Memories of 1994 Storm Resurface as Heavy Snow, Arctic Air Return to the Tri-State

As the Tri-State area braces for a major winter storm, memories of the powerful 1994 snowstorm are coming back for many who lived through it.

Archive footage from that year highlights the impact of intense snowfall and extreme cold, with some counties buried under more than two feet of snow. The storm began with freezing rain before changing to heavy snowfall, forcing highways and interstates to shut down. Bitter temperatures also made rock salt ineffective, leaving roads dangerously icy.

Kentucky Transportation Cabinet District 6 Public Information Officer Jake Ryle said the combination of snow and extreme cold creates serious challenges for road crews.

“It’s when you get those two combining forces that you might run into some issues,” Ryle said. “So what we’re going to do is focus on our priority routes and make sure those are covered as best as we can. With temperatures dropping lower, we’ll be monitoring conditions and may use calcium chloride, which works more efficiently in colder weather.”

Forecasts are calling for as much as 12 to 14 inches of snow in parts of Northern Kentucky, prompting road crews to urge residents to prepare ahead of time.

Across the Tri-State, crews plan to focus first on main roads and interstates before moving on to side streets as conditions allow.