A powerful storm system caused a rapid transition from record-nearing warmth to winter conditions across eastern Kentucky on March 16th. The event began as a cold front and associated squall line crossed the region between midnight and 6:00 AM EST, producing a peak measured wind gust of 62 mph at the Somerset-Pulaski County Airport (KSME) and widespread strong gusts over 40 mph elsewhere.
Every event with a place to put it; 3 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 powerful storm system caused a rapid transition from record-nearing warmth to winter conditions across eastern Kentucky on March 16th. The event began as a cold front and associated squall line crossed the region between midnight and 6:00 AM EST, producing a peak measured wind gust of 62 mph at the Somerset-Pulaski County Airport (KSME) and widespread strong gusts over 40 mph elsewhere. These winds downed numerous trees and power lines, resulting in localized power outages and blocked roads, especially in Wayne, Rockcastle, and Pulaski counties.
Following the frontal passage, temperatures fell dramatically, plummeting more than 40 degrees from the 70s into the 30s. After a mid-morning lull in precipitation, a secondary wave of low pressure riding along the departing cold front brought steady stratiform snow by midday. During the afternoon and evening, this evolved into a convective regime as steep low-level lapse rates fueled snow showers and squalls. With high snow-to-liquid ratios, accumulations reached to around 4 inches in the high terrain of Pike, Letcher, and Floyd counties, while moderate totals of 1 to 3 inches were noted most other places east of I-75 and southeast of I-64. The snow showers tapered to flurries by early March 17th as temperatures settled in the 20s.
The Knoxville radar (KMRX), 154 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 05:48 UTC.
18 thunderstorm wind, 3 heavy snow. Local standard time, as filed.
An emergency manager reported a tree blown down near the intersection of Woodland Hl and KY-90.
An emergency manager reported a tree blown down near the intersection of KY-92 and KY-90.
Pulaski County dispatch reported a tree blown down near the intersection of KY-635 and KY-1676.
Pulaski County dispatch reported multiple trees blown down along KY-90 in the vicinity of Bronston.
Peak gust of 62 mph was measured at the KSME AWOS.
The amateur radio community reported a tree blown down onto vehicle along Circle Lane in Burnside.
Pulaski County dispatch reported multiple trees blown down along KY-192 near the Ruth community.
Rockcastle County dispatch reported a tree blown down off of Rich Farm Road just past the intersection of Caldwell Road.
Rockcastle County dispatch reported a tree blown down along North Wilderness Road (US-25) in the 10500 block.
Rockcastle County dispatch reported a tree blown down on Scaffold Cane Road near MM 3.6.
An NWS employee reported a large tree blown down on Vaughn Ridge Road.
Rockcastle County dispatch reported 2 trees blown down on South Wilderness Trail (US-25) near MM2.
Knox County dispatch reported a tree blown down near the intersection of Little Indian Creek Road and KY-6.
Powell County dispatch reported a tree blown down along the road near the intersection of Pompeii Road and Woody Ware Road.
Powell County dispatch reported a tree blown down in the 5800 block of Furnace Road.
Menifee County dispatch reported a tree blown down near the intersection of Artville Road and Dan Ridge Road.
Leslie County dispatch reported a tree blown down in the MM 3 to 4 stretch of KY-699 in the vicinity of Smilax.
Floyd County dispatch reported a tree blown down near the intersection of Left Fork Abbott Creek Road and Williams Branch Road.
After snowing for much of the afternoon, a trained spotter at Bonanza reported 2.5 inches of snowfall as of 1645 EST. Later in the evening, a trained spotter reported a measured snow total of 4.0 inches near Bays Branch at 2013 EST. Meanwhile, an NWS employee 3 miles WSW of Prestonsburg measured 1.2 inches at 2003 EST.
After steady snowfall through the afternoon and snow showers during the evening, a member of the broadcast media measured 4.0 inches of snow on grass at 2000 EST in downtown Pikeville. Roads were only wet. Later in the evening at 2100 EST, a social media post showed a measured 4.0 inches of snow about 1 mile south southeast of McAndrews as well.
After a period of snow during the afternoon followed by snow showers in the evening, a member of the public in Jenkins reported approximated 4.2 inches of snow at 1843 EST. Elsewhere in the county, the Cocorahs site KY-LT-7 at Mayking 1.4 ENE reported a snowfall total of 2.9 inches and the COOP observer at Skyline reported 2.0 inches.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Kentucky in 2026Every state in 2026This day in weather historyWarnings in Kentucky, March 2026
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 2026-10-01. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 1327918, 1327919, 1327920, 1327921, 1327934, 1327938, 1327922, 1327923, 1327924, 1327925, 1327926, 1327927, 1327928, 1327929, 1327930, 1327931, 1327932, 1327933, 1327935, 1327936, 1327937.