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 >

A cold, wet pattern persisted for much of March. While this did prevent severe weather from occurring (other than a roof blown off of a barn near Waynesburg on the 17th), it resulted in several snowy systems passing through the region.

Snow fell somewhere in southern Indiana or central Kentucky every day from the 6th to the 14th. The most significant snows fell from the 11th to the 13th, with 6 to 10 inches falling on Lexington on the 12th. 

Another snowy system came through on the 20th-21st. This time Louisville and southern Indiana were the recipients of 6-10 inches of wet snowfall.

Then on the 24th a stripe of snow stretched from North Dakota to the Appalachians, and brought a dusting of snow to the Kentucky Bluegrass.

In addition to the cold, flooding that peaked in February lingered into the first few days of March, and minor flooding returned by the end of the month.

  Average Temperature Departure from Normal Precipitation Departure from Normal Snowfall Departure from Normal
Bowling Green 47.3° -1.1° 4.26" -0.15" 2.3" +1.2"
Frankfort 42.9° -2.0° 4.73" +0.35"    
Lexington 43.0° -2.5° 5.32" +1.25" 12.2" +10.8"
Louisville Bowman 44.2° -2.9° 4.87" +0.71"    
Louisville International 45.3° -2.5° 5.05" +0.88" 11.9" +10.5"

 

Records

11th: Record snowfall of 3.0" at Lexington
12th: Record snowfall of 6.0" at Lexington
20th: Record snowfall of 3.7" at Louisville
21st: Record snowfall of 1.6" at Lexington, record snowfall of 4.9" at Louisville, record snow depth of 6" at Louisville, record cold high of 34° at Frankfort
24th: Record precipitation of 1.30" at Lexington, record precipitation of 1.22" at Louisville

6th snowiest March on record at Lexington and Louisville

Richmond, KY March 12, 2018

Richmond, Kentucky on the 12th. Photo: York Stunson