Good Saturday to one and all. Today marks one year since a swarm of tornadoes swept across the bluegrass state, in what would go down as one of the all time great tornado outbreaks in the history of Kentucky. 18 tornadoes killed 24 people in the commonwealth.
Here’s a look back at the tornado tracks and the tornado warnings from that day…
West Liberty and Salyersville were devastated by some of the most violent tornadoes to ever strike the state. Those two twisters were long tracked tornadoes that are rarely seen in the bluegrass state and are unheard of across the eastern mountains.
I finally forced myself to go back and look the blog posts from that day. Replaying the live chat from that afternoon and evening brought back a flood of fears and emotions. The chilling play by play can be found here: https://kyweathercenter.com/?m=20120302
Feel free to share your story from that historic day.
One year later… it’s a much different weather picture we’re seeing. Rounds of snow showers will continue across the state today with some light accumulations. Temps will continue to run in the low and middle 30s for highs.
Sunday and Monday will be dry as the cold air continues.
A potent storm system will be diving in from the northwest by Tuesday. That storm will then track across the Tennessee Valley and really wrap up across the Carolinas…
That storm is likely to produce a swath of heavy snow to the north and west of the track. There is a strong possibility this will include parts of Kentucky Tuesday and Wednesday. I will have an update on that storm coming later today.
Have a great Saturday and take care.
I was in the tornado that hit east bernstadt this time last year. I suffered alot of trauma and was in the university of Kentucky hospital for eight weeks in the trauma unit on life support. I am a walking miracle today..I lost my left leg below knee and suffered many injuries and broke bones. I am terrified of tornados now..and so happy it’s snowy this year I’d been praying for snow on this day for several months!! And it’s snowy thankfully.
Well we are definitely better off this year than last year at this time. My heart goes out to all the victims of last years storm. I will take the Seattle type weather any day over that infamous day anytime.
Now as I look to the future I see another snow chance upon arisen. The 0z run with the Nam was a disappointment. The GFS was better but not great.
As normal we are again living on the edge. I thought last nite we had a better than 50% chance for all of Ky to pick up that elusive 3″ or above snowfall. I must admit at the time I thought about reaching my hand into my back pocket and making a bet that is was going to come to fruition. Today I want to thank my reality side of my brain for taking over my irrational impulse to believe in the laws of averages.
The March lion has done his job he has put us into a possibility to have a decent snowfall but he is going to have to fight off a pack of warm hungry hyena’s
The computer models not going to be accurate with this next storm until tomorrow. I’m thinking we are going to get whomped with snow this time.
All I know is that I want to end the curse of meh,dome,river blockade and other trend setter adjectives. THIS S$&T ENDS THIS WEEK!
Are you north or near I64? If so, there is a chance. I am not, so will not exactly be doing any significant snow prepping.
Berea reporting in with right at 1″ on the ground and virtually none on the neighborhood streets. The woods are all white, serene, and beautiful this morning. Time to go out on the deck and enjoy it with some fresh coffee.
Let’s hope others, and particularly Knox county, have finally ended their snow drought as well. Andrew of the House of Rose, what say thee?
My sister just sent me a message and said 75 is starting to get white between corbin and Berea also the Falls Road is also covered in Corbin
nice 1-2 inch snowfall here in Leslie County, covering everything…
Congrats we are about to equal our total for the yr getting close to half inch but only on elevated surfaces Decks cars and such. Roads remain clear for now hope it dumps a foot of snow 🙂
Even if it does snow a foot, with a ratio of 3 inches of salt (courtesy of your Knox county road dept) for every half inch of snow, you’ll never see snow on the roads.
to true we got about an inch on the elevated surfaces so that more than doubles my season totals but nothing on the roads just wet even on the untreated roads but that won’t keep Knox from tossing salt anyways 😉
Hoping next week storm can deliver all of us a good one! Leslie county always does well in upslope events, as was the case last night. An all mountainous terrain does have a few advantages
Still snowing here, about 2 inches of snow.
Perhaps 1/4 inch in my part of Richmond of new freshly fallen snow. That takes the season total to… … … 2 3/4 inches! And that could be on the high side as I am guessing that 1/2 inch fell Monday – Friday although none of it ever showed up on the ground.
Wow! Someone is going to get hamered! We actually have about an inch of snow on the ground in Somerset this morning! Woke up to heavy snow, and a beautiful sight! Know it will be gone soon, but it sure is pretty while its here. this is the most we have had all winter!
Thanks, Chris, for all you do. Looking forward to seeing what develops with the next one. As I said before, someone is going to get hamered! Have a great Saturday, everyone, and GO CATS!!!!!
Model’s are sure painting a pretty picture for Happy,Happy Happy snow for Virginia….Kind of an odd track with the low but looks like parts of Virginia will get hammered…Looks like it starts in the Dakota’s and goes through Indiana,south central Ky,Tenn and head’s through NC and stalls in eastern NC…Odd track for sure…Far end of eastern Ky may get lucky….If this could stall out earlier and not as far east= Ky could get a Whopper…If not then Burger King is your next option…
Well maybe it does not end this week. Good luck Chris forecasting another diminutive low.
Just curious! With that track of low it seems southern Kentucky would be in best line for highest accumulations. However they may be warmer so concerned rain may hinder any major accumulations unless this thing really wraps up. Seems as if we can never get all ingredients for whole state to get nice snow. Thoughts
Winter is in the books. Average temp for Lexington was 37.5, and last year it was 39.3. This is the first time since 1991 and 1992 we’ve had two consecutive winters at 37.5 or higher. We did have a period from 1997-2000 with four winters 37.3 or higher. If we have a repeat next winter, it will be the warmest three consecutive winters since 1952-1954.
Yes, it has been mild the past two winters but not unprecedented.
Well, it WAS colder this winter 😉
My guess is next winter will be around 35.
I think “normal” is 35.2. Hard to believe 1978 was 25.4, isn’t it?
As of the 12z runs of the GFS and NAM, they both have the low tracking right over Ky. for cold rain and back side flurries. Will have to see what the 12z Euro says today.
Man on Thursday nite I was more worried about the low tracking to far to the south. I guess the lion has died could not find an adequate tracking low to claw onto.
The 12z Euro runs the low across Tenn. So it’s a wait and see situation.
AsJames said low goes through Ky,then shifts into East Tenn…Still ends up somewhere in Eastern NC or a little farther north…Euro and GFS has totally different tracks but still end’s up in Eastern NC…The main system won’t come ashore until tomorrow from the NW so maybe the models will have a better handle on tomorrow’s run’s…Still think Virginia will be the big winner as Ky will probably only get some wrap around snow…Strong blocking still showing up in the NE so with these type of system’s you never know…I guess for a big hit for Ky a whole lot would have to change…But with the strong blocking don’t see that happening…System will move east and out too sea…
That is why I cannot believe how far north the models have taken the lows projective path. I thought the N.East blocking would play more of a factor upon this event. Oh well if it does come a factor in this wide vast commonwealth I will be dry sloted anyway.
I was betting on the low to track west thru the middle of the show me state and then make the turn east somewhere in E. Ark. or W.Tn.
I bought some new things for the back patio today, so I’d just as soon have Spring get here and stay here. As far as the Tuesday/Wednesday storm, other sites I’ve looked at keep talking about the low continuing to be too far north to give us anything but some wrap around snows. Even at that, it seems snow totals will be light. Maybe something will change when the storm gets over land
http://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/62439_494496587264271_214200620_n.png
look at that meth bubble in kentucky
That map looks bogus to begin with, a blob of 4-8 in Neast ky surrounded by 1-2 in amounts???
I think that blob is 0″ not 4-8″
NO, if you read the legend it says 1 inch or less amounts are not shown, they have white representing 4 to 8!
NWS in Louisville sticking to their nothing to see here for Tuesday/wed system, as of now they are saying light mix at most for maybe northCentral ky area, everywhere else rain!
They are probably right but I would love to see them get bit just once this year! Bring a big one or bring on spring!
Seems they think nothing cause just a little too warm. If cold enough it would prob be about 3 to 6 inch snow. That was my fear earlier but I guess still some time for things to change. Track seems idea for measureable snow but as we know that means nothing for us here in Kentucky
Today’s Euro looked about the same to me…Maybe a hair south on the Carolina coast,which does us no good…If this system could somehow stay farther inland then maybe some in Ky would have a chance at a decent snowfall…..If tomorrow run’s don’t show something further inland then head to Virginia if you want to see the last glorious snow of winter…
Always the trend. North/West shift. Fence along the river…It will be snowing 20 miles north of Louisville and we will have cold rain here. Trends…Trends…Trends here in Fencetucky….
MEH…to this winter…I am glad spring is about here. It ain’t gonna snow cause ROLO hasn’t posted his thoughts….
Good Win Cards! Good Win……
Me Believe’s Louisville Card’s are peaking at the right moment…Will be a tough out in the tourney…As of right now i have Indiana and the Card’s in the final four if they don’t have to play each other beforehand…with Michigan St the third team..Fourth team a ? mark at this time…
Tomorrow there will be a ground breaking for the new St. Luke’s Catholic Church in Salyersville that was destroyed by the tornado last year. Down but never out!!