Heavy Snow — Leslie, Kentucky

2022-03-12 · Leslie, Kentucky

Event narrative

Two public reports were received listing 6.0 and 8.5 inches of snowfall. The 6.0 inches was reported in the community of Thousandsticks at 8:35am EST, and the 8.5 inch report was measured in the community of Essie at 5:55am EST.

Wider weather episode

A pair of cold fronts sweeping through the area overnight brought rain initially to eastern Kentucky, before heavy snow eventually blanketed the region. This rain moved in from the northwest in the evening of March 11, but then transitioned to snow during the evening and into the nighttime hours. The snow initially fell on warm ground, leading to accumulations mainly on elevated and grassy surfaces. However, snowfall rates increased overnight to an inch or greater per hour, and led to quicker accumulations that overcame the warmer ground temperatures. Many areas throughout eastern Kentucky reported snowfall totals between 6 and 8 inches, with a few isolated reports of between 8 and 10 inches.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 1013924. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.