Winter Storm in Kentucky, February 16 to 17, 2015

A volunteer weather observer called in the first measured snow fall of this event for Morgan county at 7:00 am with an official measured amount of 1 inch in Ezel. The final snow fall totals around the county, though not quite as much as other areas, were still impressive. Cannel City had a final storm total snow fall of 11 inches, while Ezel topped the charts with a foot of the white stuff. Ten inches of snow was reported just east of West Liberty after the storm had ended. Other areas of the county received between 5 and 9 inches of snow from the storm.

A volunteer weather observer measured 1.6 inches of snow in Wellington at 7:00 am to mark the start of this major storm. Moderate to at times heavy snow fell throughout the day and into the evening. The storm finally began winding down around 10 pm. The highest final storm snow fall totals were measured in Frenchburg (11 inches) and Wellington (11.7 inches). Around 10 inches of snow had fallen across the county on average by the time the storm finally came to an end.

The first report of measurable snow fall in Montgomery county came in around 7:00 am, with an inch of snow measured by a volunteer weather observer 5 miles north of Mount Sterling. The snow fell through early evening, with around 10 inches of snow reported around the county. Mount Sterling had a final storm total of snow fall of 10 inches. Ten inches of snow was also reported just to the north of Jeffersonville.

The beginning the event in Fleming county was marked by a public report of 2 inches of snow at 830 am in Tilton. By 1130 am, up to 6 inches of snow had accumulated just north of Flemingsburg. By 6 pm the bulk of the accumulating snow had fallen, with 8 to 9 inches of the white stuff reported in Ewing, and Flemingsburg.

By 915 am on this day, 3.5 inches of snow had already accumulated in Sandy Hook. By 1132 am, an additional 1.5 inches of snow had fallen, making the total snowfall in Sandy Hook 5 inches. By 630 pm, 9 inches of snow had fallen 7 miles northeast of Sandy Hook. The highest snow fall amount occurred in Sandy Hook, where 10 inches had accumulated by storms end.

This major snow event kicked off in Rowan county early during the morning hours of the 16th. An employee of the Dept. of Highways reported that 3.5 inches of snow had fallen in Morehead as of 1022 am. Hilda had picked up 5.5 inches of snow by 1030 am. Six inches of snow had fallen in Morehead by noon on this day. Final storm total snowfall amounts around the county ranged from 8 to 11 inches.

The first accumulating snow fall in Wolfe county was recorded at 6:35 am when an NWS employee phoned in a measured snow amount of 0.8 inches. By the time the storm ended around midnight that same night, storm total snow fall amounts from around the county ranged from 10 inches in Pine Ridge to as much as 15 inches at Hazel Green. Rogers and other areas of the county received around a foot of snow.

A volunteer weather observer measured 2 inches of snow 2 miles south of Farmers at 7:00 am on the morning of the event. This marked the first of numerous hours of accumulating snow fall across the county. Storm total snow fall amounts varied from 6 to 11 inches across the county, with the highest measured total of 10.5 inches reported in Polksville.

The beginning of the event in Martin county was marked by a 1 inch snow fall measurement that was phoned into the Jackson weather office by a COOP weather observer at 7:00 am. By the time the storm ended later that night, 8 to 10 inches of snow had fallen across the county. Just over 10 inches of snow was reported just north of Inez by early morning on February 17th.

The beginning of this major winter storm was marked by a 3.7 inch snowfall amount out of Salyersville that occurred at by 910 am on the 16th. Snow continued falling heavily for the next few hours leading to a 6 inch snowfall amount 7 miles south of Salyersville as of 1045 am. By 141 am on the 16th, there were 8 inches of snow on the ground in Salyersville. Storm total snowfall amounts ranged from 10 inches near Royalton to as much as 11 inches south of Salyersville.

According to a member of the public, approximately 3 inches of snow had fallen in Paintsville as of 957 am on the 16th. Six inches of snow was on the ground in Painstville as of 1 pm, with 6.5 inches recorded near Wittensville as of 130 pm. Paintsville had picked up an additional 2.5 inches of snow in a little over an hour, with 8.5 inches total on the ground as of 206 pm. The snow had really begun to pile by midafternoon around Johnson county. As of 249 pm, Van Lear had 10 inches on the ground. Storm total snowfall amounts from around the county ranged from 10 to 12 inches, with the area in and around Paintsville seeing the highest totals.

The first official snow measurement from Powell county was received at 7:00 am from a COOP weather observer who measured 2.5 inches of snow near Clay City a few hours into the storm. Storm total snow fall amounts from around the county ranged from 10 to 14 inches in and around Clay City and Stanton. Most other locations across the county received around 10 inches of snow by the time the storm ended.

The first snow fall reports out of Rockcastle county were received at around 8 am on February 16 by a volunteer storm spotter and a COOP observer who each measured 2.5 inches of snow in Brodhead and Mount Vernon respectively. On average, 8 to 12 inches of snow fell across the county by storms end. By the time the snow had ended, Brodhead had picked up 14 inches of snow, while just shy of 13 inches was measured in Mount Vernon.

A member of the public phoned in a snow fall report of 1.2 inches out of Science Hill at 840 am. This marked the beginning of many hours of heavy accumulating snow that eventually blanketed the entire county. Four inches of snow had fallen just north of Somerset by just before 920 am. Around 7 inches of snow had accumulated in Somerset by 120 pm. By storms end, 8 to 11 inches of snow had fallen across the county.

Four to seven inches of snow ended up falling across Wayne county.

The first official snow fall measurement on this day came via a volunteer weather observer in Clover Bottom, where 1.2 inches of snow was measured at 7:00 am. Final storm total snow amounts from around Jackson county were quite impressive. The northern portion of the county received between 10 and 15 inches of snow by the time the flakes stopped piling up. The rest of the county received between 8 and 12 inches of snow. McKee reported a storm total snow fall of 10 inches while Sandgap picked up a foot. The highest snow fall total was measured by a COOP observer just to the southwest of Clover Bottom, where 15.2 inches of snow ended up falling.

Lee county was particularly hard hit by this storm. Anywhere from 8 to as much as 15 inches of snow was reported across the county by the time the storm finally came to an end. The first report of accumulating snow came in from just north of Beattyville at 8 am, with a measured amount of 2.7 inches reported. The highest storm total snow fall amounts were measured at Cressy (14.9), in and around Beattyville (12-14), and Ida May (13.8).

The first snowfall report of the day in Estill county came in at 8 am out of Cressy. The volunteer weather observer their had already picked up 3.3 inches of snow in 3 hours to begin the event. Final snow fall amounts from this storm ranged from 12 inches 8 miles north of Sandgap to 14 inches in Irvine.

Three inches of snow had fallen in Whitley City as of 1115 am. By storms end, 4 to 7 inches of snow had accumulated across the county.

Three inches of snow and sleet had accumulated in Corbin as of 200 pm. Three inches of sleet and snow had fallen in Williamsburg as of 215 pm. Williamsburg had picked up a total of 5 inches of sleet and snow as of 339 pm. The final storm total snow fall for Whitley county ended up being 4 to 6 inches with some sleet and freezing rain mixed in at times. Williamsburg had the highest snow and sleet total of six inches.

The first snow fall measurement out of Breathitt county during this storm was 0.8 inches of snow that was recorded at the Jackson weather office. The highest storm total snow fall amounts for the county ranged from 10 inches at Quicksand to 15 inches at Frozen Creek and Elkatawa. The entire county received no less than 8 inches of snow, with many locations seeing 10 to 12 inches by the time the storm was over. Eleven inches of snow fell near Talbert, 13 inches was measured in Jackson and near Hardshell, and 14 inches of snow was observed in Clayhole.

The first snowfall report for Pike county was in the form of a 1.5 inch measurement taken by a member of the public in Pikeville at 820 am. By the time the storm ended on the 17th, final snow totals from around the county were quite impressive. The Pikeville area ended up with 13-16 inches of snow. The highest snow totals occurred in the Coleman area 17-18 inches of snow fell. Other notable snowfall amounts from around the county included 10 inches at Virgie, 13 inches at Coal Run, 12 inches at Hatfield Station, and 14 inches near Phelps and Garden Village.

A trained spotter called in the first snow fall report of the day out Floyd county, with a measurement of 3.5 inches at 825 am. By 2 pm on this day, around 7 inches of snow had already accumulated in areas such as Allen, Prestonsburg, and Harold. By the time the storm finally ran out of steam, 11 to 14 inches of snow had fallen around the county. The highest snow totals were as follows: 14 inches 2 miles north of Prestonsburg, 11 inches 5 miles west of Prestonsburg, 14 inches at Grethel, 13 inches at Harold, and 12 inches in Melvin atop Abner Mountain.

The Owsley county EM reported that 4 inches of snow had fallen in Booneville as of 10 am. Storm total snow fall amounts ranged from 7 to 11 inches across the county.

A volunteer weather observer at the Kentucky State Police post in London reported that 4 inches of snow had fallen as of 1003 am. Five inches of snow had fallen in Sublimity City by 1215 pm. London had received 6 inches of snow as of 2 pm. The highest snowfall totals by storms end were reported in Sublimity City, where 8 to 9 inches of snow ended up falling.

Eleven to 17 inches of snow had accumulated across Knott county by storms end. Carr Creek ended up with 11 inches of snow, Topmost had 15 inches, and Fisty 17 inches.

A member of the public reported that 2.5 inches of snow had fallen in Oneida as of 930 am on the 16th. By 1122 am, Burning Springs had picked up 4 inches of snow in about five hours. Five inches of snow was reported in Oneida as of noon on this day. By storms end, the entire county had received 5 to 10 inches of snow. The highest observed snow fall amounts were out of Manchester and Oneida where 9 and 10 inches fell respectively. A woman died of hypothermia after becoming lost in the woods in the Wagon Fork Road area just prior to the snowfall beginning.

The Dept. of Highways reported that 2.5 inches of snow had fallen in Barbourville as of 1052 am. Up to 6 inches of snow had fallen across most of the county by the time the storm wound down the night of the 16th.

One to four inches of snow had already fallen across Bell county between 1140 and 1145 am. By 530 pm, 6.5 inches of snow had fallen in Beverly. Beverly had 7.6 inches of snow as of 930 pm. Three to 8 inches of snow had fallen across the county by the time the snow exited the area.

The first snow report from Perry during this event was received from a member of the media with a measurement of 1.5 inches 2 miles east of Bulan at 833 am. Less than a hour later, over an inch of additional snow had already fallen at the same location. By 1132 am the Bulan area had received a total of 6.3 inches of snow. By storms end, a location 2 miles east of Bulan had picked up a whopping 17 inches of snow! Dice received 15 inches of snow while Viper had picked up 10 inches.

Between 1205 and 1210 pm, 2 to 3 inches of snow had accumulated in the city of Harlan, while 4 inches had already piled up in Baxter. Harlan had 4 inches of snow as of 214 pm. Four to 8 inches of snow had fallen across the county by the time the storm had blown itself out. The highest snow fall total was recorded in Bledsoe, where 8 inches of snow fell. Baxter came in a close second with 7 inches.

Seven inches of snow fell in Wooton.

Eight to 13 inches of snow fell across Letcher county. Eight inches of snow fell in Skyline, Thornton had 9 inches, Whitesburg ended up with 10 inches of snow, while Ulvah picked up 13 inches by the time the storm had ended.