Winter 2023-24 Summary

El Niño had a significant influence on temperatures this winter, with the entire region experiencing much warmer than normal conditions and a top ten warm winter. Precipitation was more mixed and near normal, but the warm temperatures resulted in below normal snowfall.

The winter started off on a decidedly springlike note. A long-track EF-3 tornado touched down near Clarksville, TN and stayed on the ground for 48 miles into central Kentucky southwest of Bowling Green. The script flipped by the 18th when snow squalls caused gusty winds and near-zero visibilities in the Bluegrass on the 18th.

Widespread heavy rain in early January brought an end to the drought that had set in the previous September. Mid-January then brought us the "winteriest" part of the winter with 2-4" of snow in southern Indiana and north central Kentucky on the 19th, followed by sub-zero temperatures on the 20th and 21st.

February rode a weather roller coaster, with severe storms on the 10th...snow on the 16th...and a return to severe weather on the 28th.

	Average Temperature	Departure from Normal	Precipitation	Departure from Normal	Snow	Departure from Normal
Bowling Green	42.4°	+2.8°	11.20"	-0.86"	4.8"	-2.1"
Frankfort	39.8°	+3.1°	10.49"	+0.05"
Lexington	41.1°	+4.7°	13.04"	+1.78"	6.9"	-4.2"
Louisville Ali	42.4°	+4.1°	10.02"	-0.91"	4.6"	-6.2"
Louisville Bowman	40.1°	+2.6°	9.36"	-1.07"

8th warmest winter on record at Bowling Green
9th warmest winter on record at Frankfort and Louisville
4th warmest winter on record at Lexington

Tornado damage in Lickskillet, KY December 9, 2023

Tornado damage in Lickskillet, Kentucky on December 9, 2023. NWS Storm Survey