December 2016 Review

December was a changeable month in the Ohio Valley with frequently chilly temperatures in the first 2/3rds of the month followed by very warm temperatures to finish things out. On the 21st temperatures plunged well below freezing with many locations in the teens. Then just a week later Bowling Green recorded their warmest-ever Christmas temperature and on the 26th Louisville got warmer than ever before in December.

After very dry weather in October and November, welcome rains returned in December. On the 17th 1 to 3 inches of rain soaked the region, including a record 2.22" at Louisville and 1.68" at Bowling Green. Unfortunately the rain was accompanied by gusty thunderstorms that produced some minor wind damage in Logan, Barren, and Adair counties.

Snow and ice were virtually absent. The most significant winter weather was freezing fog on the morning of the 21st that caused some slick spots on area roadways.

	Average Temperature	Departure from Normal	Precipitation	Departure from Normal	Snowfall	Departure from Normal
Bowling Green	39.1°	+0.5°	5.64"	+0.84"	T	-1.2"
Frankfort	36.6°	+1.3°	5.47"	+1.46"
Lexington	37.1°	+1.1°	6.18"	+2.25"	0.1"	-2.4"
Louisville Bowman	37.6°	+0.4°	5.04"	+1.03"
Louisville International	38.0°	+0.1°	5.30"	+1.47"	0.1"	-2.5"

Records

17th: Record rainfall of 1.68" at Bowling Green, record rainfall of 2.22" at Louisville
25th: Record high of 72° at Bowling Green
26th: Record high of 75° at Bowling Green, record high of 73° at Frankfort, record warm low of 55° at Frankfort, record high of 74° at Lexington, record warm low of 55° at Lexington, record high of 76° at Louisville, record warm low of 56° at Louisville

The 76° reading at Louisville on the 26th was the warmest temperature ever recorded in Louisville in December. It tied with December 3, 1982.

Dense fog and a bit of snow made it look a lot like Christmas on the 21st in Louisville. Photo: FrankieW