the Tennessee border.
Snowfall amounts ranged from five up to seven and a half inches across the county. At the end of the event, around 1400 residents were without power in the county.
Based on reports from surrounding areas, snowfall amounts of up to six inches occurred over the eastern and southern parts of the county.
Snowfall amounts ranged from a little over four inches in Harlan up to eleven inches near Cumberland.
Snowfall amounts across the county ranged from four and a half inches near Middlesboro up to over seven inches near Frakes.
Snowfall amounts ranged from three inches near the Breathitt County line, up to eight inches near the Letcher County line.
Snowfall amounts ranged from five inches near Hyden up to eleven inches in the eastern end of the county. Near the end of the storm, over 300 residents were without power.
Snowfall amounts ranged from four inches near Prestonsburg up to nine inches over the southern tip of the county. At the end of the storm, nearly 500 residents were without power across the county.
Snowfall amounts of up to four inches were observed near Paintsville and over the southeast part of the county.
Snowfall amounts ranged from five up to eight inches. Near the end of the storm, nearly 400 residents were without power across the county.
Up to five inches of snow was observed over the southern half of the county.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Kentucky in 2014Every state in 2014This day in weather historyWarnings in Kentucky, February 2014
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: 493288, 493306, 494488, 498646, 494111, 498645, 493284, 493293, 493303, 493301, 494511, 498643, 494487, 498644.