Overview
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The coldest blast of arctic air in years and the most frigid Christmas weekend in decades enveloped eastern Kentucky from Friday, December 23rd through Christmas Day. On Thursday, December 22nd, eastern Kentucky was enjoying mild temperatures ranging from the mid 40s to lower 50s. Clouds were prevalent but peeks of sun shone through thin spots at some locations -- little indicated the arctic front and bitterly cold air mass rapidly encroaching on the Ohio Valley. The front reached the Lake Cumberland area between 10:30 and 11:00 PM and exited the far eastern tip of Pike County by around 2:00 AM Friday morning. Temperatures fell precipitously along the front, with rain changing to a heavy wet snow in a matter of minutes. Just behind the front, wind gusts of 30 to 50 mph blew the snow, leading to brief whiteouts at some locations. Temperatures continued to plummet after the front passed while snowfall rates were so intense that roads became slush and snow covered within an hour. By the time steadier snow ended one to two hours after the frontal passage, temperatures had fallen into the teens and many locations had been transformed into a wind-scoured snowy landscape. Light flurries continued into the daylight hours on Friday but the massive temperature drop and brutally cold winds were by far the bigger concern. Most locations saw air temperatures dipping to between 0 and -5 degrees after sunrise on Friday. Friday morning's temperatures were 50 to 55 degrees colder than what was experienced a mere 18 to 24 hours prior. To add insult to injury, strong winds made it feel more like -10 to -30 degrees at lower elevations. Wind chills at some of the highest elevations approached -40 degrees. The winds finally diminished by later Friday and Friday night but temperatures recovered only very slowly over Christmas weekend and would not rise back above freezing until Tuesday, December 27th. Though snowfall amounts with the cold front were generally 2 inches or less, the bitterly cold temperatures preserved the snow which had fallen, yielding an elusive White Christmas for many. The cold snap was the harshest in several years. Wind Chill Warnings were hoisted for dangerous cold across eastern Kentucky for the first time since February 2015. The extreme cold and strong winds led to numerous small to medium-sized power outages as electrical infrastructure struggled in the bitter temperatures. There were also many reports of frozen pipes leading to water damage in buildings and ruptured water mains. Some of the most severe water disruptions occurred in those counties which saw catastrophic flooding in July and were still repairing water distribution infrastructure. Some residences of Perry County remained without public water supply for more than 2 weeks. |
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| Snow Depth 1 AM Christmas Morning |
Wind Chills
...MINIMUM WIND CHILL REPORTS... Location WC Temp. Time/Date Elevation (ft.) Harlan 24 E (Big Black Mtn.) -39 F 1140 PM 12/23 4031 Pikeville 13 S -33 F 1035 PM 12/23 2774 Somerset 1 SSW -32 F 0945 AM 12/23 868 Morehead Apt -30 F 0835 AM 12/23 1028 Triangle Mtn RAWS -30 F 1002 AM 12/23 1359 Somerset 7 NNE -30 F 0930 AM 12/23 1085 London-Corbin Apt -30 F 0818 AM 12/23 1212 Owingsville 4 S -30 F 0930 AM 12/23 829 Somerset Apt -29 F 0955 AM 12/23 927 Monticello 4 W -28 F 0850 AM 12/23 1045 Morehead 4 NE -28 F 0855 AM 12/23 851 West Liberty 2 SW -28 F 0945 AM 12/23 1071 Hindman 5 N -28 F 1100 AM 12/23 1556 Wellington -26 F 0816 AM 12/23 1129 McKee 5 S -26 F 1120 AM 12/23 1319 Hazard Apt -25 F 0915 AM 12/23 1253 Whitley City 3 N -25 F 1045 AM 12/23 1312 Irvine -25 F 1100 AM 12/23 850 Koomer Ridge RAWS -24 F 0809 AM 12/23 1299 Campton -24 F 0115 PM 12/23 1371 Broadhead -24 F 0945 AM 12/23 1148 Ferguson -24 F 0825 AM 12/23 945 Jackson RAWS -24 F 0956 AM 12/23 1388 Williamsburg -23 F 1037 AM 12/23 1236 Monticello -23 F 1000 AM 12/23 1091 Eubank -23 F 0630 AM 12/23 1040 Jackson 14 SE -22 F 1110 AM 12/23 1373 NWS Jackson -22 F 0950 AM 12/23 1382 Williamsburg Apt -21 F 0755 AM 12/23 1178 Burnside -21 F 0850 AM 12/23 830 Big Sandy Apt -21 F 0755 AM 12/23 1221 Big Sandy RAWS -21 F 0756 AM 12/23 1180 Barbourville 3 E -21 F 0740 AM 12/23 1016 Monticello -20 F 0846 AM 12/23 921 Somerset -20 F 0730 AM 12/23 1089 Booneville 2 S -20 F 0825 AM 12/23 784 Middlesboro -20 F 0915 AM 12/23 2086 Pikeville -19 F 1220 PM 12/23 1209 Manchester -18 F 0856 AM 12/23 869 Peabody RAWS -17 F 0801 AM 12/23 1464 Jackson 14 ESE -17 F 1220 PM 12/23 833 Whitesburg 2 NW -14 F 1040 AM 12/23 1152 Paintsville 4 W -14 F 1000 AM 12/23 755 Yellow Creek RAWS -10 F 0726 AM 12/23 1089 Observations are collected from a variety of sources with varying equipment and exposures. We thank all volunteer weather observers for their dedication. Not all data listed are considered official.
Temperatures
...MINIMUM AIR TEMPERATURE REPORTS ON DECEMBER 23RD... Location Min Temp. Elevation (ft.) Harlan 24 E (Big Black Mtn.) -14 F 4031 Pikeville 13 S -9 F 2774 Triangle Mtn RAWS -7 F 1359 McKee 5 S -6 F 1319 Morehead Apt -6 F 1028 Somerset 7 NNE -6 F 1085 Koomer Ridge RAWS -5 F 1299 Morehead 4 NE -5 F 851 Owingsville 4 S -5 F 829 West Liberty 2 SW -5 F 1071 Hindman 5 N -4 F 1556 Jackson 14 SE -4 F 1373 Jackson RAWS -4 F 1388 London-Corbin Apt -4 F 1212 Monticello 4 W -4 F 1045 Somerset Apt -4 F 927 Whitley City 3 N -4 F 1312 Booneville 2 S -3 F 784 NWS Jackson -3 F 1382 Peabody RAWS -3 F 1464 Big Sandy RAWS -2 F 1180 Hazard Apt -2 F 1253 Jackson 14 ESE -2 F 833 Williamsburg Apt -2 F 1178 Barbourville 3 E -1 F 1016 Big Sandy Apt -1 F 1221 Paintsville 4 W -1 F 755 Whitesburg 2 NW 0 F 1152 Yellow Creek RAWS 1 F 1089 ...MAXIMUM AIR TEMPERATURE REPORTS FROM 7 AM DECEMBER 23RD TO 7 AM DECEMBER 24TH... Location Max Temp. Elevation (ft.) Harlan 24 E (Big Black Mtn.) -9 F 4031 Koomer Ridge RAWS -1 F 1299 Triangle Mtn RAWS -1 F 1359 Hindman 5 N 0 F 1556 Jackson 14 SE 0 F 1373 Pikeville 13 S 0 F 2774 Big Sandy RAWS 1 F 1180 Jackson RAWS 1 F 1388 London-Corbin Apt 1 F 1212 McKee 5 S 1 F 1319 Morehead Apt 1 F 1028 NWS Jackson 1 F 1382 West Liberty 2 SW 1 F 1071 Whitley City 3 N 1 F 1312 Booneville 2 S 2 F 784 Morehead 4 NE 2 F 851 Owingsville 4 S 2 F 829 Somerset 7 NNE 2 F 1085 Barbourville 3 E 3 F 1016 Jackson 14 ESE 3 F 833 Monticello 4 W 3 F 1045 Paintsville 4 W 3 F 755 Peabody RAWS 3 F 1464 Williamsburg Apt 3 F 1178 Hazard Apt 5 F 1253 Somerset Apt 5 F 927 Big Sandy Apt 6 F 1221 Whitesburg 2 NW 6 F 1152 Yellow Creek RAWS 6 F 1089 Observations are collected from a variety of sources with varying equipment and exposures. We thank all volunteer weather observers for their dedication. Not all data listed are considered official.
Photos
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| Heavy Snow and Blowing Snow with Front in Menifee County (Courtesy of @WildchildTtv) |
Heavy Snow Along Front Causing Poor Road Conditions in Somerset (Courtesy of Jonathan Edwards) |
Tree Blown Down by Frontal Winds in Estill County (Courtesy of Andy Waddle) |
Bitter Friday Morning View from WYMT-TV Studio (Courtesy of WYMT) |
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| Frigid Friday Morning View From Hatfield (Courtesy of Mary Reed Runyon) |
Poor Road Conditions on US-23 near Dorton around Midday Friday (Courtesy of Tiff Eversole) |
Quicksand Creek Near Noctor Frozen after 24 Hour of Near Zero Temperatures (Courtesy of NWS Jackson) |
White Christmas Eve at Terrill Fork in Wolfe County (Courtesy of Johnny Feltner) |
Radar
Arctic Cold Frontal Passage
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| Radar Loop from 10 PM Thursday, December, 23rd to 3 AM Friday, December, 24th The cold front is attended by the broken line of heavier showers that quickly moves eastward. This band also marked the changeover to heavy snow and blowing snow. An hour or two lighter precipitation followed the frontal passage at most locations. |
Wind Gusts
...HIGHEST WIND GUST REPORTS... Location Speed Time/Date Elevation (ft.) London-Corbin Apt 49 MPH 0136 AM 12/23 1212 NWS Jackson 47 MPH 0215 AM 12/23 1382 Hindman 5 N 44 MPH 0125 AM 12/23 1556 Koomer Ridge RAWS 43 MPH 0409 AM 12/23 1299 West Liberty 2 SW 43 MPH 0315 AM 12/23 1071 Big Sandy RAWS 43 MPH 0156 AM 12/23 1180 Harlan 24 E 42 MPH 0200 AM 12/23 4031 Morehead 4 NE 42 MPH 0405 AM 12/23 851 Monticello 41 MPH 0301 AM 12/23 921 Monticello 4 W 41 MPH 0205 AM 12/23 1045 Pikeville 13 S 41 MPH 0330 AM 12/23 2774 Hazard Apt 41 MPH 1255 AM 12/23 1253 Owingsville 4 S 41 MPH 0425 AM 12/23 829 Williamsburg 39 MPH 0347 AM 12/23 1236 Monticello Apt 39 MPH 0128 AM 12/23 963 Somerset Apt 39 MPH 0215 AM 12/23 927 Big Sandy Apt 39 MPH 0155 AM 12/23 1221 Triangle Mtn RAWS 38 MPH 0202 AM 12/23 1359 Jackson RAWS 37 MPH 0256 AM 12/23 1388 Somerset 7 NNE 36 MPH 1235 AM 12/23 1085 Whitley City 3 N 36 MPH 0425 AM 12/23 1312 Morehead Apt 35 MPH 0355 AM 12/23 1028 Wellington 35 MPH 0401 AM 12/23 1129 Booneville 2 S 34 MPH 1255 AM 12/23 784 Jackson 14 SE 34 MPH 0205 AM 12/23 1373 Williamsburg Apt 33 MPH 0355 AM 12/23 1178 Irvine 31 MPH 0445 AM 12/23 850 Barbourville 3 E 30 MPH 0310 AM 12/23 1016 McKee 5 S 30 MPH 0250 AM 12/23 1319 Manchester 30 MPH 1215 AM 12/23 869 Yellow Creek RAWS 30 MPH 0126 AM 12/23 1089 Somerset 1 SSW 29 MPH 1255 AM 12/23 868 Middlesboro 29 MPH 0110 AM 12/23 2086 Whitesburg 2 NW 28 MPH 0340 AM 12/23 1152 Pikeville 23 MPH 0205 AM 12/23 1209 Paintsville 4 W 23 MPH 0130 AM 12/23 755 Jackson 14 ESE 22 MPH 1015 AM 12/23 833 Peabody RAWS 18 MPH 0301 AM 12/23 1464 Observations are collected from a variety of sources with varying equipment and exposures. We thank all volunteer weather observers for their dedication. Not all data listed are considered official.
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