National Weather Service United States Department of Commerce

Severe Thunderstorm Threat From the Central Plains to the Northeast; Extreme HeatRisk for the East Coast

Strong to severe thunderstorms are possible from the central Plains to the Northeast through this evening. Widespread damaging winds are the primary threat but hail and a tornado or two is also possible. Extremely dangerous heat continues across the Eastern U.S. Warm overnight low temperatures will provide little to no relief. Read More >

The most unusual weather event of the month took place during the overnight hours from the 20th into the 21st. A narrow band of heavy snow swept across southern Indiana and central Kentucky, dropping a couple inches of snow in just a few hours. It was the biggest snowfall for so late in the season on record at Louisville. The snow fell just hours after temperatures were in the 70s the previous afternoon! Fortunately, road temperatures were very warm and even air temperatures were mostly at or above freezing, so there was very little impact.

Not only did we receive accumulating snow, but there was no severe weather in the area for the entire month! Rather unusual for what can be a very stormy spring month.

One of the more notable thunderstorms of the month took place on the 28th when a cell developed rapidly and moved right over Bowman Field in Louisville. Winds gusted to 43 mph and 1.79" of rain fell in an hour, including about half an inch in four minutes!

  Average Temperature Departure from Normal Precipitation Departure from Normal Snow Departure from Normal
Bowling Green 56.9° -0.8° 2.72" -1.62" 0.2" +0.1"
Frankfort 54.4° -0.8° 3.29" -0.40"    
Lexington 52.6° -2.7° 2.71" -0.89" 0.9" +0.6"
Louisville Ali 58.0° 4.00" -0.01" 1.8" +1.7"
Louisville Bowman 56.2° -0.9° 4.64" +0.56"    

 

Records

2nd: Low of 21° at Frankfort, low of 23° at Lexington
20th: 9th snowiest April day on record at Bowling Green, Snowfall of 0.4" at Louisville, 9th snowiest April day on record at Louisville
21st: Snowfall of 0.1" at Bowling Green, 9th snowiest April day on record at Bowling Green, cold high of 46° at Frankfort, snow depth of 1" at Lexington, tenth snowiest April day on record at Lexington, snowfall of 1.4" at Louisville, snow depth of 1" at Louisville, 4th snowiest April day on record at Louisville

10th snowiest April on record at Bowling Green, 4th snowiest April on record at Louisville

Pewee Valley April 21, 2021

Pewee Valley, Kentucky on the morning of the 21st.  Photo: Cecelia Reaugh