Heavy Snow — Harlan, Kentucky

2025-01-10 · Harlan, Kentucky

Event narrative

Snow fell intermittently in Harlan County, beginning around midday on January 10th and continuing through the evening. On the morning of January 11th, a series of reports from the Department of Highways clearly illustrated a dramatic increase in snowfall totals with elevation. In the lower elevations, a measured 2.5 inches of snowfall was reported in Dayhoit. Higher amounts were found on the mountain passes, with a measured 4.0 inches of new snow reported along US-421 at the Pine Mountain crossing. The highest totals were found at the highest elevations, with approximately 7.0 inches of new snow reported along KY-160 at the Black Mountain crossing.

Wider weather episode

A complex winter storm impacted eastern Kentucky on January 10th and 11th, 2025. The event featured the interaction of a northern stream weather system with a plume of moisture from the Gulf of Mexico. Snow began to spread across the region on the morning of the 10th, becoming widespread and significant by the afternoon. The peak of the event occurred during the evening of the 10th, with bands of heavy snow producing snowfall rates of up to one inch per hour at times, particularly across southern and southeastern counties. By the morning of the 11th, the steady snow had tapered off from west to east, ending as flurries. The storm produced a widespread snowfall of 3 to 5 inches, with the highest totals of up to 7 inches amplified by orographic lift in the highest terrain of the southeastern mountains.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 1282976. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.