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Winter in Nelson County, Kentucky
36 winter storms and snow events in the NCEI Storm Events record, 1950 to 2026. Event types counted: Winter Storm, Winter Weather, Heavy Snow, Blizzard, Ice Storm, Lake-Effect Snow, Sleet.
NCEI notes that Storm Data is compiled from a variety of sources including the National Weather Service, other federal, state and local agencies, the media and the public; that property and crop damage figures are estimates; and that some events are recorded by NWS forecast zone rather than by county. FEMA notes that NFIP claim records are redacted and aggregated to protect the privacy of policyholders. Storm records through 30 Jun 2026.
Nelson County, Kentucky, has 36 winter events in the NCEI record since 1950, with at least one in 17 different years.
January is the busiest month, with 12 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 31 events against 5 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 0.4% of the 8,092 winter events recorded in Kentucky; its 8.6 per 100 square miles compares with 20.5 statewide.
NCEI attributes 1 death in the county to winter storms and snow.
Some winter weather and high wind events are recorded by NWS forecast zone rather than by county; zone-recorded events whose zone is named for the county are included and marked "Forecast zone" in the table.
Compared with Kentucky
| Measure | Nelson County | Kentucky | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Winter events since 1950 | 36 | 8,092 | 287,339 |
| Per 100 square miles | 8.6 | 20.5 | 8.1 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 7.6 | 17.9 | 8.7 |
| Deaths recorded | 1 | 82 | 2,509 |
| Busiest month | January | January | January |
By year
Seasonality
12Feb
12Mar
6Apr
0May
0Jun
0Jul
0Aug
0Sep
0Oct
0Nov
1Dec
5
Recorded events
All 36 events, most recent first. Magnitude is hail size, tornado rating or wind speed as recorded.
| Date | Event type | Magnitude | Property damage | Crop damage | Deaths | Injuries | Geography |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 24 Jan 2026 | Winter Storm | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 11 Dec 2025 | Heavy Snow | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 18 Feb 2025 | Heavy Snow | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 11 Feb 2025 | Heavy Snow | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 10 Jan 2025 | Heavy Snow | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 5 Jan 2025 | Winter Storm | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 22 Dec 2022 | Winter Storm | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 11 Mar 2022 | Winter Storm | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 6 Jan 2022 | Winter Storm | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 14 Feb 2021 | Winter Storm | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 10 Feb 2021 | Ice Storm | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 14 Nov 2018 | Ice Storm | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 20 Mar 2018 | Winter Storm | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 11 Mar 2018 | Winter Storm | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 16 Jan 2018 | Winter Storm | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 12 Jan 2018 | Winter Storm | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 14 Feb 2016 | Heavy Snow | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 22 Jan 2016 | Heavy Snow | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 4 Mar 2015 | Heavy Snow | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 16 Feb 2015 | Heavy Snow | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 23 Jan 2015 | Heavy Snow | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 2 Mar 2014 | Winter Storm | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 4 Feb 2014 | Winter Storm | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 2 Feb 2014 | Heavy Snow | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 7 Feb 2011 | Heavy Snow | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 15 Dec 2010 | Ice Storm | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 29 Jan 2010 | Heavy Snow | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 27 Jan 2009 | Winter Storm | — | — | — | 1 | — | Forecast zone |
| 15 Dec 2008 | Winter Storm | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 7 Mar 2008 | Heavy Snow | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 21 Feb 2008 | Ice Storm | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 22 Dec 2004 | Ice Storm | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 15 Feb 2003 | Ice Storm | — | $100K | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 7 Jan 1999 | Winter Storm | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 3 Feb 1998 | Heavy Snow | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 6 Jan 1996 | Heavy Snow | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
Questions and answers
How many winter events has Nelson County had?
36 events in the NCEI Storm Events record between 1950 and 2026. Reporting of winter storms and snow became far more complete after 1996, so early decades undercount.
When was the last recorded winter event in Nelson County?
24 Jan 2026 (Winter Storm). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging winter event recorded in Nelson County?
The ice storm of 15 Feb 2003, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $100K.
How does Nelson County compare with Kentucky for winter?
8.6 events per 100 square miles against 20.5 statewide; the county holds 36 of the state's 8,092 recorded events.
Provenance
NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, yearly details files through 30 Jun 2026, public domain. County-recorded events plus zone-recorded events whose forecast zone is named for the county (marked "Forecast zone"). Population and area from the US Census Bureau (2021). Built 1 Oct 2026. See the methodology, the Winter hub and the county page.