Ice Storms: Ice Storms in the Barren River Area
The historical record of ice storms affecting the Barren River Area is relatively short. Published accounts document events affecting major cities throughout the Southeast dating back at least 50 years (U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, 1997). Reports of ice storms in the National Climatic Data Center's Storm Data publications are available beginning in 1973 for the Barren River Area. By combining these reports with the longer record of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, it is possible to piece together a record of significant ice storms affecting the Barren River Area from 1949 through 1999. Ice storms are random events that occur infrequently in the Barren River Area. Over the period from 1949 through 1999, 33 ice storms were documented. Ice storms occurred in 25 of the 51 years of record with multiple storms in five different years (Figure 8-1).  Figure 8-1. Frequency of ice storms by year in the Barren River Area, 1949-1999.The 50-year recurrence interval storm for the Barren River Area is a 0.75-inch ice storm. This means that the region would expect a storm of at least this magnitude on the average of once over a 50-year period. Since 1973, Bowling Green has had one storm with 0.75 inch of ice or more. In February 1994, nearly 200,000 people were without power across Kentucky, and 22 counties in the state were declared to be in a state of emergency. The ultimate impact of an ice storm depends significantly on post-storm weather conditions. When the temperature rises on the day after the storm, the effects are limited. For instance, a major ice storm struck on January 20, 1983 and covered Bowling Green with .37" of glaze. However, temperatures rose above 40°F the next day. As a result, the effects of the storm were limited to downed tree limbs and minor car accidents. Sub-zero temperatures, meanwhile, followed the ice storm in January of 1994. Roads, including Kentucky's Interstate highways, were closed for several days. The greatest threat of ice storms comes in January and February (Figure 8-2), and this is the time of year when storms are most likely to be followed by frigid temperatures.  Figure 8-2. Distribution of ice storms by month of the year in the Barren River Area, 1949-1999.
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