LOUISVILLE, Ky. — From numerous severe storms and tornadoes to a glimpse of the Aurora Borealis, it has been an eventful year of weather and celestial events in the commonwealth.
With the new year just nine days away, here's a look at some of Kentucky's biggest weather stories from 2024.
Tornadoes and severe weather
According to the Storm Prediction Center, Kentucky saw 57 tornadoes in 2024. Twenty-eight were in May, 22 in April, five in July, one in February and one in March.
An EF2 tornado that touched down March 14 in Milton, Trimble County's largest city, caused severe damage to several homes and businesses. At its peak, the county experienced more than 4,000 power outages. Portions of KY 36 were closed because of downed trees and power lines, and schools sheltered in place. The storm also caused damage to part of Carroll County.
On April 2, a line of severe storms blew through Kentucky. Tornadoes spawned in at least eight counties, along with thunderstorms and hail. The storms coincided with the eve of the 50-year anniversary of the 1974 outbreak of tornadoes and severe weather that killed dozens.
Severe storms that swept into the commonwealth May 26 caused at least five deaths, with multiple tornadoes confirmed and emergency declarations in 14 counties. Crews from LG&E and KU spent several days restoring power for thousands; at its peak, nearly 215,000 Kentuckians were without power. The storms forced organizers of Jack Harlow's Gazebo Festival at Waterfront Park to call off the second and final day. The same line of storms that hit Kentucky also affected states such as Texas, Oklahoma and Arkansas.
Helene impacts the commonwealth
Helene, which formed Sept. 24 in the northwestern Caribbean Sea, was the deadliest hurricane to hit the mainland U.S. since Katrina in 2005, with a death toll of more than 200. It destroyed homes, washed away roads and knocked out electricity and cellphone service for millions across the U.S.
Remnants of the storms brought torrential rainfall and strong winds into the Bluegrass State while knocking out power for more than 220,000 Kentuckians. Events such as Louder Than Life and the World Chicken Festival were impacted, multiple schools canceled classes or opted for virtual instruction and high school football games across the Louisville area were postponed.
Record-breaking rainfall occurred in Bowling Green (2.27 inches), Lexington (2.24 inches) and Frankfort (1.82 inches). Peak wind gusts reached up to 62 mph (Lexington), 53 mph (Covington), 52 mph (Pikeville), 41 mph (Louisville) and 40 mph (Bowling Green).
A memorable eclipse
Parts of far western Kentucky were in the path of totality for the 2024 solar eclipse as the moon swept in front of the sun, which was the country's first in seven years and the last until 2044. The path of totality, about 115 miles wide, stretched from Texas to Maine.
Paducah, which experienced totality, saw numerous street closures and many of its hotels and Airbnbs get booked up. City officials estimated around 150,000 people were in western Kentucky for the event.
While millions flocked to the path of totality, others stayed close to home. Hundreds turned out to the Big Four Bridge in Louisville as the city's skies darkened and the streetlights turned on. Just a small sliver of the sun was left shining in the sky.
Across the continent, it was North America's biggest eclipse crowd ever, thanks to the densely populated path. The path of totality encompassed several major cities such as Dallas, Indianapolis, Cleveland and Montreal. An estimated 44 million people lived within the track, with a couple hundred million more within 200 miles.
The northern lights
It was so nice, it just had to happen twice.
Aurora Borealis, also known as "the northern lights," filled the night sky with colors in the commonwealth twice this year: once in May and again in October.
The northern lights result from a coronal mass ejection from the sun that hits the Earth as a magnetic storm. Several solar flares from a cluster of sunspots erupt, sending plasma and magnetic fields from the sun into the space toward Earth. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the May edition was the most severe geometric storm since 2003.
What's next?
It remains to be seen what 2025 brings us, but the Climate Prediction Center is offering some early clues.
The CPC's Three-Month Outlook, published Dec. 19, predicts much of Kentucky may see above-normal temperatures, especially the far southeast portion of the state. The state is leaning above normal when it comes to precipitation.
The Old Farmer's Almanac also gives the following long-range forecast for the Ohio Valley in Jan. 2025:
- Jan. 1-7: Sunny, then rainy; turning warm
- Jan. 8-15: Isolated showers; mild
- Jan. 16-21: Rain and snow showers, then sunny; turning cold
- Jan. 22-31: Periods of snow, very cold
Be sure to follow Spectrum News 1 for the latest weather news and updates.
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