Winter Weather Advisory for Perry County: Up to 5 Inches Snow

The National Weather Service in Jackson, KY has issued a Winter Weather Advisory covering Harlan, Floyd, Knott, Perry, Letcher, Martin and Pike counties, in effect "from 11 AM Sunday to 6 PM EST Monday," warning of accumulating snow and gusty winds that could cut visibility. The advisory appears in an "URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE" product timestamped 142 PM EST Sat Feb 21 2026 and is tied to the VTEC period encoded for Feb 22–23.

The NWS forecast summary states "Total snow accumulations of 1 to 2 inches. Higher accumulations to 5 inches possible over the higher terrain." Officials also flagged wind impacts: "Gusty winds of 15 to 25 mph combined with the falling snow may produce sudden sharp visibility reductions, especially during the daytime hours Sunday and Monday." FOX 56 News echoed the local threat, reporting "A Winter Weather Advisory has been issued for Perry, Knott, and Floyd counties in Kentucky due to possible up to 5 inches of snow and strong winds" and noting that "Rain and snow showers are expected to continue with cold, blustery conditions tomorrow."

The NWS product lists specific communities in the advisory area, including Hazard in Perry County along with Jenkins, South Williamson, Wheelwright, Hindman, Pikeville, Whitesburg, Coal Run, Harlan, Inez, Cumberland, Pippa Passes, Elkhorn City, and Prestonsburg. The Hazard-Perry County corridor and other towns east of Interstate 75 are in the zone where accumulating snow is most likely, consistent with the NWS key message that "Accruing snow is expected for much of eastern Kentucky Sunday into Monday, especially east of Interstate 75."

Meteorological reasoning in the short-term discussion links the event to larger-scale dynamics: "An upper trough traversing the center of the country this afternoon will amplify in conjunction with a developing surface low tonight along the Carolina coastline. Rapid deepening of the surface and upper low is then expected just off the Mid-Atlantic coast tomorrow into Monday, with several shortwave disturbances moving southeast across the Ohio and", a synopsis provided in the NWS product to explain why moisture and cold air will combine across eastern Kentucky.

Local spotter and operational notes in the advisory indicate active monitoring; the product includes ".SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation will likely be [...]" and points users toward situational pages labeled "Latest Watches, Warnings & Advisories" and the "Regional Radar Loop" for updates. The National Weather Service's final key message emphasizes cold persistence: "Much colder air arrives Sunday and lingers into early next week," which underscores continuing travel and visibility hazards through Monday evening for Perry County and neighboring communities.