Observed Snowfall for Valentine's Day (Sunday February 14th)

Here are the observed snowfall amounts from Valentine's Day, 2016. The majority of the area saw between 0.5" and 2.5". Parts of the Pennyrile region of western KY saw higher amounts generally in the 3 to 5 inch range. The area around Poplar Bluff in southeast MO saw no snow accumulations.

The snow fell very heavily for one to two hours across much of the region. Visibility was reduced to one-eighth mile or less. Snowfall rates of two inches per hour were not uncommon from the Paducah area east across the Lakes area to Princeton and Central City. There was thundersnow with the heaviest snowfall rates from the Paducah area east to near Princeton. Sleet or very small hail was mixed with the thundersnow.

Most of the snow fell within two or three hours, followed by light freezing rain or drizzle. The freezing drizzle lingered for 6 to 12 hours in some places, especially in the Hopkinsville area. Ice accumulations were generally one-tenth inch or less. Along the Tennessee border from Fulton to Murray, where freezing rain and sleet were the dominant precipitation types, around one-half inch of mixed sleet and ice was reported. Roads throughout the region were very slick and hazardous. Numerous accidents were reported.

The precipitation was caused by a strong southerly flow of moist air on the back side of a high pressure system over the Appalachian Mountains. Abundant low level moisture and warmer air was drawn northward over initially cold air at the surface. A strong but compact 500 mb shortwave over the central Plains enhanced precipitation rates.