Winter Storm — Marshall, Kentucky

2015-02-20 to 2015-02-21 · Marshall, Kentucky

Wider weather episode

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.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 559082. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.