Heavy Snow — Taylor, Kentucky

2015-02-16 · Taylor, Kentucky

Event narrative

Snowfall measurement across Taylor County ranged from 11 to 13 inches. One person died from a heart attack that occurred after attempting to shovel the snow.

Wider weather episode

Arctic air invaded the Lower Ohio Valley on the 14th of February, setting the stage for heavy snow that developed during the early morning hours on the 16th. Low pressure moved across Arkansas and Tennessee from the 15th to the 16th of February. A large swath of heavy snow spread from southern Missouri into central Kentucky during the early morning hours on the 16th, ending across central Kentucky late in the afternoon. During the late morning hours, snow fell at a rate of over one inch per hour, reducing visibility to less than one quarter of a mile for several consecutive hours. This storm produced more snow across Central and southern Kentucky than any other in at least a decade. A strip of heavy snow of near one foot extended right across central Kentucky from Ohio through Madison Counties. Sleet mixed in with snow along the Tennessee Border, reducing snow totals to around 8 inches. At least two indirect fatalities - from heart attacks occurring while shoveling snow or trying to push out a stuck vehicle - were attributed to the snow.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 553776. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.