Chris Bailey’s 2022-23 Winter Weather Forecast

LEXINGTON, Ky. (WKYT) - Bundle up and get ready for a winter of roller coaster temperature swings and plenty of chances for snow and ice to blanket the ground.

It’s that time of the year when WKYT Chief Meteorologist Chris Bailey gives his winter weather forecast.

“I expect this winter to be a combination of the past two winters. Both of those featured wild temperature swings, and I expect that to be the case again in the winter ahead,” Bailey said. “When the dust settles, those extreme temp swings will likely average one another out to give us normal to slightly below normal temps for the winter as a whole.”

Over this past two winter, the Lexington area saw above normal snowfalls. The majority of last winter’s 23.9 inches of snow fell in January making that month the seventh snowiest January on record.

“It should be another active storm track for the Ohio Valley, and that means ample chances for winter weather. Some of the storms will bring a cold rain, others hit us with snow and one or two could bring another ice threat,” Bailey said.

Over the course of this winter, Bailey predicts most of central and eastern Kentucky will see 16 to 24 inches of snow while counties closest to the Virginia border could see as much as 30 inches.

Month-by-month forecast

• December: With below normal temperatures, Bailey expects between 4 and 8 inches of snow.
• January: Brace yourself for what could be the snowiest month of this winter. Bailey expects between 5 and 10 inches of snow while temperatures hover near normal throughout the month.
• February: As temperatures remain near normal to 3 degrees above normal, look for a slight snow reprieve compared to December and January. Bailey expects February snow totals between 2 and 6 inches.
• March: While some years see heavy snows in March, Bailey expects this March to have above normal temperatures and an inch or less of snow.

“My Bold Prediction has actually has more hits than misses over the past decade. Our region is long overdue for an out and out blizzard, and I think we get a storm that may push blizzard criteria for parts of our region,” Bailey said.

To reach the National Weather Service’s definition of blizzard conditions, there must be sustained wind or frequent guests up to 35 miles per hour or greater along with considerable falling and/or blowing snow reducing visibility to less than a quarter of a mile.

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