Another major winter storm wreaked havoc across eastern Kentucky February 20th and 21st. This storm caused significant ice and snow accumulations across the area, along with flooding in several counties around the area.
Every event with a place to put it; 33 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.
Another major winter storm wreaked havoc across eastern Kentucky February 20th and 21st. This storm caused significant ice and snow accumulations across the area, along with flooding in several counties around the area. The bulk of the snow was confined to the counties along the Virginia border, where more than a foot of heavy wet snow fell in places. The heavy snow caused extensive damage as it caused the roofs of a number of homes and other structures to collapse. The ice lead to a number of car accidents and made driving quite treacherous at times. A total of 10 eastern Kentucky counties experienced flooding due to heavy rain and ice jams.
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 20, 7:32 PM EST, 2 hours 28 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSON KY 732 PM EST FRI FEB 20 2015 .UPDATE... ISSUED AT 730 PM EST FRI FEB 20 2015 A WIDE LINE OF PRECIP IS CURRENTLY MAKING ITS WAY ACROSS WESTERN AND SOUTH CENTRAL KENTUCKY...HEADING TOWARDS THE JKL CWA. HOWEVER...IT IS RUNNING 2 TO 3 HOURS BEHIND THE ORIGINAL FORECAST FOR TIME OF ARRIVAL. AS SUCH...WENT AHEAD AND PUSHED BACK THE TOA FOR THE PRECIP...WITH CHANCE POPS EXPECTED OVER THE SOUTHWEST CWA OVER THE NEXT HOUR...THEN QUICKLY SPREADING NE ACROSS THE REST OF THE CWA OVER THE NEXT FEW HOURS. DESPITE THE ONSET CHANGE...THE PRECIP TYPES WILL LIKELY NOT BE AFFECTED...AS THE TEMPERATURE FORECAST REALLY HASN/T CHANGED. RERAN THE WEATHER TO GET THE MOST UP TO DATE POPS...BUT REALLY TRIED NOT TO CHANGE THE PRECIP TYPES TOO MUCH FROM WHAT WAS IN THE PREVIOUS FORECAST. FINALLY...LOADED IN THE LATEST OBSERVATIONAL DATA FOR TEMPS...DEW POINTS...AND WINDS...TO MAKE SURE THE ONGOING FORECAST WAS ON TRACK WITH THE CURRENT CONDITIONS. THIS RESULTED IN LITTLE CHANGE FROM THE ONGOING FORECAST. && .SHORT TERM...(THIS EVENING THROUGH SATURDAY NIGHT) ISSUED AT 420 PM EST FRI FEB 20 2015 CURRENT CONDITIONS ACROSS THE AREA FEATURE SOME PRECIP MOVING IN AHEAD OF A DEVELOPING SYSTEM OVER THE SOUTHERN PLAINS. PRECIP HAS ARRIVED QUITE EARLY IN THE FORECAST PERIOD SO WILL KEEP SOME SLIGHT CHANCE POPS TO START THE TONIGHT PERIOD. HOURLY TEMPS HAVE ALREADY AND WILL CONTINUE TO RISE SLOWLY THROUGH THE NIGHT AND INTO THE LOWER 30S TOWARDS DAWN AS THE SYSTEM TAKES SHAPE AND A STRONG LL JET SETS UP. AT THIS POINT...THIS WILL BE A CHALLENGING FORECAST TO SAY THE LEAST. PRECIP WILL FURTHER DEVELOP AND BRING PRECIP INTO EASTERN KENTUCKY AND THE OH VALLEY THIS EVENING AND INTO TONIGHT. AIR TEMPS SHOULD STILL BE COLD ENOUGH TO SUPPORT SNOW AS THIS MOISTURE MOVES NORTHEAST INTO THE AREA. THE HIGHEST QPF VALUES HAVE SHIFT NORTH INTO THE BLUEGRASS AREA WITH UP TO AN INCH AND A HALF IN SOME AREAS. AS WELL SOME GOOD LIFT IS INTO THIS AREA AS WELL...LEADING TO SOME SNOW RATIOS INTO THE 13 OR 16 TO 1 RANGE BEFORE SLOWLY DROPPING OFF INTO THE DAY ON SATURDAY. IT IS ALSO POSSIBLE THAT THE STRENGTH OF THE WARM NOSE SETTING UP INTO THE MORNING ON SATURDAY WILL ALSO LOWER THE SNOW AMOUNTS...ESPECIALLY IN AREAS WHERE THE SNOW IS MORE LIKELY TO CHANGE TO A SLEET AND SNOW OR SLEET AND FREEZING RAIN MIX. IT DOES SEEM LIKE THE CURRENT MODEL RUNS ARE BEGINNING TO CONVERGE ON A DECENT SOLUTION AND HAVE STAYED CLOSE TO THE NAM AND THE GFS. WITH THIS IN MIND...SNOW TOTALS WILL LIKELY BE THE HIGHEST IN THE FAR NORTH WHERE THE WARMER AIR WILL BE THE LAST TO CHANGE OVER THE PRECIP TYPE. HAVE DECIDED TO PUT IN SOME 5 TO 8 INCH TOTALS IN THE NORTH. HEADING INTO THE MORNING ON SATURDAY AND THROUGH THE DAY...THE FARTHER NORTH TRACK WILL LIKELY LEAD TO A SOONER CHANGE OVER TO SLEET AND FREEZING RAIN IN THE SOUTH AND HERE IS WHERE THE MOST CONCERN LIES. WITH SURFACE TEMPS SLOWLY RISING AND STAYING BELOW FREEZING...SOME SIGNIFICANT ICE TOTALS ARE POSSIBLE. AN ADDITION TO THIS WILL BE THE COLD GROUND TEMPS AND REMAINING SNOW PACK WILL LEAD TO A LONGER PERIOD OF FREEZING RAIN POSSIBLE. THIS IS THE SAME CASE FOR POINTS TO THE NORTH AND SO HAVE PUT SOME ICE ACCUMULATION TO THE NORTH AS WELL. SOME FACTORS TO THESE TOTALS WILL BE HOW COLD THE GROUND TEMPS WILL REMAIN THROUGH THE EVENT AND HOW STRONG THE WARM NOSE BECOMES. THESE FACTORS WILL CHANGE ICE AND SNOW AMOUNTS. AS WELL...A FURTHER JOG TO THE NORTH WILL LOWER VALUES BUT FEEL THE NAM AND OTHER SHORT TERM MODELS HAVE CONVERGED ON A GOOD SOLUTION. BY THE TIME TEMPS WARM INTO THE UPPER 30S SATURDAY EVENING JUST ABOUT EVERY LOCATION WILL BE CHANGED OVER TO RAIN WITH A FEW POCKETS OF FREEZING RAIN MIXED IN AND THIS WILL ACCOUNT FOR SOME OF THE COLDEST VALLEYS. FOR THIS...WILL CONTINUE WITH THE WSW BUT IF THE CURRENT ICE VALUES CONTINUE...AN UPGRADE TO AN ICE STORM WARNING MAY BE NEEDED. BEHIND THE FRONT...THE RAIN WILL CHANGE BACK TO SNOW SATURDAY NIGHT WITH LITTLE ACCUMULATION EXPECTED. .LONG TERM...(SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY) ISSUED AT 330 PM EST FRI FEB 20 2015 THERE WAS A BIT OF DISAGREEMENT AMONGST THE MODELS IN THE EXTENDED...NAMELY DISCREPANCIES BETWEEN THE GFS AND ECMWF MODELS REGARDING THE FORMATION OF PRECIPITATION AFTER SUNDAY SUNDAY NIGHT TIME FRAME AND THE AMOUNT OF TIME IT WILL TAKE FOR PRECIPITATION TO EXIT THE AREA SUNDAY AND SUNDAY NIGHT. AT THIS TIME...THE GFS MODEL APPEARS A BIT MORE REASONABLE THAN THE ECMWF...SINCE THE GFS IS CAPTURING UPSLOPE SNOW BEHIND A DEPARTING AREA OF LOW PRESSURE ALOFT THAN THE ECMWF BELIEVE IT OR NOT. BASED ON THAT...THE EXTENDED MODEL INIT DATA WAS TWEAKED SLIGHTLY TOWARD THE GFS MODEL TO BEGIN THE PERIOD. AS FOR THE REST OF THE PERIOD...IT APPEARS THAT MOST OF THE REST OF THE EXTENDED WILL BE DRY...ASIDE FROM A SHORT PERIOD FROM LATE TUESDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH EARLY WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON...DURING WHICH TIME A FAST MOVING CLIPPER SYSTEM COULD PROVIDE JUST ENOUGH MOISTURE AND UPLIFT TO PRODUCE ISOLATED SNOW SHOWERS ACROSS THE AREA. VERY LIGHT SNOW ACCUMULATIONS WILL BE POSSIBLE SUNDAY AND SUNDAY NIGHT. HOWEVER...TEMPERATURES SHOULD WARM ENOUGH ON SUNDAY FOR RAIN TO FALL FOR SEVERAL HOURS OVER A LARGE PORTION OF THE AREA...WHICH WOULD HELP LIMIT SNOWFALL ACCUMULATIONS DURING THE DAY TIME PERIOD. TEMPERATURES THROUGH THE PERIOD WILL BE WELL BELOW NORMAL...AS SUB ARCTIC AIR REMAINS IN PLACE ACROSS THE AREA. DAILY HIGH TEMPERATURES WILL LIKELY ALTERNATE BETWEEN THE 20S AND 30S...CORRESPONDING TO THE PASSAGE OF FAST MOVING WEATHER SYSTEMS ALOFT AND THE INVASION OF WEAK AREAS OF HIGH PRESSURE. THE COLDEST MORNINGS WILL FEATURE TEMPERATURES IN THE TEENS AND SINGLE DIGITS. THE FORECAST TEMPERATURES WERE ADJUSTED TO BE COOLER THAN THE LATEST MOS GUIDANCE...ACCOUNTING FOR PREEXISTING SNOW COVER AND ITS AFFECT ON TEMPERATURES TODAY AND TOMORROW...WHICH WOULD START US OFF MUCH COOLER THAN WE COULD NORMALLY BE OTHERWISE. && .AVIATION...(FOR THE 00Z TAFS THROUGH 00Z SATURDAY EVENING) ISSUED AT 659 PM EST FRI FEB 20 2015 SNOW IS SLOWLY MAKING ITS WAY ACROSS WESTERN AND SOUTH CENTRAL KENTUCKY...AND SHOULD ARRIVE AT KSME AND KLOZ IN THE NEXT FEW HOURS...THEN SLOWLY SPREAD NORTHEAST TO THE OTHER TAF SITES. EXPECT VFR CONDITIONS TO HOLD UNTIL THE SNOW BEGINS...AT WHICH POINT MODELS ARE POINTING AT SATURATION AND LOWERING CIGS TO MVFR /OR POSSIBLY LOWER/ THROUGH THE REST OF THE NIGHT. AS WE BEGIN TO WARM UP IN THE MORNING...IT IS LIKELY THAT SNOW WILL BEGIN TO MIX WITH SLEET...STARTING AROUND 8-10Z IN THE SOUTH...AND 12-15Z IN THE NORTH. AS SURFACE TEMPS CONTINUE TO WARM DURING THE AFTERNOON...SLEET WILL THEN BEGIN TO MIX WITH RAIN AND FREEZING RAIN...BEFORE FINALLY TRANSITIONING TO ALL RAIN NEAR THE END OF THE TAF PERIOD. THIS IS STILL A DYNAMIC AND DEVELOPING FORECAST...SO THERE COULD BE SOME VARIATIONS IN EXACT TIMING AND PRECIP TYPE. VIS WILL BE DEPENDENT ON THE INTENSITY OF THE PRECIPITATION OCCURRING...BUT SHOULD GENERALLY RANGE BETWEEN MVFR AND IFR...HOPEFULLY IMPROVING SOME AS PRECIP TYPE CHANGES TO ALL RAIN. WINDS WILL GENERALLY BE LIGHT THROUGHOUT THE NIGHT AND INCREASING OUT OF THE SOUTH AS WE HEAD THROUGH THE DAY TOMORROW. && .JKL WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... WINTER STORM WARNING UNTIL 7 PM EST SATURDAY FOR KYZ044-050>052- 058>060-088-104-106>115-117>120. WINTER STORM WARNING UNTIL 1 PM EST SATURDAY FOR KYZ068-069-079- 080-083>087-116. && UPDATE...JMW SHORT TERM...SHALLENBERGER LONG TERM...AR AVIATION...JMW
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSON KY 457 PM EST FRI FEB 20 2015 KYZ044-050>052-058>060-088-104-106>115-117>120-220100- FLEMING-MONTGOMERY-BATH-ROWAN-ESTILL-POWELL-MENIFEE-HARLAN- ELLIOTT-MORGAN-JOHNSON-WOLFE-MAGOFFIN-FLOYD-LEE-BREATHITT-KNOTT- OWSLEY-PERRY-LESLIE-LETCHER-MARTIN-PIKE- INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...FLEMINGSBURG...PLEASUREVILLE... MOUNT STERLING...JEFFERSONVILLE...OWINGSVILLE...MOREHEAD... IRVINE...STANTON...CLAY CITY...WELLINGTON...FRENCHBURG... GEORGETOWN...SANDY HOOK...WEST LIBERTY...PAINTSVILLE...CAMPTON... SALYERSVILLE...PRESTONSBURG...WHEELWRIGHT...UNION...BEATTYVILLE... FINCASTLE...JACKSON...HINDMAN...PIPPA PASSES...BOONEVILLE... HAZARD...HYDEN...JENKINS...WHITESBURG...MCROBERTS... FLEMING-NEON...INEZ...WARFIELD...PIKEVILLE 457 PM EST FRI FEB 20 2015 ...WINTER STORM WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 10 PM THIS EVENING TO 7 PM EST SATURDAY... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF EASTERN KENTUCKY. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT. SNOW WILL DEVELOP TONIGHT. THE SNOW WILL THEN TRANSITION TO A MIXTURE OF SNOW AND SLEET OVERNIGHT. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY. A MIXTURE OF SNOW...SLEET...FREEZING RAIN...AND RAIN IS EXPECTED ON SATURDAY...BEFORE PRECIPITATION GRADUALLY DIMINISHES SATURDAY NIGHT. SEE THE LATEST WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE FOR FURTHER DETAILS. SNOW IS POSSIBLE FROM SUNDAY THROUGH MONDAY...AND AGAIN TUESDAY INTO WEDNESDAY. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTERS MAY BE NEEDED TO REPORT SNOWFALL AMOUNTS TONIGHT INTO SATURDAY. KYZ068-069-079-080-083>087-116-220100- ROCKCASTLE-JACKSON-PULASKI-LAUREL-WAYNE-MCCREARY-WHITLEY-KNOX- BELL-CLAY- INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...MOUNT VERNON...BRODHEAD...MCKEE... ANNVILLE...SOMERSET...LONDON...MONTICELLO...PINE KNOT...STEARNS... WHITLEY CITY...CORBIN...WILLIAMSBURG...PROVIDENCE... BARBOURVILLE...NORTH CORBIN...PINEVILLE...MANCHESTER 457 PM EST FRI FEB 20 2015 ...WINTER STORM WARNING IN EFFECT UNTIL 1 PM EST SATURDAY... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF EASTERN KENTUCKY. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT. SNOW WILL DEVELOP TONIGHT. THE SNOW WILL THEN TRANSITION TO A MIXTURE OF SNOW...SLEET...AND FREEZING RAIN OVERNIGHT. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY. A MIXTURE OF SNOW...SLEET... FREEZING RAIN...AND RAIN IS EXPECTED ON SATURDAY...BEFORE PRECIPITATION GRADUALLY DIMINISHES SATURDAY NIGHT. SEE THE LATEST WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE FOR FURTHER DETAILS. SNOW IS POSSIBLE FROM SUNDAY THROUGH MONDAY...AND AGAIN TUESDAY INTO WEDNESDAY. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTERS MAY BE NEEDED TO REPORT SNOWFALL AMOUNTS TONIGHT INTO SATURDAY. GEOGERIAN/SHALLENBERGER
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
31 winter storm, 12 flood, 2 ice storm. Local standard time, as filed.
Numerous trees on Hwy 167 near Mount Pisgah were felled due to the weight of ice on them. More trees were also downed by the ice on Highways 3258, 1363, and 92 West near the Wayne county line.
Pulaski county experienced both freezing rain and snow during this event. The Somerset area picked up about three quarters of an inch of snow early in the event. By late morning on the 21st, Shopville had picked up around a quarter of inch of ice due to freezing rain. The 911 dispatch office received numerous reports of buildings suffering roof collapses and other types of damage due to the weight of heavy wet snow that had accumulated on the various structures around the county.
Around a quarter inch of ice accumulated around the county.
Quarter inch ice accumulations occurred throughout the county.
Quarter inch ice accumulations were reported in Mount Vernon.
Quarter inch ice accumulations were reported 3 miles southwest of Frakes.
The first snowfall report out of Bell county was measure in Beverly at 137 am. By a little before 8 am, Middlesboro had already picked up 6 inches of snow. Hutch had 6 inches on the ground as of 855 am. The highest storm total snowfall amounts in Bell county occurred at Fonde and Fern Lake, where 12 inches of snow was estimated to have fallen by noon on the 21st. The heavy wet snow, falling on top of an already significant snow pack cause several roof collapses across the county.
Freezing rain was the issue in Knox county during this event. A quarter of an inch of ice had accumulated in Barbourville by 8 am on the 21st.
Quarter inch ice accumulations occurred throughout the county.
Two to three tenths of an inch of ice accumulated on objects and various surfaces around the county. Heavy wet snow also caused the partial collapse of the courthouse roof in McKee.
Harlan county was particularly hard hit by this storm. Between 944 am and 3 pm on the 21st, 4 to 12 inches snow had fallen across the county. The highest snowfall total of 12 inches occurred a few miles south of Benham. The city of Harlan received 8 inches of snow. The other major issue caused by this storm was roof collapses that resulted from heavy wet snow piling up on buildings and homes. Locations that experienced this type of damage were the Gulf/Commissary gas station in Harlan where the station canopy collapsed, and the Guthrie Memorial Airport where a partial roof and structure collapse occurred.
Quarter inch ice accumulations, and 2 to 4 inch snow accumulations, occurred throughout the county.
Quarter inch ice accumulations occurred around the county.
Quarter inch ice accumulations occurred around the county.
Quarter inch ice accumulations, and 2 to 8 inch snow accumulations occurred throughout the county.
A quarter of an inch of ice due to freezing rain accumulated 5 miles north of Mount Sterling.
One quarter to three tenths of an inch of ice accumulated on objects and elevated surfaces across the county.
Quarter inch ice accumulations occurred across the county.
Eight to 20 inches of snow fell in and around Eolia. The 20 inch snowfall occurred at an elevation of 2400 feet.
Quarter inch ice accumulations occurred around the county.
Around a quarter inch of freezing rain accumulated across the county.
Quarter inch ice accumulations were reported throughout the county.
Four tenths of an inch of ice had accumulated on various surfaces and objects in Wellington.
Two to four tenths of an inch of ice had accumulated on various objects and surfaces around the county.
Quarter inch ice accumulations occurred across the county.
Quarter inch ice accumulations occurred across the county.
Three tenths of an inch of ice accumulated on roadways and other surfaces near Prestonsburg.
A quarter of an inch of ice due to freezing rain was reported in Hagerhill.
Quarter inch ice accumulations occurred around the county. The roof of a store collapsed in Beattyville due to the weight of heavy wet snow that had accumulated on it.
Around a quarter of an inch of ice accumulated on various surfaces and objects throughout the county.
Quarter inch ice accumulations occurred around the county.
Quarter inch ice accumulations were reported around the county.
One quarter to three tenths of an inch of ice accumulated on various surfaces and objects around the county.
The Clifty Hill Bridge off Hwy 1674 was closed due to high water.
Kentucky Hwy 451 was closed near Laurel Mountain Road due to flooding caused by ice and snow jams.
Hurricane Creek left its banks and flooded a nearby roadway due ice and snow jams on the creek. The water also surrounded and flowed into a nearby building.
Flooding occurred 3 miles west of Prestonsburg due to a storm drain being clogged with snow and ice. A portion of KY 1427 was covered by 6 to 8 inches of water just west of US 23 near Prestonsburg. A car that attempted to navigate the flooded area drove off the road and into the ditch.
An ice jam caused a creek to leave its banks and flood portions of Prestonsburg.
Part of US25E in Pineville was closed due to flooding. The flooding occurred when a storm drain became blocked by snow and ice.
An ice jam caused a creek in the Minnie area to leave its banks and flood Old Minnie Rd. One vehicle became surrounded by the flood waters, causing one person to be trapped inside. The person was rescued with no injuries.
Flooding, likely created due to snow and ice clogged storm drains, caused water at least a foot deep to cover the area Kroger store parking lot.
Ice jams caused area creeks to leave their banks and flood multiple homes in Inez.
Kentucky Hwy 3153 was closed between mile markers 0 and 1 due to flooding.
Kentucky Hwy 223 was closed between mile markers 7 and 8 due to flooding.
Wolverine Rd was under water near where it intersects Hwy 30 near Jackson.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Kentucky in 2015Every state in 2015This day in weather historyWarnings in Kentucky, February 2015
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: 559586, 559841, 563091, 559804, 559842, 559843, 559573, 559585, 559766, 559792, 559786, 559807, 559774, 559816, 559817, 559760, 559763, 559794, 559809, 559819, 563097, 559758, 559813, 559815, 559759, 559761, 559778, 559793, 559805, 559810, 559818, 559769, 559812, 560890, 560891, 560892, 560893, 560894, 560895, 560896, and more.