February 2019 Summary

February 2019 was a very busy month for Ohio Valley meteorologists!

Rain fell on the region every day from the 4th to the 8th, with the heaviest rains falling on southern Indiana and north central Kentucky, totaling one to three inches. This led to rises on area rivers and some minor flooding.

A light wintry mix then came in on the morning of the 10th, followed by another round of widespread rains from the 10th through the 12th when many locations picked up another one to three inches of rain, especially along and south of Interstate 64. Gusty winds accompanied the rain on the 12th, with Danville, KY receiving an isolated gust of 58 mph.

More wintry mix, including more rain, moved through the Ohio Valley from the 15th to the 17th. On the morning of the 16th some impressive snows set up in the southern Blue Grass and Lake Cumberland region where 3-5" piled up from Hodgenville to Liberty.

After some light rain on the 18th and 19th, rains returned with a vengeance on the 20th with yet another one to three inch rainfall event. This was followed on the 22nd-24th with three inches of rain across the southern half of Kentucky. Rivers throughout the region, including the Ohio, surged out of their banks. Some streams remained in flood through the end of the month.

The storm system that brought flooding rains on the 23rd also produced very strong winds as it departed on the 24th. Winds gusted 40 to 55 mph.

	Average Temperature	Departure from Normal	Precipitation	Departure from Normal	Snow	Departure from Normal
Bowling Green	45.3°	+5.5°	11.14"	+7.18"	0.3"	-3.0"
Frankfort	42.1°	+5.7°	7.83"	+4.54"
Lexington	42.5°	+5.6°	7.39"	+4.19"	T	-4.6"
Louisville Bowman	41.0°	+2.9°	8.46"	+5.28"
Louisville International	42.9°	+4.1°	8.38"	+5.20"	0.6"	-3.9"

Records

3rd: High of 69° at Frankfort
6th: Warm low of 58° at Bowling Green, record precipitation of 1.78" at Bowling Green, warm low of 57° at Lexington, warm low of 51° at Louisville
7th: High of 73° at Bowling Green, high of 71° at Frankfort, rainfall of 1.16" at Frankfort, high of 72° at Lexington, high of 70° at Louisville, rainfall of 1.41" at Louisville
11th: Precipitation of 0.94" at Frankfort, precipitation of 0.91" at Lexington, precipitation of 1.54" at Louisville
20th: Precipitation of 1.86" at Frankfort, precipitation of 1.96" at Lexington

2nd wettest and 10th warmest February on record at Bowling Green
4th wettest February on record at Frankfort
6th wettest and 10th warmest February on record at Lexington
7th wettest February on record at Louisville

Flooding along Knob Lick Creek in Yosemite, Casey County, on the 23rd. Photo courtesy Crystal Sallee