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Record-Breaking Arctic Airmass Brings Late-Season Freeze Across Eastern Kentucky on May 9-10th, 2020
Overview
A late-season push of Arctic air brought a freeze and record-breaking cold temperatures across eastern Kentucky May 9-10th. The Jackson National Weather Service Office, on top of Sugar Camp Mountain, dropped to 30 degrees on the morning of the 9th, setting an all-time record low temperature for the month of May. Jackson then fell to 36 degrees on the morning of the 10th, setting a new daily record low. Record cool daily maximum temperatures of 54 degrees were also set at the Jackson office on both the 8th and 9th. Many valley locations saw temperatures falling to near or below 30 degrees on the morning of the 9th. Temperatures were overall slightly warmer on the morning of the 10th, but still dropped to between 29 and 32 degrees in many sheltered valley locations. The first night generally featured the coldest sub-freezing temperatures, but the lateness of the frontal passage on the evening of the 8th kept the coldest air from settling over the area for more than a few hours, possibly resulting in a less damaging freeze than what would have typically occurred with cold temperatures of this magnitude. That being said, impacts were still felt, especially in terms of horticulture. Apples were taken out in Rowan County, while Pulaski County had about all of their peaches frozen out. Pears and winter wheat were also damaged across eastern Kentucky.
May 9th
A strong cold front pushed through eastern Kentucky late in the evening on May 8th. Behind that front, a late-season push of dry Arctic air brought a freeze and record-breaking cold temperatures across eastern Kentucky on the morning of May 9th. The Jackson National Weather Service Office dropped to 30 degrees, setting an all-time record low temperature for the month of May. The previous record was 32 degrees set in 1989 and tied in 1997 and 2004. Jackson also broke the daily record of 35 degrees set in 1983. The other long-standing eastern Kentucky NWS weather recording site at the London-Corbin Airport plummeted to 28 degrees, tying the previous all-time record low temperature for the Month of May set in 1963. London also broke the daily record low of 33 set in 1976. Elsewhere across eastern Kentucky, most experienced temperatures in the upper 20s to lower 30s. A few of the higher elevation locations were even colder, including Black Mountain (elevation 4,031 ft.) and Dorton (elevation 2,774 ft.) with lows of 21 and 26 degrees, respectively.
...LOW TEMPERATURE REPORTS... Location Temp Time/Date Provider Harlan 24 E 21 F 0705 AM 05/09 KYMN2 Corbin 25 F 0657 AM 05/09 CWOP Pikeville 13 S 26 F 0745 AM 05/09 KYMN2 Monticello Apt 26 F 0556 AM 05/09 ASOS 3 SSE Whitesburg 27 F 0745 AM 05/09 KYTC-RWIS McKee 5 S 27 F 0715 AM 05/09 KYMN2 Irvine 27 F 0700 AM 05/09 CWOP 3 NW West Liberty 27 F 0700 AM 05/09 AWS Stanton 2 W 27 F 0700 AM 05/09 COOP Somerset 7 NNE 27 F 0635 AM 05/09 KYMN2 3 N Farmers 27 F 0615 AM 05/09 KYTC-RWIS Cressy (coop) 28 F 0800 AM 05/09 UCOOP Booneville 2 S 28 F 0725 AM 05/09 KYMN2 Williamsburg 28 F 0715 AM 05/09 AWOS Whitley City 3 N 28 F 0715 AM 05/09 KYMN2 Williamsburg 28 F 0712 AM 05/09 CWOP Koomer Ridge 28 F 0709 AM 05/09 RAWS 1 WSW Mt Vernon 28 F 0709 AM 05/09 AWS Morehead 4 NE 28 F 0705 AM 05/09 KYMN2 1 WNW Koomer Rdg 28 F 0700 AM 05/09 KYTC-RWIS Mount Sterling 28 F 0700 AM 05/09 COOP Somerset Apt 28 F 0655 AM 05/09 AWOS London-corbin Apt 28 F 0653 AM 05/09 ASOS Mt Sterling 28 F 0416 AM 05/09 CWOP Beattyville 4n (coop) 29 F 0900 AM 05/09 COOP 2 NW London 29 F 0720 AM 05/09 KYTC-RWIS Hindman 5 N 29 F 0715 AM 05/09 KYMN2 Harlan Apt 29 F 0715 AM 05/09 AWOS Barbourville 3 E 29 F 0710 AM 05/09 KYMN2 Triangle Mtn Raws 29 F 0702 AM 05/09 RAWS Peabody 29 F 0701 AM 05/09 RAWS West Liberty 2 SW 29 F 0625 AM 05/09 KYMN2 Owingsville 4 S 29 F 0605 AM 05/09 KYMN2 Somerset Raws 29 F 0601 AM 05/09 RAWS Oneida 30 F 0935 AM 05/09 COOP Manchester 30 F 0737 AM 05/09 CWOP 1.6 E Middlesboro 30 F 0726 AM 05/09 HADS I-75 @ KY-770 (Laurel) 30 F 0720 AM 05/09 KYTC-RWIS Paintsville 4 W 30 F 0720 AM 05/09 KYMN2 Morehead Airport 30 F 0715 AM 05/09 AWOS 2 NNE Jellico (road) 30 F 0705 AM 05/09 KYTC-RWIS Somerset Pulaski County 30 F 0701 AM 05/09 HADS Inez 2e (coop) 30 F 0700 AM 05/09 COOP Paintsville 1e (coop) 30 F 0700 AM 05/09 COOP 2 SE Whitesburg (coop) 30 F 0700 AM 05/09 COOP Middlesboro Apt 30 F 0655 AM 05/09 AWOS Nws Jackson 30 F 0653 AM 05/09 ASOS Jackson 3 SE 30 F 0640 AM 05/09 KYMN2 Mount Sterling Apt 30 F 0635 AM 05/09 AWOS 1.6 S Rodburn 30 F 0602 AM 05/09 HADS Whitesburg 2 NW 31 F 0735 AM 05/09 KYMN2 Jackson Apt Raws 31 F 0715 AM 05/09 RAWS Pike County Apt 31 F 0715 AM 05/09 AWOS Middlesboro 31 F 0700 AM 05/09 CWOP Buckhorn Lake (coop) 31 F 0700 AM 05/09 COOP Prestonsburg 3 WSW 31 F 0700 AM 05/09 COOP Big Sandy Apt 31 F 0655 AM 05/09 AWOS 1 NW Burnside 31 F 0650 AM 05/09 KYTC-RWIS Big Sandy Raws 31 F 0609 AM 05/09 RAWS Observations are collected from a variety of sources with varying equipment and exposures. We thank all volunteer weather observers for their dedication. Not all data listed are considered official.
May 10th
The intense May sun quickly moderated the anomalously cold airmass during the afternoon of the 9th. However, the airmass was still cool and dry enough for one more night of sub-freezing temperatures across much of Eastern Kentucky. The Jackson National Weather Service Office, located on a thermal belt ridge, dropped to a daily record low of 36 degrees, breaking the previous daily record low of 38 degrees set in 2010. Meanwhile, the London-Corbin Airport dipped to 33 degrees, falling 3 degrees short of the 30 degree daily record set in 1966. Many of the sheltered valleys saw temperatures dipping to between 29 and 32 degrees.
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...LOW TEMPERATURE REPORTS... Location Temp Time/Date Provider 2 SE Whitesburg (coop) 29 F 0700 AM 05/10 COOP Salyersville 30 F 0800 AM 05/10 COOP 3 NW West Liberty 30 F 0735 AM 05/10 AWS West Liberty 2 SW 30 F 0715 AM 05/10 KYMN2 Paintsville 4 W 30 F 0635 AM 05/10 KYMN2 Yellow Creek Raws 30 F 0626 AM 05/10 RAWS 1.6 E Middlesboro 31 F 0726 AM 05/10 HADS Jackson 3 SE 31 F 0725 AM 05/10 KYMN2 Whitesburg 2 NW 31 F 0720 AM 05/10 KYMN2 Booneville 2 S 31 F 0720 AM 05/10 KYMN2 Owingsville 4 S 31 F 0720 AM 05/10 KYMN2 Barbourville 3 E 31 F 0710 AM 05/10 KYMN2 Manchester 31 F 0647 AM 05/10 CWOP Harlan Apt 31 F 0635 AM 05/10 AWOS Middlesboro Apt 31 F 0635 AM 05/10 AWOS McKee 5 S 31 F 0610 AM 05/10 KYMN2 Beattyville 4n (coop) 32 F 0900 AM 05/10 COOP Middlesboro 32 F 0716 AM 05/10 CWOP Williamsburg 32 F 0715 AM 05/10 AWOS Morehead 4 NE 32 F 0715 AM 05/10 KYMN2 2 NNE Jellico (road) 32 F 0710 AM 05/10 KYTC-RWIS Cherry Tree Knob 32 F 0701 AM 05/10 HADS Peabody 32 F 0701 AM 05/10 RAWS Irvine 32 F 0630 AM 05/10 CWOP Harlan 24 E 32 F 0625 AM 05/10 KYMN2 Mt Sterling 32 F 0600 AM 05/10 CWOP Buckhorn Lake (coop) 33 F 0700 AM 05/10 COOP 3 N Farmers 33 F 0510 AM 05/10 KYTC-RWIS Somerset Apt 34 F 0715 AM 05/10 AWOS I-75 @ KY-770 (Laurel) 34 F 0635 AM 05/10 KYTC-RWIS Whitley City 3 N 34 F 0600 AM 05/10 KYMN2 Monticello Apt 34 F 0556 AM 05/10 ASOS Mount Sterling Apt 34 F 0555 AM 05/10 AWOS London-corbin Apt 34 F 0553 AM 05/10 ASOS Williamsburg 35 F 0807 AM 05/10 CWOP Somerset 7 NNE 35 F 0715 AM 05/10 KYMN2 Koomer Ridge 35 F 0709 AM 05/10 RAWS 3 SSE Whitesburg 35 F 0705 AM 05/10 KYTC-RWIS 2 NW London 35 F 0705 AM 05/10 KYTC-RWIS 1 WNW Koomer Rdg 35 F 0700 AM 05/10 KYTC-RWIS Hindman 5 N 35 F 0655 AM 05/10 KYMN2 1 WSW Mt Vernon 35 F 0444 AM 05/10 AWS NWS Jackson 36 F 0800 AM 05/10 ASOS Pike County Apt 36 F 0715 AM 05/10 AWOS Jackson Apt Raws 36 F 0715 AM 05/10 RAWS Somerset Raws 36 F 0701 AM 05/10 RAWS Morehead Airport 36 F 0655 AM 05/10 AWOS Somerset 37 F 0715 AM 05/10 CWOP Big Sandy Apt 37 F 0635 AM 05/10 AWOS Big Sandy Raws 37 F 0609 AM 05/10 RAWS Pikeville 13 S 37 F 0605 AM 05/10 KYMN2 1 NW Burnside 39 F 0710 AM 05/10 KYTC-RWIS 1.6 S Rodburn 40 F 0702 AM 05/10 HADS Observations are collected from a variety of sources with varying equipment and exposures. We thank all volunteer weather observers for their dedication. Not all data listed are considered official.
Environment and Historical Context
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| 5 pm Friday, May 8th - 5 pm Saturday, May 9th | 5 pm Friday, May 8th - 5 pm Saturday, May 9th |
The Last Time Eastern Kentucky Saw Temperatures This Cold This Late in the Season was May 10, 1966.
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