The Great Appalachian Storm
On Thanksgiving weekend 1950, one of the most damaging and meteorologically unique winter storms to hit the eastern United States struck. After it passed, as much as 57 inches of snow blanketed the central Appalachians (with locally up to 62 inches at Coburn Creek, WV), and one of the most widespread and damaging wind events ever recorded over the northeastern United States made the Great Appalachian Storm of 1950 the costliest storm on record up to that point. East Kentucky was not spared, with many areas receiving record-breaking cold and more than a foot of snow.
The wild temperature gradient produced by the arctic airmass wrapping southeastward around the low while warm air from the Atlantic was pulled northwestward was a unique feature of this storm. For example, Pittsburgh, PA received 30.5" of snow and experienced temperatures in the single digits, while Buffalo, NY experienced temperatures in the 40s and no snow. The East Coast and New England were buffeted by strong winds. New York City recorded a peak wind gust of 94 mph, while Newark, NJ recorded a wind gust of 108 mph. Wind gusts of up to 160 mph were recorded on Mount Washington in New Hampshire, just north of New York City.
The high winds blew up the surf on the beaches, causing extensive tree damage and power outages. The resulting coastal flooding breached dikes at New York's LaGuardia Airport, flooding runways. On the warm side of the system, heavy rains caused near-record flooding in eastern Pennsylvania. By the time the storm passed over on November 29th and 30th, 160 people had died, and insurance companies had paid out more money to policyholders for damage than in any previous storm or hurricane.
Across eastern Kentucky, several days of snow added up to over a foot in many areas. Paintsville recorded 14”, Hazard and Manchester 13”, and Pineville received 11”. Bitter cold also gripped the area with most locations recording temperatures in the single digits to near zero on the 24th and 25th. Middlesboro bottomed out at 3ºF, Williamsburg 1ºF, Farmers 0ºF, and Somerset –2ºF. All but the 0ºF reading at Farmers still stand as record low temperatures for the month of November.
Type: Extratropical cyclone Nor'easter Blizzard Winter storm
Formed: November 24, 1950
Dissipated: November 30, 1950
Lowest pressure: 978 mbar (28.88 inHg)
Maximum snowfall or ice accretion: 57 inches (1,400 mm)
Fatalities: 383 fatalities
Damage: $66.7 million (1950 dollars)
Areas affected: Eastern United States Southeast Canada