Power Outage in Owensboro, KY

A gust front marking the leading edge of severe thunderstorms produced winds up to 60 mph across northern Daviess County. A trained spotter estimated 60 mph winds in Owensboro. Power lines were down in Maceo.

A peak wind gust of 66 mph was measured at the Owensboro airport. Highway 81 was closed due to power lines and poles on the highway.

A peak wind gust of 66 mph was measured at the Owensboro airport. Highway 81 was closed due to power lines and poles on the highway.

Pockets of wind damage occurred in western Daviess County. Two garages collapsed west of Highway 81, a few miles north-northwest of Moseleyville. In and near the small community of Rome, there was considerable wind damage. A pole barn was blown down. A semi was blown off the road on Highway 81. A power line was down. A large pine tree and a weeping willow tree were blown down. A wind gust to 61 mph was measured at the Owensboro airport before the power went out to the system.

Pockets of wind damage occurred in western Daviess County. Two garages collapsed west of Highway 81, a few miles north-northwest of Moseleyville. In and near the small community of Rome, there was considerable wind damage. A pole barn was blown down. A semi was blown off the road on Highway 81. A power line was down. A large pine tree and a weeping willow tree were blown down. A wind gust to 61 mph was measured at the Owensboro airport before the power went out to the system.

A tree limb fell on an occupied camper at the Diamond Lake campground near West Louisville. There were no injuries, but people were trapped in the camper. The camper was not a total loss. Elsewhere in the county, there were several tree limbs on power lines. Most of the trees and power lines were around the St. Joseph and West Louisville area of the county.

A tree limb fell on an occupied camper at the Diamond Lake campground near West Louisville. There were no injuries, but people were trapped in the camper. The camper was not a total loss. Elsewhere in the county, there were several tree limbs on power lines. Most of the trees and power lines were around the St. Joseph and West Louisville area of the county.

Isolated tree damage was photographed. Large tree limbs were down, along with at least a few trees. At least one of the trees landed on a house, and another landed on power lines. At least one road was blocked. The peak wind gust at the Owensboro airport was 54 mph.

There were scattered reports of downed trees and power lines across the city.

A National Weather Service damage survey determined that a microburst with peak winds near 90 mph struck the St. Joseph and West Louisville area. The most significant structural damage occurred less than a mile north of St. Joseph, where a storage shed sustained extensive damage. The west-facing wall collapsed inward, despite the presence of hurricane straps. Roofing and roof trusses were blown to the east across County Road 500. A pull-behind covered trailer weighing over 2,000 pounds was pushed about 30 feet. At a house adjacent to the trailer and metal shed, there was partial loss of shingles, along with minor damage to windows, decking, and gutters. Some of the damage appeared to be associated with a short, brief gustnado. Elsewhere across the affected area, most of the damage consisted of scattered snapped and uprooted trees, some of which were several feet in diameter. Several old wooden barns were damaged or destroyed, and a few outbuildings were damaged. A mobile home was unroofed. Over 100 trees were down at a campground on Diamond Lake near West Louisville. A few of the trees landed on campers or vehicles. There were some downed power poles and lines. The total length of the damage area was three miles, and the width was about 2.2 miles.

Power poles were blown down on U.S. Highway 60 between Stanley and Owensboro. In Stanley, trees were reported to be down. A barn about 100 feet wide by 50 feet long was leveled on Highway 815 near West Louisville.

Trees and power lines were blown down in Owensboro. Trees were down several miles southeast of St. Joseph.

Trees and power lines were blown down in Owensboro. Trees were down several miles southeast of St. Joseph.

The fire department responded to downed trees and power lines in Stanley. In Sorgho, a tree was snapped and power lines were down.

The fire department responded to downed trees and power lines in Stanley. In Sorgho, a tree was snapped and power lines were down.

Several trees and power poles were down across the city, along with some street signs. Over 5000 customers were without power in the city and surrounding parts of Daviess County. A wind gust to 66 mph was measured at the Owensboro airport.

Several trees and power poles were down across the city, along with some street signs. Over 5000 customers were without power in the city and surrounding parts of Daviess County. A wind gust to 66 mph was measured at the Owensboro airport.

A tree was down across a secondary road off Highway 815. Approximately 600 utility customers were without power.

A severe thunderstorm produced a swath of wind damage from the Henderson County line to the city of Owensboro. Damage to trees and power lines was extensive in the city of Owensboro. Over 10,000 people were without power. A State of Emergency was declared for Daviess County. Close to the Henderson County line, an older wooden barn was blown down in a rural area near the Green River. About nine miles west of Owensboro, a large tree fell, damaging the awning of an apartment building. On the southwest side of Owensboro, the automated observing system at the Owensboro airport measured a wind gust to 61 mph. In the city of Owensboro, widespread tree damage was reported. Some homes were damaged by falling trees.

Trees were blown down throughout the city of Owensboro. Peak wind gusts were estimated up to 70 mph by a trained spotter on the northwest side of Owensboro. Several miles east of Owensboro, a tree was blown down, blocking a county road. At Knottsville, a tree limb fell across a power pole, which caught fire.

Trees were blown down throughout the city of Owensboro. Peak wind gusts were estimated up to 70 mph by a trained spotter on the northwest side of Owensboro. Several miles east of Owensboro, a tree was blown down, blocking a county road. At Knottsville, a tree limb fell across a power pole, which caught fire.

A large tree fell on a house, tearing a large hole in the wall. Large tree limbs were blown down. One of the limbs was blocking a road. Power lines were down. A utility pole was down across a road.

A large tree fell on a house, tearing a large hole in the wall. Large tree limbs were blown down. One of the limbs was blocking a road. Power lines were down. A utility pole was down across a road.

Trees and power lines were damaged in Owensboro. A barn collapsed near Utica. The peak wind gust at the Owensboro airport was 58 mph. A trained spotter in Utica measured a wind gust to 58 mph.

Several tree limbs were blown down, causing a few power outages.

Downed trees and snapped power poles were reported. Kentucky Highways 554 and 2156 were closed at the Mclean County line due to a snapped power pole and some downed trees.

Several power transmission poles were blown over a few miles east of Owensboro. A carport was blown away near Thruston.

Several power transmission poles were blown over a few miles east of Owensboro. A carport was blown away near Thruston.

This brief tornado was witnessed by law enforcement officials. Power lines were down. Peak winds were estimated near 65 mph.

Wind gusts to 60 mph were estimated by a spotter just east of the city of Owensboro. A couple of power lines were down. A wind gust to 57 mph was measured in Owensboro.

Four trees were blown down, including one on a power line. U.S. 231 was blocked by a fallen tree at the Ohio County line.

Four trees were blown down, including one on a power line. U.S. 231 was blocked by a fallen tree at the Ohio County line.

About a dozen homes were destroyed, and close to 150 others were damaged. An additional 20 public or commercial buildings were destroyed or condemned. Damage to commercial and public buildings, including churches and schools, was estimated near 10.5 million dollars. Residential structures sustained about 1 million dollars in damage. Two historic churches suffered severe damage. The steeple of one church collapsed into the sanctuary. About 125 people were in the church at the time of the collapse, including 25 where the steeple fell into the sanctuary. They all moved to the basement 5 or 10 minutes before the storm hit, sparing anyone from death or serious injury. On the west side of Owensboro, a man was trapped in his overturned mobile home. He received only minor injuries. A motel was heavily damaged, with nearly the entire roof blown off. Several guests at the motel were treated for injuries, mostly abrasions from falling debris. Almost every building at Brescia University was damaged, mostly to the roofs. Windows were blown out of the science building. Elsewhere, a delivery truck was overturned. Piles of debris from collapsed garages, warehouses, and roofs lined downtown streets during the cleanup. Tobacco warehouses downtown were destroyed or heavily damaged. The most serious damage was in a 12 to 15 square block area in and near downtown. Nearly all city streets were reopened and nearly all power was restored within a few days after the tornado. Peak winds were estimated at 155 mph where the EF-3 damage occurred in downtown Owensboro. The damage path began just northeast of the Owensboro-Daviess County Airport, then curved northeast through the riverfront area of downtown Owensboro. The average path width was 300 yards.

A tractor-trailer rig was overturned on the Natcher Parkway southeast of Owensboro. In Owensboro, about 2,000 utility customers lost power due to trees falling on power lines. Power poles were knocked over. A street was closed due to downed tree limbs and power lines.

A wind gust to 58 MPH was measured at the Owensboro airport. About seven instances of downed power lines and trees were scattered across the southwest third of the county. A tree was down, blocking part of Highway 81 two miles southwest of the city.

Winds from 80 to 90 MPH raked the Owensboro area. Numerous trees were blown down, including one that landed on a trailer. A mobile home was flipped over about a mile north of Thruston on U.S. Highway 60E. Along U.S. Highway 60W, the roof was blown off a cable company and onto a roadway, blocking traffic. In Owensboro, lights were blown off utility poles, and numerous power lines were down. From several miles west of Owensboro to a couple miles east of the city, numerous power lines were downed, including one that landed on an occupied car on the U.S. 60 bypass. All four lanes of the U.S. 60 bypass were blocked by fallen transmission lines. Gas pumps were blown over at a station on Route 54 on the east side of the city.

Winds estimated near 65 MPH downed several trees in the city of Owensboro. In and near Moseleyville, trees were down on Highway 81, and tree limbs were down on power lines.

A couple of trees and power lines were blown down.

Trees and power lines were blown down across the county. In Owensboro, shingles were blown off homes and large trees were down. About 7,000 Owensboro residences lost power. A business sustained significant roof damage, and a large plate glass window was shattered. A large section of roof at another business was torn apart. A large tree landed on a house in Owensboro, and another tree landed on a vehicle. Some power poles were broken. A spotter estimated wind gusts to 60 MPH.

Numerous trees were blown down across the county. A wind gust to 55 knots (63 MPH) was measured at the Owensboro Airport. There were 40 separate reports of downed trees, including some blocking roads and others on houses. Shingles were torn off at least one house in Owensboro. A significant amount of the county was without power.

A severe thunderstorm moved east northeast from Mclean County, passing directly over Owensboro. Extensive thunderstorm wind damage was reported in the city of Owensboro. A barn was blown down on the west side of Owensboro near the intersection of Highways 56 and 81. Within the city of Owensboro, the roof of an equipment repair shop was blown off, and a church steeple was damaged. Trees and power lines were blown down, knocking out power to about 700 city residences. At least 12 city residences were damaged, with the majority of damage caused by trees falling on houses and vehicles. Damage was reported at Brescia University when roofing from the science building was blown into other buildings on campus. Hundreds of trees were down across the county, including 71 reports of trees blocking roads or falling on power lines or structures. A carport was flipped onto a car at Maceo.

About a mile north of Thruston, two homes were partially unroofed, and numerous trees were blown down. A few power poles were blown over. Minor damage to homes and carports occurred just northeast of Thruston, consisting mainly of siding blown off.

Two structure fires in Daviess County were blamed on lightning. Several hundred customers lost power when lightning struck a tree limb, sending it onto a power line.

A cold front trailed southwest from a 991-mb surface low over northern Michigan. Strong west to northwest winds behind this trailing cold front gusted from 40 to 50 mph. The peak measured wind gusts at airport sites included 51 mph at Hopkinsville/Fort Campbell, 48 mph at Murray and Henderson, 45 mph at Owensboro, and 41 mph at the Paducah airport. In McCracken County, Kentucky Highway 348 was blocked by downed trees and power lines near the 0.6 mile marker, west of the Fremont community.

A strong storm system led to significant impacts. Heavy rainfall amounts of 3 to 4.5 inches produced areas of flash flooding, with numerous road closures. The heavy rain drove the Ohio River above flood stage at Uniontown. Very strong wind gusts occurred, ranging between 50 and about 70 mph. These were associated with both thunderstorms and gradient winds afterwards. The line of storms moved through during the late morning and early afternoon, and then very strong gradient winds continued for several hours afterwards through the afternoon. An indirect fatality occurred the following day during cleanup operations. A 69-year-old man in Calloway County was killed when a large branch landed on him while he was cutting up the tree. The magnitude and duration of this wind produced significant damage to trees, power lines, and other outdoor property such as fences. Soggy ground due to the excessive rainfall likely contributed to some trees being more susceptible to being blown over. Numerous power outages occurred, some lasting into the following day. Six tornadoes occurred along the line of thunderstorms across western Kentucky. The strongest was rated EF-2 just south of Paducah. Finally, the lowest barometric pressure of all-time was observed in Paducah (977.7 mb). The center of the record strong low pressure system tracked from the bootheel of extreme southeast Missouri northeast right along the Ohio River. Very strong southwest winds occurred on the back side of the low pressure system in the afternoon. Gusts were up to around 60 mph. A semi was blown over on Interstate 24 in Trigg County.

A powerful cold front swept through the region, with wind chills dropping to 20 to 30 below zero. These were the coldest wind chills observed in over 25 years across the region. Paducah, KY dropped down to a -21 wind chill, which was the coldest since February 3, 1996. The most extreme wind chills were from the evening of the 22nd to the morning of the 23rd, but wind chills as late as the morning of December 24th were often below minus 10. Actual air temperatures only reached the single digits above zero on the 23rd, which followed morning lows around 5 below. Peak wind gusts of 35 to 50 mph were observed during this event as well. The peak wind gust at Paducah was 47 mph on the evening of the 22nd. Isolated power outages were reported, some of which were caused by the strong winds. About 1,200 utility customers were without power in the Pennyrile area early on the 23rd. The extreme cold was indirectly responsible for a number of structure fires caused by supplemental heating sources, such as space heaters. A house fire resulting from a faulty or improperly used kerosene heater resulted in a fatality in Fulton County. A 21-month-old child was killed in the fire in Hickman. Two persons were injured in a house fire in Crofton in Christian County that was likely started by a kerosene heater. There were numerous reports of frozen water pipes that burst and flooded homes and other buildings. The Owensboro animal shelter was flooded after pipes burst. About 15 volunteers helped to alleviate the impact. The Todd County courthouse was flooded by a broken water line. In the city of Hopkinsville and Todd County, authorities requested that people conserve water due to water leaks and other cold weather impacts that strained capacity. Two schools in Graves County and several schools in Marshall County were flooded by broken water pipes. The Marshall County school system remained closed after Christmas break to finish cleaning up the damage. Highway 641 South about a quarter mile from the Tennessee border was closed for a short time due to a water line break in Hazel in Calloway County. The community of Hazel was without water for about twelve hours as a result of the frozen water causing a main line break. Demand for electricity was at record levels across the Tennessee Valley Authority service area. TVA urgently requested consumers reduce their energy usage. There were even brief rotating blackouts in at least one city. On top of the extreme cold, one to three inches of snow fell. The highest amounts were in the Ohio River counties from Wickliffe and Paducah to Henderson and Owensboro, where around 3 inches fell. Snowfall amounts elsewhere were mostly from 1 to 2 inches. This snow and the accompanying flash freeze heavily impacted travel across the region. Despite relatively light traffic, there were numerous traffic mishaps. A semi wreck caused the closure of Highway 286 in Ballard County for several hours. In Christian County alone, there were 105 accidents or slide-offs. Sixteen accidents involved injuries. Christian County also reported 5 falls with injuries and one mild case of hypothermia. In Lyon County alone, deputies responded to 9 vehicle slide-offs and 5 minor crashes.

Strong and gusty south to southwest winds developed ahead of a strong cold front that trailed southward from a low pressure center passing north of the region. A very strong low-level jet strengthened to around 80 knots, which set the stage for both strong gradient winds and thunderstorm winds. The peak measured wind gusts in western Kentucky were 47 mph at the Paducah airport, 46 mph at the mesonet site near Calhoun in Mclean County, and 45 mph at Henderson. A tree fell on a power line near Spottsville in Henderson County, causing a power outage.

A major winter storm dumped significant amounts of sleet and freezing rain across western Kentucky. An ice storm occurred along and southeast of a line from Murray to Madisonville and Owensboro. The thickest glaze of ice was from the Murray area northeast to around Madisonville, where one-third to one-half inch of ice was common. Numerous power outages occurred in the ice storm area, especially from Murray northeast to Princeton, Madisonville, and Owensboro. At its peak, power outages affected 20,000 customers in western Kentucky. The entire community of Dawson Springs (Hopkins County) was reportedly without power. A few power poles were snapped in Murray. Elsewhere in the ice storm area, icing was mostly one-quarter to one-third inch. Deeper into the cold air to the north and west of the ice storm, precipitation increasingly took the form of sleet. However, there were still isolated power outages due to icing as far northwest as Henderson, Benton (Marshall County), Marion (Crittenden County), and Mayfield (Graves County). In the Ohio River counties from Henderson to Paducah, as well as the Purchase area from Mayfield westward, one-tenth inch to one-quarter inch of ice was under an inch of sleet. Widespread major travel impacts were reported across the region. Roads were covered with an icy mix that resulted in traffic accidents. A semi crashed on Interstate 24, blocking the westbound lanes over the Cumberland River, which is the border between Livingston and Lyon Counties. Kentucky State Police Post 1 reported they responded to eleven collisions and checked on at least 15 stranded motorists. Numerous tree limbs were down across the ice storm area, including some that landed across roads and power lines. The main road through the Land-Between-The-Lakes National Recreation Area was closed due to numerous downed trees and power lines. A 30-foot tree limb fell through the roof of a residence in Murray. A number of counties declared states of emergency, including Henderson, Hopkins, and Marshall. A strong cold front moved slowly southeast across the lower Ohio Valley and southeast Missouri on February 2nd. Precipitation changed from rain to a mix of wintry precipitation from west to east on the night of the 2nd and morning of the 3rd. Along and southeast of a Murray to Owensboro line, the cold air never became deep enough to avoid an ice storm.

A wintry mix of precipitation impacted the region resulting in icy roads, numerous accidents, road closures, and scattered power outages. About 3,000 customers in the Owensboro area were without power. The event started in the early morning hours of February 10th and continued into February 11th. Icy roads on the morning of February 10th resulted in one vehicle fatality (indirect fatality) in Trigg County on Highway 80 at the Trace Highway in Land-Between-The-Lakes National Recreation Area. Numerous accidents occurred from the morning hours of the 10th into the 11th. This resulted in lengthy road closures on the Audubon Parkway west of Owensboro, as well as sections of I-24 between Calvert City and Hopkinsville. Ice accumulations ranging from 0.1 to 0.25 were commonplace across western Kentucky. A narrow zone of higher ice amounts, ranging from 0.25 to 0.5, occurred from Shawneetown, IL eastward into the Henderson and Owensboro areas. Scattered power outages and downed tree limbs were primarily focused in this zone of higher accumulations as well. Most areas received at least minor accumulations of sleet along the Ohio River, but the heaviest swath of sleet amounts ranging from 0.5 to 1.5 occurred north of the Ohio River. The winter storm was the result of a moist southwest 500 mb flow and an embedded low-amplitude impulse. An inverted surface trough developing in the general vicinity of Arkansas brought another swath of precipitation. As the inverted trough pulled away to the east, colder air was drawn southward and changed the freezing rain to sleet.

A low pressure system tracked east-northeast from the lower Mississippi Valley to the Carolinas. On the north side of this low, widespread rain changed to snow, sleet, and freezing rain on the afternoon and evening of the 15th. The precipitation was mostly in the form of freezing rain from the Land-Between-The-Lakes area westward, where isolated power outages and tree damage occurred. Power lines came down across U.S. Highway 62 near Gilbertsville in Marshall County, blocking both lanes. At a church near Dexter in Calloway County, an uprooted tree landed partially on an outdoor picnic pavilion. Around one-quarter inch of ice glazed trees and power lines across far western Kentucky, including the Paducah, Mayfield, Benton, and Murray areas. The highest reported ice accumulation was about 0.4 inch in Eddyville in Lyon County. Road pavement temperatures were slow to drop below freezing, but some slush and ice developed on roads before the precipitation ended. A single-vehicle accident on Interstate 24 over the Ohio River closed the westbound lanes for a short time. The metal-grating bridge over the Ohio River on U.S. 45 from Brookport to Paducah was closed due to icing. Elsewhere across western Kentucky, the wintry precipitation was mostly in the form of sleet and snow. Sleet and snow accumulations were generally an inch or less.

One of the earliest winter precipitation events on record caused hazardous conditions across western Kentucky. At Paducah, this was the 2nd earliest snowfall of at least one inch in records going back to 1937. The wintry mix of precipitation was mostly in the form of freezing rain in the Pennyrile region, where around one-quarter inch of ice glazed exposed surfaces. There were some power outages caused by downed tree limbs in Muhlenberg, Christian, Todd, and Daviess Counties. Several trees were down in the Owensboro area, including two on homes. Two poles caught fire. In Todd County, 1820 customers were without power. In Christian County, tree limbs were down on power lines, and a tree blocked a road. Further west, the precipitation was mostly in the form of sleet and snow. One to two inches of snow was reported from Marion to Murray westward across Paducah and Mayfield. Specific snowfall totals included 2 inches in Paducah and Fulton, and 1 inch at Murray and Eddyville. There was some sleet mixed with the snow. Roads were snow or ice-covered across the region. Highway 68 in Trigg County was reported to be a sheet of ice, causing vehicle accidents. Numerous accidents were reported in Calloway County, with several slide-offs on Highway 80. The winter precipitation was caused by a strong 500 mb low that moved northeast from Arkansas to the lower Ohio Valley. At the surface, an inverted trough extended from the southeastern states northwest to the lower Ohio Valley.

A short bowing line of thunderstorms moved east across southwest Indiana and northwest Kentucky. The southern end of this line of storms crossed northwest Kentucky, causing pockets of wind damage to trees and power lines. The storms occurred ahead of a warm front that extended southeast from a low pressure center over northwest Missouri. The storms occurred along a corridor of stronger low level winds, averaging near 30 knots at 1 km agl. Steep low level lapse rates allowed strong winds to reach the surface.

A moist 500 mb shortwave trough tracked east from the Plains, causing a surface low pressure center to develop northeast from Texas to the central Appalachians. Widespread wintry precipitation occurred as colder air filtered south on the back side of the low. Along and northwest of a line from Mayfield to Madisonville, one-tenth to one-quarter of an inch of ice glazed surfaces. Near the onset of precipitation, a period of sleet was reported. Most of the precipitation fell in the form of freezing rain. The automated observing station at the Paducah airport measured 0.23 inch of ice accretion. Most of the icing was on trees, power lines, and elevated surfaces during the precipitation. There were some small tree limbs broken in the Paducah area. After the precipitation ended, temperatures fell through the 20's, causing icy spots to develop even on paved surfaces. Slick bridges and overpasses were common during the early morning hours, along with many vehicle accidents. State police reported 46 accidents in northwest Kentucky, including 21 in Daviess County alone. Multiple crashes took place on Interstate 24 over the Cumberland River, which separates Lyon and Livingston Counties. Westbound traffic was backed up for several hours. A semi overturned on the icy bridge, and another semi crashed in the median just west of the bridge in Livingston County. At least one other passenger vehicle also crashed.

An Arctic cold front moved southeast across western Kentucky on the night of the 11th. Rain changed to a brief period of freezing rain, then to sleet during the overnight hours. The sleet changed to snow on the 12th as the Arctic air flooded in. A vigorous disturbance in the upper levels of the atmosphere prolonged the snow through the day on the 12th. Total accumulations of sleet were from one-half to one inch in most areas. On top of the sleet, snow accumulated from 3 to 4 inches in most places. An area of locally higher accumulations from 5 to 7 inches was observed in the Kentucky Lake area, specifically Marshall and Calloway Counties. The lowest snow and sleet accumulations were from Hopkinsville south and east, where accumulations were mainly two to three inches. Across all areas, freezing rain produced a thin layer of glaze under the sleet and snow. Following the changeover to snow, visibility was reduced to one-quarter mile at times. Peak snowfall rates were near one-half inch per hour. Strong north winds frequently gusted to 35 mph, producing wind chills near zero at times. A few wind gusts over 40 mph were reported, which caused isolated power outages in the Pennyrile region. A tree was blown over across a power line near Beech Creek in Muhlenberg County. Numerous accidents were reported during the storm. On Interstate 24 near Paducah, a tractor-trailer rig jack-knifed across the westbound lanes. The westbound side of the interstate was closed for hours. On Interstate 24 near Hopkinsville, a 10-car pileup closed the eastbound lanes for several hours. In western Graves County, Highway 80 was closed for 12 hours due to a wreck involving a tractor-trailer rig. An overturned tanker truck prompted the closure of U.S. Highway 62 at Highway 286 in western McCracken County. In Christian County, three prisoners were injured when their transport bus slid off the road. There was one winter storm fatality in Paducah that occurred during the storm. An elderly man was found dead outside his house. The coroner determined hypothermia was the primary cause of his death. Very cold temperatures in the wake of the storm reduced the effectiveness of melting agents such as salt. Dangerous travel conditions persisted well after the ending of the precipitation. On the day following the storm, a 10-mile section of Interstate 24 was closed in Marshall County due to vehicle crashes. The Ohio River bridge connecting Paducah with Brookport, IL was closed for days due to ice on the steel-grating surface. In addition, early on the 14th, McCracken County sheriff deputies responded to a report of someone calling for help in the distance. After searching the area, deputies found a 90-year-old woman who had fallen in the snow outside her home while searching for her dog. The woman was taken to a local hospital for treatment of hypothermia symptoms (indirect injury).

Strong south winds gusted from 40 to 50 mph across western Kentucky. In Paducah, wind blew down fencing on the south side of tennis courts in a city park. A power line was blown down in Paducah, prompting a road closure. Near the Green River in Muhlenberg County, a pole barn collapsed after the roof was blown off. Some of the highest wind gusts at airport sites included 47 mph at the Owensboro airport, 46 mph at the Paducah and Murray airports, 44 mph at the Mayfield, Henderson, and Fort Campbell (Hopkinsville) airports, and 41 mph at the Madisonville airport. A low pressure system over the central Plains moved northeast toward the Great Lakes region. A tight pressure gradient between this low and high pressure over the Carolinas resulted in strong south to southwest winds.

Western Kentucky was heavily impacted by the wintry precipitation associated with a low pressure system over the Tennessee Valley. Widespread snowfall amounts from 6 to 10 inches were reported. The exception was in the Mississippi River counties from Fulton to Ballard, where 4 to 6 inches was the norm. The precipitation began as a brief period of freezing rain and sleet that produced a light glaze on most surfaces. In Muhlenberg County, the initial period of freezing rain lasted over an hour, causing numerous accidents. The heaviest ice accumulations were in Todd County, where one-quarter inch of ice knocked out power to several hundred. In Hopkins County, nearly one-quarter inch of sleet accumulated before the changeover to snow. Once the changeover to snow occurred, the intensity of the snowfall varied greatly from one location to the next. The heavy snow occurred in bands associated with the deformation zone on the northwest side of the storm system. Snowfall rates in some of the bands were two inches per hour, with visibility reduced below one-quarter mile. Some specific snowfall totals included: 9 inches in Madisonville, Greenville, Marion, and Eddyville, 8 inches in Mayfield, 7 inches in Henderson, Owensboro, Oak Grove (Christian County), and Benton, and 6 inches in Princeton, Murray, and Fulton. Prior to the changeover to snow, ice accumulations ranged from a trace at Paducah and Marion to one-quarter inch in Todd County. There was little if any ice in the Henderson and Owensboro areas. Following the ending of the snow, strong north winds gusting from 30 to 40 mph caused widespread drifting. The drifts were especially deep in open farm country, where the lack of trees and other obstructions resulted in stronger winds. Roads were snow-covered and slippery. Schools were cancelled for days following the storm. The winter storm was the result of a deepening 500 mb trough that swung eastward from the Plains across the Mississippi Valley early on the 22nd. A weak low pressure center formed over Texas early on the 21st. The surface low gradually strengthened as it moved northeast across Alabama early on the 22nd, reaching the Virginia coast early on the 23rd. The low pressure system was accompanied by plenty of Gulf of Mexico moisture, which pivoted as far northwest as southeast Illinois. There was sufficient cold air in place for most of the precipitation to fall as snow.

A winter storm brought hazardous conditions to western Kentucky. South of the Henderson/Owensboro area, the precipitation type was primarily heavy sleet and snow at the beginning of the storm, then freezing rain became the primary precipitation type. One-half to one inch of sleet and snow accumulated rather quickly, followed by around one-quarter inch of ice. In the Henderson/Owensboro area, a little sleet occurred at the onset, followed by around one-quarter inch of ice. Roads became slick and very hazardous region-wide. Numerous accidents were reported. In Henderson, a police officer was injured in a vehicle crash. The officer's vehicle spun out of control on ice and went into oncoming traffic. His car was struck by another vehicle. The officer was transported to a local hospital with minor injuries. Seven other accidents were reported within the city. Just west of Paducah on Highway 358, one person was injured in a rollover accident. The driver was transported to a local hospital for treatment. In Benton, nobody was hurt when a minivan slid off an icy road and overturned in a creek. All three occupants were freed from the vehicle by breaking out the back window. In western Marshall County on U.S. Highway 68, one person was killed (indirect fatality) when his ATV slid out of control on ice and struck an SUV head-on. A passenger in the SUV was injured. Numerous accidents occurred on Interstate 24 near Calvert City, as well as U.S. Highway 51 in the Fulton area. Due to the ice, isolated power outages occurred due to small branches falling on power lines. In downtown Mayfield, the accumulated weight of snow and ice from successive winter storms caused a partial roof collapse. Several east-to-west bands of light to locally moderate precipitation advanced slowly northward in response to the arrival of warm, moist air in the low levels. Strengthening of a southerly low level jet occurred ahead of a 500 mb shortwave impulse emerging out of the central Plains. Convective enhancement of precipitation rates was observed, including heavy thundersleet west of the Mississippi River. After the precipitation changed to rain, the combination of snowmelt and rainfall produced localized street flooding. Most of the street flooding was in urban areas, such as Owensboro and Hopkinsville.

A few severe thunderstorms occurred during the afternoon and evening hours. A powerful mid-level shortwave trough and its associated 70-80 knot jet streak translated from the southern high Plains into the upper Midwest. On the heels of this initial shortwave trough, a channeled vorticity maximum and attendant 70-knot jet streak progressed across the southern Plains into southwest Missouri. In association with these features, a 40 to 50 knot southerly low-level jet became established over the Mississippi Valley. Isolated severe thunderstorms occurred during the afternoon hours near a surface warm front lifting north across the Lower Ohio Valley. During the evening, widespread storms including isolated severe storms occurred ahead of a cold front surging eastward across the Ozark Mountains. The strong supply of warm and moist air fueled heavy rainfall and some local flash flooding southwest of a Paducah to Murray line overnight.

One-quarter to one-half inch of ice coated trees and power lines across western Kentucky. The highest accumulations of ice were from the Murray area, northeast across Kentucky Lake, to Madisonville and Calhoun. The freezing rain started as a period of heavy snow and sleet in some areas, mainly from Paducah to Madisonville and points north. Up to an inch of snow and sleet accumulated in the Henderson and Owensboro areas. Scattered power outages were reported across western Kentucky. In the Pennyrile area east of Kentucky Lake, a utility company reported 2,000 customers without power. Some tree branches were brought down by the ice. Roads started off very slick with numerous accidents, but they became mainly wet as temperatures rose into the lower 30's. In Calloway County, three accidents were reported in 20 minutes. The bridge carrying U.S. Highway 45 across the Ohio River between Paducah and Brookport was closed due to ice on the metal bridge deck. In Marshall County, downed power lines blocked the intersection of Highways 641 and 58. A vigorous fast-moving Pacific storm system that originated off the Baja of California raced northeast. A strong warm front moved as far north as the Tennessee Valley. Widespread heavy precipitation north of the warm front resulted in significant icing across western Kentucky, along with some minor accumulations of sleet and snow.

A disturbance in the upper levels of the atmosphere lifted northeast across the Lower Ohio Valley. This disturbance ushered in warmer air aloft. Rain fell into a shallow layer of sub-freezing air near the surface, resulting in freezing rain. Where the layer of sub-freezing air was deeper, the precipitation fell as sleet. In the Tennessee border area from Murray eastward to Hopkinsville and Elkton, around one-quarter inch of ice coated all surfaces. Trees and power lines were ice-covered. Roads were ice-covered and hazardous. Scattered power outages were reported in the Murray area. Across the remainder of western Kentucky away from the Murray to Hopkinsville corridor, ice accumulations were mainly one-tenth inch or less.

A winter storm produced a variety of precipitation types across western Kentucky. The precipitation changed from rain to freezing rain, then to sleet, and finally to snow in most areas. The wintry precipitation started late in the evening across most areas, but not until early the next morning in the Hopkinsville area. The heaviest accumulations of snow and sleet were in the Ohio River counties from Henderson through Paducah to Ballard County, where 4 to 6 inches fell on top of a quarter inch of ice. Isolated amounts up to 7 inches were measured in Ballard County. Along the Tennessee border from Murray to the Hopkinsville area, about one-quarter to one-half inch of icing occurred, followed by up to an inch of sleet and snow. In between the Tennessee border counties and the aforementioned Ohio River counties, two to four inches of sleet and snow along with up to one-quarter inch of ice was reported. This included Owensboro, Madisonville, Princeton, and Mayfield. The freezing rain caused some sagging of power lines and trees, especially where glazing was the heaviest in the Hopkinsville area. Isolated power outages were reported. Where precipitation changed to snow, it fell heavily for a few hours. Visibility was reduced below one-half mile, and snowfall rates were at least an inch per hour. An off-duty meteorologist near Paducah reported nearly two inches of snow per hour. Roads were very slick and hazardous across all of western Kentucky, with numerous accidents reported. A tractor-trailer rig jackknifed on Interstate 24 between Paducah and Reidland. Another tractor-trailer rig jackknifed on the Natcher Parkway near the Owensboro by-pass. Non-essential travel was discouraged in the hardest hit counties, such as Ballard County. A state of emergency was declared in Henderson County. At a farm on State Route 1377 southeast of Bardwell (in Carlisle County), a section of a chicken house roof about 200 feet long collapsed. The roof structure of an immediately adjacent chicken house was compromised. These same areas of roof structure were likely weakened by a severe thunderstorm wind event on October 31, 2013. An arctic cold front swept east across the region, bringing much colder air. As the depth of the cold air increased behind the front, precipitation changed from freezing rain to sleet and then to snow in most areas. A pair of disturbances in the upper levels of the atmosphere moved northeast across the region, causing wintry precipitation to become heavy at times.

A strong low pressure system tracked northeast across the St. Louis area into northern Illinois. Strong west winds developed behind a cold front that swept across western Kentucky. West winds were sustained from 20 to 35 mph, with frequent gusts from 40 to 55 mph. Measured peak wind gusts included: 56 mph at Princeton, 54 mph at Paducah, 53 mph at Hopkinsville, 51 mph at Calhoun, 50 mph at Wingo (southwest Graves County), Murray, Madisonville, Central City, and Calvert City, 48 mph at Owensboro and Hickman, 47 mph near Cadiz and Morganfield, 46 mph near Marion, and 45 mph at Henderson. There was minor damage to some trees, and a few whole trees were uprooted. Tree limbs landed across roads at scattered locations in many counties. A large restaurant sign and a fence was blown over in Paducah. In McCracken County, at least a couple of houses lost shingles, and a newly built plastic greenhouse was destroyed. Two buildings at a community college in Paducah sustained moderate roof damage. Isolated power outages were reported in Union and Webster Counties. A metal awning was blown off a business in Sturgis in Union County.

Strong southwest winds developed between low pressure approaching from the northwest and high pressure to the southeast. The winds gusted as high as 47 mph at Owensboro. A large tree limb landed on a power line near Paducah, causing a power outage.

A powerful mid-level shortwave trough ejected east-northeast across the southern Plains, reaching the lower and mid Mississippi Valley during the night. In the lower levels, a low intensified as it tracked from Oklahoma into southern Missouri during the day, then across the Lower Ohio Valley in the evening. To the east of the low, a warm front advanced northward to the Lower Ohio Valley. Storms moving east-northeast evolved into an extensive QLCS (quasi-linear convective system) that produced scattered wind damage and a few tornadoes. Preceding the QLCS, widespread heavy rain accompanied the warm front.

Measured peak wind gusts included: 48 mph at Hopkinsville and Henderson, and 47 mph at Benton. Gusts were estimated around 55 mph in the Owensboro area, where some trees were blown down. A few roads were blocked by the trees. A roof was blown off an old, dilapidated mobile home near Murray. A tree fell on a power line north of Murray. A power line was blown down in Lone Oak, just southwest of Paducah. Small power outages were reported across western Kentucky. A strengthening low pressure system tracked northeast from the southern Plains, passing across the Lower Ohio Valley. Just to the south of the low pressure center's path, strong southwest winds gusted from 40 to 55 mph at times.

A low pressure system tracked eastward across western Tennessee. A warm front lifted northward ahead of this system, causing freezing rain. In the Henderson and Owensboro areas, around one-quarter inch of glaze formed on most surfaces, including trees and power lines. The main impact was on travel. Roads became hazardous due to ice and slush. There was slightly less precipitation south and west of the Henderson and Owensboro areas, where less than one-quarter inch of glaze formed. The duration and impact of the ice diminished toward the south. Along and south of a Paducah to Madisonville line, the freezing rain resulted in just a few minor accidents.

Strong south winds developed ahead of a cold front trailing south from an unseasonably strong low pressure system over the Upper Mississippi Valley. Peak wind gusts were from 40 to 50 mph. Some tree limbs were blown down, taking power lines with them. Scattered power outages were reported in Marshall County.

A deepening low pressure center tracked north-northeast from northeast Texas to eastern Missouri, then eventually into Iowa. Strong southeast winds gradually turned into the southwest. Peak gusts were generally from 40 to 48 mph across western Kentucky. A trained spotter in Owensboro measured a peak gust of 48 mph. An off-duty meteorologist at Calvert City in northern Marshall County measured a gust to 46 mph. In Paducah, an 85-foot tall radio communication tower on top of a hospital broke off about 17 feet up from the base. The tower landed across the hospital roof. Scattered power outages were reported due to weakened tree limbs falling on power lines.

A powerful low pressure system moved northeast across central Illinois. Damaging southwest winds occurred during the day as solar heating warmed the lower atmosphere. The highest reported measured wind gust in western Kentucky was 73 mph at the Owensboro airport. Other peak wind gusts included 63 mph at the Paducah airport, 63 mph at a mesonet site near Madisonville, 62 mph at a mesonet site north of Hopkinsville in Christian County, 61 mph at Fort Campbell, and 58 mph at a mesonet site near Princeton. An unofficial observing site at Murray State University measured a 65 mph gust. Where the January 27 ice storm left weakened and hanging tree limbs, the wind caused another round of power outages. Power was restored to most of those who lost power in the high winds within several hours. Trees and limbs were blown down, and a few trees were even uprooted. Several roads in each county were obstructed by fallen tree limbs or roadside brush blowing into the roadway. A number of roofs were damaged across western Kentucky, and a few were blown off. Signs were damaged or blown over. A future lawn and garden center under construction was blown down in Paducah. A grocery store in Reidland (just east of Paducah) lost part of its roof. A few power poles were broken in Murray. In Calloway County, winds took off the metal roof of a shop building just outside Murray on Ky 121, blew over a shed on Crossland Road, blew a large tree onto a house in Murray, and caused some damage to the roof of a large manufacturing building. A Calloway County road was blocked by live power lines. At Fort Campbell near Hopkinsville, wind caused an estimated 200,000 dollars damage to residential structures. An estimated 2,500 homes sustained at least minor damage, such as stripped shingles. Sheds were damaged or blown over. In Hopkins County, numerous trees and power lines were down. A mobile home was blown over at Princeton. A farm supply store in Crittenden County lost part of its roof. Two brick buildings in downtown Morganfield (Union County) partially collapsed. A total of six vehicles parked in front of the collapsed buildings were damaged by falling debris. Three tractor-trailer rigs were overturned in Henderson County, including two on the Pennyrile Parkway and one on the Audubon Parkway. In Muhlenberg County, widespread power outages were reported, and the roof of a school in Bremen was partially peeled off. Sections of metal siding were blown off the Pennyrile Mall in Hopkinsville. In Cadiz (Trigg County), a few buildings were unroofed. Portions of a large shed roof were damaged in northern Graves County.

This historic, prolonged ice storm was called the biggest disaster in modern Kentucky history by the governor of Kentucky. The storm produced at least one inch of ice across western Kentucky. Locally very destructive icing around 1.5 inches occurred from the Mississippi River counties east across Paducah and Madisonville to Owensboro. This resulted in unprecedented damage to utility infrastructure in western Kentucky. One hundred percent of residents in the hardest-hit counties from the Mississippi River to Madisonville were affected by power outages. A utility company serving areas from Ballard to Livingston Counties reported that 20 percent of its system had to be rebuilt. The same company estimated damage to its system alone between 20 and 30 million dollars. At least 5,000 utility poles were broken or down. Power outages averaged about one week in duration, though outages varied greatly in length. Power restoration was slowed by strong gusty winds that started a few days after the storm. Outages generally lasted several days for residents of larger cities, and weeks for rural residents. Several thousand customers in rural counties remained without power three weeks after the storm. During the initial 24 to 48 hours after the storm, gasoline and kerosene were difficult to obtain. Some of the few stores that were open rationed food, supplies, and gas in the 48 hours following the storm. National Guard troops were called upon to assist with food and water distribution at the many shelters that were established. The troops helped clear roads, enforce curfews, and conduct door-to-door welfare checks. More Kentucky National Guard troops were activated for this storm than for the 1997 floods or Hurricane Katrina support. Many thousands of people stayed in shelters during the cold days and nights after the storm. Several hundred people stayed at a shelter in Owensboro, and hundreds more were at a Paducah shelter. Curfews were imposed from dusk to dawn for a few days following the storm. The storm was directly responsible for the death of an elderly man in Hopkins County who died of hypothermia. The 84-year-old man was discovered in his mobile home in White Plains. Nobody had been able to check on him during the ice storm, so the exact date of his death was undetermined. Ten other deaths were indirectly blamed on the ice storm. In Henderson County, a 48-year-old woman at home alone died from hypothermia. The woman had no power and no heat. Her pre-existing health problems were a major contributor to her death. In Calloway County, a 67-year-old man died from a combination of health problems including the hypothermia that prompted his admission to the hospital. Eight more fatalities were indirectly blamed on the storm. In Webster County, four people died during the ice storm. Two fell victim to heart attacks while moving broken branches or shovelling snow. One man died from carbon monoxide poisoning while staying warm in a running vehicle. Another person died because an ambulance could not reach the victim. In Christian and Graves Counties, a man in each county died of carbon monoxide poisoning from a generator. In Trigg County, a man died in a fire caused by an alternate heat source. In McCracken County, a utility worker died during a mishap involving a falling transformer and pole. Numerous injuries (indirect) occurred as a result of carbon monoxide poisoning, breathing fumes from stoves, heart stress, slips and falls, and gastrointestinal problems from eating spoiled food. An accurate estimate of the number of injuries was not available. A teenage boy in Hopkins County was seriously injured (direct) when a large tree limb fell on him. Dozens of house fires were sparked by alternate heat sources or electrical problems, including eleven fires on just one night. Most phone and internet communication was lost in the days following the storm. Both land line and cell phone service was spotty at best. Many cell phone towers were damaged or inoperable due to power outages. Due to power outages, some water and sewer plants were inoperable for a time. Tap water was not available in some communities. Many radio stations were off the air due to power outages. Tree damage was widespread. Most trees lost limbs, and some whole trees came down. Besides landing on utility lines, tree limbs landed on roads, cars, and houses. Downed trees and power lines even blocked lanes of Interstate 24 and the Purchase Parkway in spots. Most major roads were opened within 24 hours, but secondary roads were blocked for a week or more in some cases. Removal of tree debris by FEMA contractors from around the nation was expected to last well into the spring.||An area of low pressure formed along the Gulf Coast, then tracked slowly east-northeast. High pressure remained anchored west of the Great Lakes, keeping a cold northeast wind flow in place in the lowest levels of the atmosphere. Copious amounts of moisture moved up from the southwest and overrode the cold air in the low levels. This moisture interacted with a couple of disturbances in the upper levels of the atmosphere moving from west to east across the region. Some sleet was observed during the first several hours of the storm, and the storm ended with a few hours of snow that accumulated from one to two inches. Otherwise, the vast majority of the precipitation fell as freezing rain. From the Hopkinsville area east, temperatures hovered at or just a degree above freezing for most of the storm. This resulted in less ice accumulation and a significantly lower impact there. Across western Kentucky, liquid equivalents from three to four inches were common. The official county historian for Crittenden County stated this was the worst ice storm in the 167 years of the county's history. She stated this storm was worse than the major ice storm in February of 2008 and the one in 1902.

Frequent wind gusts from 60 to nearly 80 mph caused widespread damage in western Kentucky. The low pressure center that was the remnant of Hurricane Ike raced northeast at 40 to 50 mph across Missouri and Illinois. The center passed between Carbondale and St. Louis on its way toward the northeastern states. The rapid speed of the low pressure system contributed to this high wind event. ||Several counties reported hundreds of structures sustained roof and siding damage. Other counties reported dozens of damaged structures. The county of Crittenden alone estimated 1,500 homes sustained some degree of wind damage. Extensive tree damage occurred. Thousands of trees were uprooted and very large limbs were broken. Some trees fell on homes and vehicles, causing considerable damage. Hundreds of insurance claims were filed in each county for damaged vehicles and buildings. Dozens of roads in each county were blocked by downed trees and power lines. Well over a hundred roads were blocked in the most forested counties. About 280 roads and streets were blocked in Crittenden County. Large signs were blown down. Numerous fences were blown down. A number of awnings were damaged. Traffic lights were ripped off lines. The communications tower for the sheriff's department radio system was blown down in Marion (Crittenden County). Numerous power poles and utility lines were down, including power poles that were snapped. Over 30 power poles were snapped in Paducah alone. Approximately two-thirds of western Kentucky was without power at the peak of the outages. Complete power restoration took six days, though the vast majority of customers were back on line within 72 hours. Schools were closed in some counties until power was restored. Expenses of two utility companies in far western Kentucky were estimated at one million dollars per company. A utility company noted that the damage to its infrastructure could exceed that caused by the February ice storm. Most injuries were caused by trees or limbs falling on people clearing debris during the high winds. Seventeen of the injuries occurred in Hopkins County, and seventeen additional injuries requiring hospital treatment occurred in Daviess County. The only injury in Caldwell County was critical. A local hospital in the Madisonville area reported treating twelve people for minor storm-related injuries. In Graves County, one man was injured when a tree fell onto his house in Mayfield. The man sustained a cut under his right eye and a head injury when part of the roof hit him. He was treated and released from a local hospital. In Henderson County, one person was injured when a tree fell on a camper and trapped the victim. The Daviess County and Owensboro 911 dispatch centers received a combined total of 770 emergency calls related to the storm. A State of Emergency was declared in a number of counties, including Daviess, Lyon, Hickman, and Carlisle. The governor declared a statewide State of Emergency. Emergency shelters for those without power or shelter were established in a few counties such as Daviess, Carlisle, and Graves. ||Peak wind gusts were measured to 78 mph at a barge-loading facility near Grand Rivers. An off-duty National Weather Service meteorologist measured a gust to 75 mph at Calvert City. Other measured wind gusts included 73 mph at the Owensboro courthouse, 67 mph at Madisonville, 66 mph in Muhlenberg County southwest of Greenville, and 64 mph in the northwest corner of Christian County. A wind speed of 62 mph was sustained for 15 minutes at a mesonet station in Bardwell in Carlisle County. ||Daviess County reported 111 structures sustained major damage, 550 received minor damage, and nine were destroyed. Daviess County officials believed minor damage was significantly under reported, with perhaps another 1,000 structures receiving minor damage. The west wall on the second floor of an Owensboro business collapsed. A church steeple was heavily damaged in Owensboro. In Carlisle County alone, 20 homes and mobile homes were destroyed due to falling trees. Carlisle and Graves Counties reported hundreds of homes sustained varying degrees of wind damage, mainly to roofs. Only four houses were uninhabitable in Graves County. At least 250 structures were damaged in Fulton County. More than 100 homes and 30 to 40 barns in Ballard County received minor damage. In Mclean County, half the roof was blown off the Sacramento Elementary School. In Palma in Marshall County, a large front porch and roof was blown off a home. Roofs of several businesses in Benton (Marshall County) were severely damaged or partially blown off. The roof was blown off a factory in Earlington (Hopkins County). Numerous corn fields were flattened, and roofs were peeled off chicken houses in Fulton County. Five tobacco barns were knocked down in Graves County, and seven other tobacco barns caught fire in Calloway County. Numerous small fires were started as a result of damaged electrical lines. Some of the fires were grass and brush fires, and others involved homes and businesses. In Mclean County, one house in Sacramento was destroyed by a fire. Another fire burned 150 acres of farmland on Highway 136 in Calhoun. Windows were blown out of several buildings in McCracken and Graves Counties, as well as the towns of Eddyville, Providence, and Dawson Springs. Shingles were blown off the Paducah National Weather Service office at the airport, and the roof was blown off a nearby hangar under construction. A tractor-trailer rig was blown over on Interstate 24 near a Paducah exit, causing traffic to be detoured. In Webster County, a train struck a fallen tree on the tracks. There were no injuries or major damage. The Natcher Bridge over the Ohio River near Owensboro was closed when a crane barge broke free from its moorings and crashed into the piers. No major damage was reported to the bridge. On Kentucky Lake, the winds created high waves and raised water levels. The winds and waves sank barges, overturned docks, and washed dozens of boats onshore. Six barges loaded with coal sank near Grand Rivers.

A strong low pressure system tracked east-northeast across central Illinois during the morning. Strong west winds developed in the wake of a strong cold front that raced eastward across the Lower Ohio and Mid Mississippi Valleys. Peak wind gusts were generally from 45 to 50 mph at most locations. Numerous tree limbs were blown down across western Kentucky. In Hopkins County, a tree was blown down across the southbound lane of Highway 1337. Power outages in Marshall and Calloway Counties were caused by trees blown onto power lines. In Trigg County, a large tree limb fell on a car in Cadiz. The car was severely damaged. Three small trees fell across city streets in Cadiz, closing them.

Low pressure organized over Louisiana, spreading precipitation northeast along a warm front that extended into the Ohio Valley. Arctic high pressure over the Great Lakes region produced a cold northeast wind flow near the surface. This shallow cold air was responsible for freezing rain. Although this was the second ice storm in only ten days, ice accumulations were much less serious than the crippling ice storm on February 11. One-quarter to one-half inch of ice accumulated in the Ohio River counties from Paducah to Owensboro, as well as Ballard, Hopkins, and Webster Counties. Many schools and businesses were closed for this second round of ice. A tree fell on a power line near Madisonville, knocking out power to a couple hundred homes. Numerous tree limbs fell into power lines in Madisonville. Kentucky State Police worked eight wrecks in Hopkins County, mostly on the Western Kentucky and Pennyrile Parkways. Hopkins County and Madisonville law enforcement agencies worked about 20 accidents. Although less ice accumulated to the south and east, traffic problems were also widespread. Interstate 24 was closed both east and westbound in the Hopkinsville area, where dozens of accidents occurred. Local hospitals treated four people for injuries due to slips, falls, and accidents. The Western Kentucky Parkway was littered with cars off the side of the road. The main effect of this winter storm was to slow down cleanup efforts following the major ice storm on Feb. 11.

Strong south winds gusted from 45 to 50 mph. The peak wind gust was 47 mph at Paducah, 46 mph at Hopkinsville, and 45 mph at Owensboro. Shingles were blown off some roofs in the Owensboro area. The strong winds occurred in advance of a strong cold front that moved across southern Illinois during the late afternoon. The strong winds brought down some tree limbs that were laden with ice from the February 11 ice storm. This caused a setback in efforts to restore power following the ice storm.

Low pressure developed over the southern Plains, spreading widespread heavy precipitation across western Kentucky. At the same time, high pressure over the upper Ohio Valley produced a cold easterly wind flow. The result was a crippling ice storm. Around one inch of ice caused extensive damage across parts of western Kentucky, along and north of a line from Paducah to Madisonville. Many of those same areas received two to four inches of sleet and snow. Numerous trees and power lines were brought down, knocking out power to many thousands of homes. Power outages lasted up to a week. Emergency shelters were established in several counties (including Livingston, Crittenden, and Hopkins Counties) for those without power for extended periods. The National Guard was mobilized in Crittenden and Livingston Counties to help conduct door-to-door welfare checks and direct traffic. Many roads were covered by downed trees and tree limbs. Even some major roads such as U.S. Highway 60 were closed or impassable for over 24 hours in Livingston and Crittenden Counties. Travel there was banned for all but emergency traffic. Near Paducah, a fatal accident occurred shortly after the onset of freezing rain (indirect fatality). A woman lost control of her SUV in a curve and hit a tree at 45 mph. That wreck was one of 14 weather-related crashes in McCracken County. A section of the Western Kentucky Parkway was closed from the Pennyrile Parkway to Dawson Springs while tree debris was cleared from the road. All roads into and out of Dawson Springs were blocked by trees at one point.

A powerful cold front moved rapidly southeast across western Kentucky during the late afternoon hours. An organized line of severe thunderstorms developed along the front as it crossed southeast Missouri, then swept east across western Kentucky. Widespread damaging winds accompanied the line of storms. Temperatures fell about 30 degrees in less than one hour when the very strong cold front passed through.

Severe drought conditions near the Tennessee border at the start of the month overspread the remainder of western Kentucky. By the end of the month, the severe drought worsened to the extreme drought category for all but the Henderson/Owensboro area. A persistent 500 mb high over the southeast and south central U.S. steered rain-producing systems north and west of Kentucky. At Paducah, August 28 was the only day of the month when more than .01 inch fell. A thunderstorm on that day dropped 1.16 inches. The monthly total of 1.17 inches was the eighth lowest on record for August. Some locations in western Kentucky were running 12 to 18 inches below normal for the year-to-date. Paducah was 7.08 inches below normal. The Commonwealth of Kentucky maintained a Water Shortage Watch for Muhlenberg County, where dry conditions created the potential for drinking water supply problems. The city of Marion in Crittenden County asked residents to voluntarily reduce water use and limit outdoor watering. Marion residents were asked to follow an odd/even watering schedule. In Christian County, the water authority asked customers to limit landscape watering to four days per week. The main impact of the dry conditions was the low production of hay for livestock feed. The USDA declared 17 Kentucky counties agricultural disaster areas due to ongoing drought. These counties along the Tennessee border were designated as contiguous disaster areas. Soil moisture deficits in the top 12 inches of soil were running up to one to one and one-half inches below normal. Statewide, 71 percent of pasture land, 19 percent of the tobacco crop, 37 percent of the soybean crop, and 25 percent of the corn crop was rated poor or very poor. Crop damage estimates were not available yet. Fire danger was high to extreme at times, depending on wind and relative humidity levels. A few large fires in excess of 100 acres occurred. A woods fire that threatened a TVA power plant near Drakesboro in Muhlenberg County burned about 450 acres. Another fire in northern Graves County between Mayfield and Fancy Farm torched about 200 acres, mostly farm fields. In the southeast corner of Graves County near Bell City, another fire burned about 250 acres of grass, cornfields, and woods. A burn ban was initiated in all western Kentucky counties. Due to low flows on rivers, hydroelectric power generated at dams owned by the Tennessee Valley Authority was less than half of normal. Low water levels on the major rivers forced barge operators to lighten loads.

A deepening low pressure system moved north across the Lower Ohio Valley. Strong and gusty winds occurred in the wake of this low. Wind gusts were clocked as high as 56 MPH by an off-duty meteorologist in Calvert City in northern Marshall County. A wind gust to 52 MPH was measured at the Henderson airport. Sustained wind speeds up to 39 MPH were measured at Barkley Regional Airport in Paducah. There were some trees and power lines down, including a few trees in the Paducah area. Scattered power outages occurred, such as east of Canton in Trigg County. A number of trees were down in southern Caldwell County. A large tree was blown down across a residence in Hopkinsville. In Murray, a large tree fell across Main Street in front of Murray State University, blocking the road for several hours.

A record-setting winter storm dumped up to 18 inches of snow across western Kentucky, closing Interstate 24 and shutting down most businesses near the peak of the Christmas shopping season. The heaviest snowfall, from 12 to 18 inches, occurred along and north of a line from Paducah to Princeton (Caldwell County) to Greenville (Muhlenberg County). Closer to the Tennessee border, the precipitation was slower to change from sleet and freezing rain to snow, which greatly reduced snowfall amounts. From 3 to 9 inches of sleet and snow, along with up to a quarter inch of ice accumulation, was reported from Fulton and Murray, eastward across Hopkinsville, to Elkton. Where sleet and freezing rain lowered accumulations, travel conditions were no better than elsewhere. Travel was extremely difficult due to near-blizzard conditions. A 29-mile stretch of Interstate 24 was shut down in both directions after snow drifts made it impassable. The governor declared a state of emergency. The National Guard was mobilized to assist over 1,000 motorists who were stranded for as long as 24 hours along that stretch of highway, which extended from Trigg County across Caldwell and Lyon Counties. Other sections of the highway were closed for shorter periods of time. Hundreds of travelers were taken to shelters at area high schools and churches. Hotels were totally full from the Tennessee state line to the Kentucky Lake region. The gridlock on I-24 began when a semi overturned near Cadiz at mile marker 59. As vehicles waited for the wreck to be cleared, deepening snow drifts made the highway impassable, even to some plows and graders. State plowing was halted for hours in Fulton and Hickman Counties due to near blizzard conditions. Numerous vehicles were abandoned on roads across western Kentucky. Gusty north winds from 15 to 25 MPH with a few gusts to 35 MPH caused blowing and drifting of snow, with drifts up to 5 feet reported. The snow fell in two waves, the first during the early and mid morning hours, and the second from mid-afternoon through about midnight. The early morning heavy snow produced 4 inches at Paducah. The second and more prolonged period of heavy snow dumped an additional 10 inches at Paducah. The total of 14 inches set a new 24-hour snowfall record at Paducah, and it was more than the normal 10 inches for the entire winter. Most travel, including that by police and other emergency workers, was done in four-wheel drive vehicles. Five-foot drifts in open, rural areas made roads impassable even to some off-road vehicles. National Guard humvees were used for emergency purposes. Mail delivery was suspended in most areas for at least one day. The weight of the snow caused several roofs to collapse, including that of a furniture store in Paducah, a lumber company in Benton, and two commercial buildings in Owensboro. At least two marinas on Kentucky Lake and Lake Barkley were extensively damaged. In Marshall County, a 50-foot dock collapsed due to the weight of the snow and ice, damaging or destroying some of the 46 boats sheltered there. At a marina in northern Trigg County, the roofs over four of five docks collapsed onto 80-foot houseboats and yachts. Damage was estimated at 1.2 million dollars. One fatality was indirectly attributed to the storm. A 64-year-old man died of a heart attack while shovelling snow at his home in the community of Folsomdale in Graves County. The Owensboro and Paducah Airports were closed for about a day. Isolated power outages occurred, primarily in areas that received the most sleet and ice, from Muhlenberg County to Christian, Todd, and Trigg Counties. Around 1,000 homes were without power in Todd County. For a few days, many stores were out of certain items due to delayed deliveries. Preliminary snow depth reports from co-operative observers included: 16 inches at Owensboro, 10 inches on the north side of Mayfield and at Dawson Springs, 6 inches at Canton (Trigg County), and 3 inches at Hopkinsville. Recovery efforts were slowed by gusty winds and bitterly cold arctic air, as low as 8 below zero on Christmas morning.

A line of severe thunderstorms produced wind gusts around 60 MPH at many locations in western Kentucky. Numerous trees were blown down, some of which landed on roads and power lines. Wind gusts were clocked at 58 MPH at the Paducah National Weather Service office, and 60 MPH at a Paducah television station. At least 40 places in McCracken County had power lines, tree limbs, or trees across roads. One tree was on a house, and two trees fell on vehicles. A tree fell on a gas line, causing a major gas leak. In Livingston County, a roof was torn off a mobile home on Highway 60 in Burna. Trees were down in about 65 locations in Crittenden County, 8 in Ballard County, and 10 in Hickman County. A tornado with a 2-mile path length occurred near Providence in Webster County. Isolated strong downbursts with winds up to 90 MPH occurred in northwest Kentucky. A couple of miles southwest of Spottsville in Henderson County, peak winds estimated near 90 MPH blew a roof and wall off a mobile home. Utility companies reported about 8500 customers without power in Henderson, Union, and Webster Counties. Some roofs were damaged, mainly by falling trees in Henderson. A barn and grain bins were destroyed one mile east of Henderson. Roofs of two businesses in Henderson were damaged, including the Wal-Mart store. Two or three barns were destroyed in western Henderson County. In northern Hopkins County, straight-line winds near 65 MPH downed a couple dozen trees at Nebo, including one that fell on a house. A mobile home was damaged at Nebo, and trees were down north of Hanson. The most widespread damaging winds were north and west of a line from Murray (Calloway County) to Central City (Muhlenberg County). West of Murray, fallen trees blocked Highway 121. In the Land-Between-The-Lakes National Recreation Area, the Turkey Bay off-road vehicle area was closed due to tree damage.

Severe thunderstorms with widespread damaging winds moved east from southern Illinois, passing across Union, Henderson, and Daviess Counties. A series of intense downbursts with peak winds up to 120 MPH struck northern Daviess County. The severe damage was concentrated in a 5-mile wide path from Stanley through Owensboro to Yelvington. Approximately 40 to 50 houses received major damage, mostly due to trees falling on them. Another 40 to 50 homes received minor damage. Several barns and garages were destroyed. A house roof was blown off. Hundreds of downed trees, power lines, and power poles blocked numerous roads. A woman was trapped in her vehicle when a tree fell on it. An irrigation rig was overturned in the Stanley area, and at least one trailer was blown off its foundation. Debris and even a whole building blocked roads in the Stanley area of Daviess County. Damage in Union and Henderson Counties consisted of widespread tree damage. Trees were down across many primary roads, including the Pennyrile Parkway and U.S. Highways 41 and 60. A National Weather Service damage survey estimated peak winds near Geneva in Henderson County were near 75 MPH. At Geneva, numerous trees were down, a sun room was blown off a house, and there was minor structural damage such as broken windows and shingles off roofs. One large tree limb fell through the wall of a house. A survey of the damage in eastern Henderson County revealed a very short-track tornado near Spottsville. In Union County, many trees were down in Uniontown and Morganfield, and some power poles were snapped off. Some roof damage occurred at a shopping center on Highway 60 West near Morganfield, as well as two job corps center buildings in the same area. In the same location about a mile west of Morganfield, 50 to 75 trees were down. A garage was damaged in Uniontown. A National Weather Service damage survey indicated peak winds were near 75 MPH at Uniontown. The vast majority of significant damage was in the northern half of Union, Henderson, and Daviess Counties. Several trees were blown down in extreme northern Mclean County at Beech Grove.

An isolated severe thunderstorm that crossed into western Kentucky from Cairo, Illinois evolved into a line of thunderstorms as it progressed east. This line of thunderstorms produced scattered pockets of damaging wind, mostly along and north of a line from Paducah to Owensboro. Several thousand utility customers were without power in Ballard, McCracken, and Livingston Counties. Isolated occurrences of large hail occurred across far western Kentucky.

One of the latest spring snows on record occurred over parts of western Kentucky. The highest accumulation of 4.7 inches was measured in southern Muhlenberg County. Elsewhere, accumulations were generally 1 to 3 inches over the Pennyrile region, from the Owensboro area south to the Hopkinsville area. Three inches was reported at Central City in northern Muhlenberg County and at Whitesville in eastern Daviess County. Up to 2 inches of snow was measured along the Tennessee border south of Mayfield and Murray. Despite rather warm ground temperatures, the snow fell hard enough to accumulate on roadways. Two fatal vehicle accidents in Muhlenberg County were blamed on hazardous road conditions. On the Western Kentucky Parkway, a van skidded on ice and crossed the median, striking a tractor-trailer rig head on. Three persons in the van were killed. The westbound lanes of the parkway were closed for several hours. Another accident on Kentucky 601 near Graham took the life of a 43-year-old man. The man's pickup truck slid sideways into the path of an oncoming vehicle. About a dozen other accidents occurred in Muhlenberg County, and close to 40 accidents or slide-offs occurred in Christian County / Hopkinsville. The heavy wet snow brought down some tree limbs. A few power outages were reported in Hopkinsville, and cable lines were down near Central City. The late winter weather created very unusual scenes of tulip blossoms and other spring flowers covered with snow. Snow removal efforts were delayed due to the fact some highway maintenance crews had put away their plows and salt spreaders until next winter. The snow was caused by a low pressure system moving across the Tennessee Valley combined with an upper level low approaching from the northwest.

The areas of western Kentucky hardest hit by this ice storm were close to the Indiana border, including the Henderson and Owensboro regions, where about one half inch of ice coated trees, power lines, and roads. Sporadic power outages occurred as wind brought down ice-laden tree limbs and power lines. At the height of the outages, about 2500 customers were without power. Power was restored to all but 175 homes by the end of the day following the ice storm. Cell phone towers were damaged, causing widespread cell phone outages. Numerous vehicle wrecks occurred, but none with serious injuries. Some of the wrecks involved salt trucks and tow trucks losing control on the ice. A four-vehicle wreck on an Audubon Parkway ramp at Kentucky 1554 involved a tow truck that slid into a wreck scene it was sent to clear. One person was slightly injured in that wreck. The state police post at Henderson worked about 55 accidents in its area, while the Henderson County Sheriff Department responded to 20 accidents. A spokesman for the state police post at Henderson reported the worst road conditions he had seen in years. Henderson County road crews were pulled off the roads due to "impassable" conditions for a time during the ice storm. Some schools cancelled classes on the day after the ice storm because power was not fully restored, and some tree limbs were still on roadways. The ice may have caused a house fire in Henderson. An ice-covered tree limb fell on a power line, causing a power surge that started a fire in the basement and spread up to the kitchen. South of the Owensboro and Henderson areas, ice accumulations were around one quarter inch as far south as a Paducah to Hopkinsville line. Most of the ice in this more southern area was on trees and power lines, resulting in fewer accidents, but there were still a number of tree limbs falling on power lines. In rural Hopkins County, about 3,000 customers lost power in the Dawson Springs, Earlington, Hanson, and St. Charles areas. In Madisonville, about 400 customers lost power. Only three weather-related accidents were reported to the state police post at Madisonville. Two people received minor injuries in a one-car crash on Highway 1668, a rural secondary road in Crittenden County.

A complex of thunderstorms organized into a squall line as it crossed western Kentucky. Several locations reported damaging wind gusts from 60 to 70 MPH. In Paducah, the ceiling of a business was damaged, and about a dozen trees were blown down. One of the trees landed on a garage and vehicle. In the Marshall County town of Fairdealing, vinyl siding was blown off a house, and a tree was blown onto another house. In Graves County, numerous large trees were down, including 15 to 20 very large trees uprooted near Folsomdale. Around a dozen trees and large limbs were blown down in Murray, mainly on the west side of the city. Some of the trees and limbs fell across roads and power lines. Several large trees were blown down in and around Cadiz in Trigg County. In Henderson County, tree limbs and power poles were blown down. A roof was blown off a barn west of Utica in Daviess County. In Madisonville, a business was unroofed and trees were down on cars and houses. Over 30 trees were down in Caldwell County, including some on homes and cars. Estimated gusts to 65 MPH in Todd County uprooted large trees.

A major winter storm brought significant snow and ice accumulations to all of western Kentucky. The precipitation type ranged from mostly freezing rain along the Tennessee border to mostly snow at Henderson and Owensboro. Ice accumulations in some of the Tennessee border counties were between one and two inches, causing widespread power outages and downed tree limbs. Further north, places from Paducah to Madisonville received several inches of snow, topped by around one half inch of ice accumulation. Northernmost counties, including the Owensboro and Henderson areas, received about 4 inches of snow and one quarter inch of ice. Schools were closed for the remainder of the week. Travel was heavily impacted by the winter storm. Hundreds of vehicle accidents occurred, including a couple with fatalities (indirect storm fatalities). One man was killed when his vehicle crossed the median and hit a semi on the Pennyrile Parkway near the Henderson/Webster County line. Two men were killed when their van overturned on Interstate 24 at the U.S. 45 interchange near Paducah. In the Tennessee border area, especially Fulton, Hickman, Carlisle, southern Graves, and southern Marshall Counties, power was not fully restored for four days. Carlisle County officials estimated 80 percent of the county was without power. Several counties established shelters for those without power. A local utility company reported this was the worst ice storm since 1983, with thousands of downed trees and limbs. Many of the tree limbs landed across roadways. A large tree limb fell through a house in Mayfield, causing damage to a bedroom. The winter storm began during the early morning hours and ended late the following night.

Strong west winds gusted from 40 to 50 MPH for several hours around the back side of an intense low pressure system. Some exact wind measurements from automated observing sites included: 42 MPH at Paducah, 40 MPH at Owensboro, and 47 MPH at Henderson. Observers at Fort Campbell near Hopkinsville reported a gust to 50 MPH. The strong winds caused some damage to power lines, especially in the Owensboro area. About 1,000 customers were without power when wind damaged lines along Kentucky 1389. In Owensboro, an antenna and a tree limb were down at a couple of residences. On the Ohio River near Owensboro, a fishing tournament was stopped by the dangerous winds and waves. One boat sank and several fishermen were stranded on an island. Coast Guard and other emergency personnel rescued boaters, and there were no injuries.

Most of western Kentucky was affected by a short period of strong south winds, generally lasting an hour or two. Winds gusted to between 40 and 50 MPH at many places south and east of Paducah. Near Mayfield in Graves County, a spotter measured a gust to 43 MPH. A couple of trees were blown down in Marshall County. Two power poles were also down. In Daviess County, a couple of trees fell on power lines, catching the trees on fire.

Strong southwest winds, sustained around 30 MPH with gusts to 50 MPH, brought down a number of tree limbs and some power lines. The period of strong winds lasted about two hours. A few trees were down in Fulton County. An off-duty meteorologist measured a gust to 48 MPH at Calvert City in Marshall County. The peak gust at the Paducah National Weather Service office was 40 MPH. Gusts estimated near 50 MPH snapped a guy wire of a radio antenna in Marshall County. In Hopkins County, a tree blew over on a power line, knocking out electricity to about 50 homes. In Henderson, a house received some roof damage, and trees were down on several Henderson County roads. In Trigg County, winds toppled the city Christmas tree in Cadiz, and downed tree limbs and wind-blown debris contributed to road closures.

Several hours of moderate to heavy sleet and freezing rain occurred, sometimes accompanied by thunder and lightning. The sleet accumulated up to a depth of one inch. Freezing rain glazed some surfaces, mainly trees and power lines, with up to one quarter inch of ice. Some icy patches formed on roads, causing a number of accidents. In a 10-minute span, Paducah area police dealt with three wrecks without injuries, including a three-vehicle pileup on Interstate 24 near mile marker 4. Schools were closed in Webster County the day following the storm. The liquid equivalent of the precipitation was just under an inch at Paducah, and around a quarter inch at Henderson.

A major winter storm produced significant ice accumulations across most of western Kentucky, generally around 1/2 inch thick. The ice was preceded by up to 3 inches of snow. Snow accumulations before the changeover to ice ranged from just a dusting in the Tennessee border counties up to 3 inches along the Ohio River. Owensboro reported only an inch of snow, while Henderson and Paducah received 3 inches. The snow changed to freezing rain after a brief period of sleet. Light to occasionally moderate freezing rain fell during the afternoon and early evening hours. In the Hopkinsville area, temperatures rose above freezing long enough to prevent any significant icing problems there. The heavy precipitation was caused by a strong upper level disturbance that tracked east-northeast from the southern Rockies, across the southern Plains, and then over the lower Mississippi Valley. A strong southerly flow of milder air just above ground level was unable to scour out very cold air right at the surface, which produced an extended period of snow and ice. The liquid equivalent of all the frozen and freezing precipitation was between one half and three quarters of an inch. Numerous accidents occurred, most of which were minor. One of the most significant wrecks occurred on the U.S. Highway 41 bridge over the Ohio River, where a car rolled onto its side. Schools were closed for up to a week following the storm, especially in rural counties with limited snow removal resources. Ice on trees and power lines contributed to scattered power outages, especially from the Morganfield area of Union County southwest to the Mayfield and Paducah areas. Stores quickly sold out of winter goods, such as ice melter and snow shovels.

A strong cold front passed across western Kentucky. West to northwest winds gusted to 45 MPH behind the front. At Paducah, the peak wind gust was 44 MPH, and at Evansville, Indiana, it was 46 MPH. Many counties reported a few trees or limbs were blown down. Some signs were damaged in Henderson. Isolated brief power outages were reported in Webster and Henderson Counties.