Does it snow in Kentucky?

Known as The Bluegrass State, the state of Kentucky, the 37th largest by area and the 26th-most populous of the U. S. states, has historically stood as one of the best and most efficient agricultural and ranching states in the United States.

Nowadays, Kentucky continues to honor its historical reputation as an agricultural and ranching state, housing all kinds of industries related to the agricultural sector (goats, cattle, horses, corn, tobacco, etc.) for centuries.

Precisely, when it comes to identity, Kentucky is undoubtedly one of the states with the grandest cultural standards own. From thoroughbred horse breeding and competition, bourbon, tobacco, and Bluegrass music to world-renowned Kentucky Fried Chicken. For all this and more, Kentucky has one of the strongest cultural identities in the U.S. states.

Snow in Kentucky? ❄

According to the Köppen climate classification, Kentucky exhibits a humid subtropical climate (Cfa) in most of its territory, except for a small region located in the counties of Harlan and Letcher, which has an oceanic climate (Cfb) due to the influence it receives from the Appalachians Mountains.

Unlike the rest of the states of the Southeast Central Division (Alabama, Mississippi, and Tennessee), the climate of Kentucky is not particularly affected by the main climatological factors of the central and southeastern United States, such as the Gulf of Mexico, the Appalachians, the Great Plains, or the Atlantic coast.

Consequently, Kentucky has generally stable and mild temperatures and a storm frequency within the normal range.

Precisely, due to the location of Kentucky, specifically, its distance from the massive and warm waters of the North Atlantic and the Gulf of Mexico, it is possible to enjoy snowfall throughout the entire state of Kentucky, with variations in intensity and frequency barely noticeable in the state's major cities and county seats.

The climate of Kentucky ⛅

KENTUCKY WEATHER

As explained in the previous section, according to the Köppen climate classification, Kentucky has two climate types: humid subtropical (Cfa) and oceanic (Cfb). However, as far as the oceanic climate is concerned, this is limited to specific regions of Harlan and Letcher counties near the Appalachian Mountains.

In this sense, Kentucky's climate is pleasant, not very extreme, and stable throughout its territory, despite geographic differences exhibited by definite locations of the state, such as, for example, the Cumberland Plateau in the east and the Jackson Purchase in the far-west.

Noteworthy, the stability of Kentucky's climate is not absolute, as specific climatological differences between the north and southwest of the state can be pointed out (although these differences don't escape within the usual range of the humid subtropical climates).

For example, northern Kentucky counties are typically five degrees cooler than southern counties, while these are wetter than their northern counterparts.

Technical characteristics

Some of the following technical characteristics have been calculated by averaging climatological data for the principal cities of Arkansas: Lexington, Louisville, Owensboro, Paducah, Pikeville, Ashland, and Bowling Green. 

• Climate types (Köppen climate classification): humid subtropical (Cfa) and oceanic (Cfb).
• Average maximum temperatures in summer: 85.44 °F (29.6 °C).
• Average maximum temperatures in winter: 48.83 °F (9.3 °C).
• Average minimum temperature in summer: 62.47 °F (16.9 °C).
• Average minimum temperatures in winter: 28.47 °F (-1.9 °C).
• Range of average rainfall per year: 38 – 50 inches (96.5 – 127 cm).
• Range of average frosts per year: 60 – 100 days.
• Hottest regions: southeastern counties.
• Highest record temperature: 114 °F / 45.5 °C (July 28, 1930. Greensburg, Green County).
• Coldest regions: northwest-central counties.
• Lowest record temperature: −37 °F / -38.3 °C  (January 19, 1994. Shelbyville, Shelby County).
• Snowiest month: February.
  
• Average snowfall per year: 11 inches (27.9 cm).

When does it snow in Kentucky? 🌨

Does it snow in Kentucky in November?

Yes, it might snow in November. From this month, it is possible to see light snowfalls in almost all of Kentucky.

Does it snow in Kentucky in December?

Yes, it does! Once winter sets in, snowfall becomes considerably heavier in central, northern, and western Kentucky.

Does it snow in Kentucky in January?

Yes, it does! As surprising as it may seem, January is not the snowiest month in Kentucky, but the second, a rare phenomenon in the central and southeastern states of the United States.

Does it snow in Kentucky in February?

Yes, it does! February is, by far, the snowiest month in Kentucky. During this month, some cities like Hardinsburg and Leitchfield reach four inches of snow accumulation (on average).

Does it snow in Kentucky in March?

Yes, it does! Despite being the last winter month, the average snow accumulation remains above one inch in numerous county seats of Kentucky.

Does it snow in Kentucky in April?

Yes, it might snow in April. Although, in April, the snowfall diminishes considerably throughout Kentucky (even disappearing completely in many cities), this weather phenomenon keeps present in more than 50 county seats.

Where does it snow in Kentucky? 🌨

Taking the month of February as a reference because it is the one that exhibits the highest levels of snowfall during the Kentucky winter, we present below a table in which we directly answer the question in this section (Where does it snow in Kentucky?):

The cities shown in the table above are the respective seats (administrative centers) of the 120 counties that make up the state of Kentucky. Likewise, these county seats are ordered according to how likely it is a snowfall will occur in their territory (from most to least likely).

How much does it snow in Kentucky? 🌨

Next, we expose a comparison chart of the average snow accumulation throughout a sliding 31-day period (centered on the day in question) in the one hundred fourteen county seats of Kentucky: