Kentucky, 2020

Winter Weather in Kentucky, February 28 to 29, 2020

February 28 to 29, 2020 · NWS JKL · 2 events in 2 counties and zones

Precipitation began to overspread eastern Kentucky late on February 28, extending into the morning hours of the 29th. Temperatures above freezing led to this beginning as rain, before transitioning to snow during the late evening and overnight.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 2 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.

  • Tornadoes
  • Tropical storms and surge
  • Floods
  • Wind
  • Hail
  • Winter weather
  • Heat and drought
  • Cold
  • Fire, smoke and dust
  • Marine and coastal
  • Other

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The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
None recorded
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
2

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.

What happened

The episode as NWS JKL wrote it up.

Precipitation began to overspread eastern Kentucky late on February 28, extending into the morning hours of the 29th. Temperatures above freezing led to this beginning as rain, before transitioning to snow during the late evening and overnight. Most locations across eastern Kentucky saw measurable snow, but Harlan and Letcher Counties were the only ones to see much in the way of impacts as roads became at least partially snow covered in the higher elevations. Snowfall amounts of 3-4 inches were reported over the span of the event across portions of the two counties.

The radar

The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

2 winter weather. Local standard time, as filed.

Winter Weather, Letcher

When
February 28, 11:30 PM EST to February 29, 6:45 AM EST
Where
Letcher forecast zone
Reported by
Department of Highways
Coordinates
37.121, -82.855 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Weather, Harlan

When
February 28, 11:30 PM EST to February 29, 6:45 AM EST
Where
Harlan forecast zone
Reported by
COOP Observer
Coordinates
36.857, -83.218 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

What these are

Winter Weather
Snow, sleet or freezing rain below warning levels that still caused disruption, damage or casualties.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in Kentucky in 2020Every state in 2020This day in weather historyWarnings in Kentucky, February 2020

Sources

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 2026-09-30. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 870751, 870752.