Record-breaking winter storm wreaks havoc across Tennessee, Kentucky
A large snowstorm caused treacherous traveling conditions in Tennessee and Kentucky and helped smash a record that stood for more than 100 years.
By
John Murphy, AccuWeather staff writer &
Brian Lada, AccuWeather meteorologist
Published Jan 6, 2022 8:44 PM EDT
|
Updated Jan 9, 2022 1:04 AM EDT
AccuWeather's Kim Leoffler reported live from Nashville on Jan. 6 after the city was blanketed in more snow than residents have seen in years.
A large snowstorm brought significant accumulation to Nashville, Tennessee, on Thursday, marking the snowiest day in years. Nashville reported 6.3 inches of snow, making it the city's snowiest day since Jan. 22, 2016, when 8 inches of snow fell. This also set a new snowfall record for Jan. 6, burying the previous record of 4.0 inches set in 1977.
This storm alone gave Nashville the snowiest winter since 2015-16 when 11.3 inches accumulated throughout the season.
"Can you believe I am snowed in in Nashville, Tennessee," one person said in a post on Twitter, following up his remarks with a short song about the snowstorm.
A person singing a short song about the snow near Nashville, Tennessee, on Jan. 6, 2022. (Twitter/ Bobby and The Aristocats)
Snow first began to fall in Nashville around 7 a.m. CST Thursday, slowing the congested morning commute across central Tennessee. Travel conditions deteriorated throughout the day as the snow accumulated on the roads, causing weather-related accidents and "treacherous" conditions, the Metro Nashville Police Department said. The quick accumulation made it harder for crews to keep up with clearing the roads.
On Thursday morning, a tractor-trailer jackknifed on Interstate 40, causing the westbound lanes to be closed in the area. The wreck occurred just outside Jackson, Tennessee, and was the first of many crashes throughout the day. The interstate remained closed until around 11 a.m., EST.
In Germantown, three people had to be taken to the hospital, including two firefighters, after a Nashville transit bus and a Nashville fire department truck were involved in a wreck.
Crashes were also reported on Interstate 24, 40, 65 and 75, leaving drivers stranded on the snow-packed roads. The Nashville Department of Transportation warned against travel unless absolutely necessary.
Traffic stalled on Interstate 40 when multiple semi-trailer trucks were unable to make it up a hill, according to Rebekah Hammonds, the community relations officer for the Tennessee Department of Transportation. Crews worked to push the semis up the hill, opening a lane and allowing traffic to move again.
Interstate 40 had another slow down just after 3 p.m. when a tractor-trailer jackknifed on the westbound side in Wilson, Tennessee.
Father Jim Sichko documented his experience on I-75 on Thursday, which looked more like a parking lot than a highway. He spent over 6 hours parked on the interstate but kept an optimistic attitude throughout it all. "You got to enjoy the best of it people. I mean, life could always be worse," Sichko said.
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The snow did not discourage some visitors from still taking to the streets to visit businesses and tourist attractions in Nashville that remained open, including Lynne Darlington, who was visiting from New York.
"I wanted to go to the Country Music Hall of Fame, so we walked to the doors. In New York, that would never be closed on a day like today," Darlington told AccuWeather National News Reporter Kim Leoffler.
Darlington's cowboy hat was picking up some snow accumulation as she spoke with Leoffler and added that it was disappointing that the Country Music Hall of Fame was closed, but was still enjoying her time in the city.
New York resident Lynne Darlington was visiting Nashville on Thursday, Jan. 6, 2022, the snowiest day in the city since 2016. (AccuWeather/ Kim Leoffler)
In Kentucky, a pileup crash occurred on Interstate 64 near Mount Sterling on Thursday afternoon. Mount Sterling Police and Montgomery County Sheriff David Charles said that up to 100 vehicles were involved. The crash involved injuries with some being serious, according to WTVQ.
Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear deployed the National Guard to help state police with accidents on the roads. Beshear also declared a state of emergency following the storm's dangerous impacts on the state.
Kentucky reported over half a foot of snow in many areas with some topping out at or above 8 inches, including Lexington which received nearly 10 inches. As a result, several areas in the state experienced slick and snow-covered roads. Snow fell as fast as 1 to 2 inches per hour in many areas of the state.
Thursday's snowfall in Lexington also set a new daily record. The 9.9 inches of snow that fell topped the old record for Jan. 6 of 9.5 inches set back in 1910.
"When it is snowing that fast, despite the best efforts of road crews, it is hard to keep up with the accumulation and keep roads clear of snow," said AccuWeather Chief Meteorologist Jonathan Porter. "Highway chaos can quickly ensue with the risk for roads to be clogged by stranded vehicles and crashes."
The snow wasn't all bad with ski resorts across the region welcoming it with open arms.
“West Virginia can’t wait to welcome travelers to our snow-capped mountains this winter,” said Chelsea Ruby, according to a report from The Associated Press. Ruby serves as the secretary of the state’s Department of Tourism.
The snow departed the region by Friday morning as the winter storm shifted over the Northeast. Frigid conditions replaced the snowy weather with bone-chilling temperatures.
On Thursday night, the AccuWeather RealFeel® Temperature bottomed out at 9 F in Memphis, Tennessee, 4 F in Nashville, and below 0 F across much of Kentucky. Temperatures are predicted to rebound on Sunday which will help to melt some of the snow that fell across the Tennessee Valley.
Additional reporting from AccuWeather National News Reporter Kim Leoffler.
For the latest weather news check back on AccuWeather.com. Watch the AccuWeather Network on DIRECTV, Frontier, Spectrum, fuboTV, Philo, and Verizon Fios. AccuWeather Now is now available on your preferred streaming platform.
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News / Winter Weather
Record-breaking winter storm wreaks havoc across Tennessee, Kentucky
A large snowstorm caused treacherous traveling conditions in Tennessee and Kentucky and helped smash a record that stood for more than 100 years.
By John Murphy, AccuWeather staff writer & Brian Lada, AccuWeather meteorologist
Published Jan 6, 2022 8:44 PM EDT | Updated Jan 9, 2022 1:04 AM EDT
AccuWeather's Kim Leoffler reported live from Nashville on Jan. 6 after the city was blanketed in more snow than residents have seen in years.
A large snowstorm brought significant accumulation to Nashville, Tennessee, on Thursday, marking the snowiest day in years. Nashville reported 6.3 inches of snow, making it the city's snowiest day since Jan. 22, 2016, when 8 inches of snow fell. This also set a new snowfall record for Jan. 6, burying the previous record of 4.0 inches set in 1977.
This storm alone gave Nashville the snowiest winter since 2015-16 when 11.3 inches accumulated throughout the season.
"Can you believe I am snowed in in Nashville, Tennessee," one person said in a post on Twitter, following up his remarks with a short song about the snowstorm.
A person singing a short song about the snow near Nashville, Tennessee, on Jan. 6, 2022. (Twitter/ Bobby and The Aristocats)
Snow first began to fall in Nashville around 7 a.m. CST Thursday, slowing the congested morning commute across central Tennessee. Travel conditions deteriorated throughout the day as the snow accumulated on the roads, causing weather-related accidents and "treacherous" conditions, the Metro Nashville Police Department said. The quick accumulation made it harder for crews to keep up with clearing the roads.
On Thursday morning, a tractor-trailer jackknifed on Interstate 40, causing the westbound lanes to be closed in the area. The wreck occurred just outside Jackson, Tennessee, and was the first of many crashes throughout the day. The interstate remained closed until around 11 a.m., EST.
In Germantown, three people had to be taken to the hospital, including two firefighters, after a Nashville transit bus and a Nashville fire department truck were involved in a wreck.
Crashes were also reported on Interstate 24, 40, 65 and 75, leaving drivers stranded on the snow-packed roads. The Nashville Department of Transportation warned against travel unless absolutely necessary.
Traffic stalled on Interstate 40 when multiple semi-trailer trucks were unable to make it up a hill, according to Rebekah Hammonds, the community relations officer for the Tennessee Department of Transportation. Crews worked to push the semis up the hill, opening a lane and allowing traffic to move again.
Interstate 40 had another slow down just after 3 p.m. when a tractor-trailer jackknifed on the westbound side in Wilson, Tennessee.
Father Jim Sichko documented his experience on I-75 on Thursday, which looked more like a parking lot than a highway. He spent over 6 hours parked on the interstate but kept an optimistic attitude throughout it all. "You got to enjoy the best of it people. I mean, life could always be worse," Sichko said.
CLICK HERE FOR THE FREE ACCUWEATHER APP
The snow did not discourage some visitors from still taking to the streets to visit businesses and tourist attractions in Nashville that remained open, including Lynne Darlington, who was visiting from New York.
"I wanted to go to the Country Music Hall of Fame, so we walked to the doors. In New York, that would never be closed on a day like today," Darlington told AccuWeather National News Reporter Kim Leoffler.
Darlington's cowboy hat was picking up some snow accumulation as she spoke with Leoffler and added that it was disappointing that the Country Music Hall of Fame was closed, but was still enjoying her time in the city.
New York resident Lynne Darlington was visiting Nashville on Thursday, Jan. 6, 2022, the snowiest day in the city since 2016. (AccuWeather/ Kim Leoffler)
In Kentucky, a pileup crash occurred on Interstate 64 near Mount Sterling on Thursday afternoon. Mount Sterling Police and Montgomery County Sheriff David Charles said that up to 100 vehicles were involved. The crash involved injuries with some being serious, according to WTVQ.
Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear deployed the National Guard to help state police with accidents on the roads. Beshear also declared a state of emergency following the storm's dangerous impacts on the state.
Kentucky reported over half a foot of snow in many areas with some topping out at or above 8 inches, including Lexington which received nearly 10 inches. As a result, several areas in the state experienced slick and snow-covered roads. Snow fell as fast as 1 to 2 inches per hour in many areas of the state.
Thursday's snowfall in Lexington also set a new daily record. The 9.9 inches of snow that fell topped the old record for Jan. 6 of 9.5 inches set back in 1910.
"When it is snowing that fast, despite the best efforts of road crews, it is hard to keep up with the accumulation and keep roads clear of snow," said AccuWeather Chief Meteorologist Jonathan Porter. "Highway chaos can quickly ensue with the risk for roads to be clogged by stranded vehicles and crashes."
The snow wasn't all bad with ski resorts across the region welcoming it with open arms.
“West Virginia can’t wait to welcome travelers to our snow-capped mountains this winter,” said Chelsea Ruby, according to a report from The Associated Press. Ruby serves as the secretary of the state’s Department of Tourism.
The snow departed the region by Friday morning as the winter storm shifted over the Northeast. Frigid conditions replaced the snowy weather with bone-chilling temperatures.
On Thursday night, the AccuWeather RealFeel® Temperature bottomed out at 9 F in Memphis, Tennessee, 4 F in Nashville, and below 0 F across much of Kentucky. Temperatures are predicted to rebound on Sunday which will help to melt some of the snow that fell across the Tennessee Valley.
Additional reporting from AccuWeather National News Reporter Kim Leoffler.
For the latest weather news check back on AccuWeather.com. Watch the AccuWeather Network on DIRECTV, Frontier, Spectrum, fuboTV, Philo, and Verizon Fios. AccuWeather Now is now available on your preferred streaming platform.
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