Geography of Kentucky

File:KYphysiography.svg

Kentucky can be divided into five primary regions: the Cumberland Plateau in the east, which contains much of the historic coal mines; the north-central Bluegrass region, where the major cities and the state capital (Frankfort) are located; the south-central and western Pennyroyal Plateau (also known as the Pennyrile or Mississippi Plateau); the Western Coal Fields; and the far-west Jackson Purchase.

The Bluegrass region is commonly divided into two regions, the Inner Bluegrass encircling {{convert|90|mi|km}} around Lexington, and the Outer Bluegrass that contains most of the northern portion of the state, above the Knobs. Much of the outer Bluegrass is in the Eden Shale Hills area, made up of short, steep, and very narrow hills.

File:Köppen Climate Types Kentucky.png of Kentucky, using 1991–2020 climate normals.|300x300px]]

Located within the southeastern interior portion of North America, Kentucky has a climate that is best described as a humid subtropical climate (Köppen: Cfa), only small higher areas of the southeast of the state has an oceanic climate (Cfb) influenced by the Appalachians.{{Citation|last=Peterson|first=Adam|title=English: Köppen climate types of the United States|date=August 18, 2016|url=https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:US_50_states_K%C3%B6ppen.svg|access-date=March 4, 2019}} Temperatures in Kentucky usually range from daytime summer highs of {{convert|87|°F}} to the winter low of {{convert|23|°F}}. The average precipitation is {{convert|46|in}} a year.{{cite web| title=The Geography of Kentucky – Climate |date=June 15, 2006 |publisher=NetState.com | url=http://www.netstate.com/states/geography/ky_geography.htm | access-date=November 29, 2006}} Kentucky has four distinct seasons, with substantial variations in the severity of summer and winter.{{cite book |title=Encyclopedia of Kentucky |chapter=Geographical Configuration |publisher=Somerset Publishers |location=New York |year=1987 |isbn=978-0-403-09981-8 }} The highest recorded temperature was {{convert|114|F|C}} at Greensburg on July 28, 1930, while the lowest recorded temperature was {{convert|-37|F|C}} at Shelbyville on January 19, 1994. The state rarely experiences the extreme cold of far northern states, nor the high heat of the states in the Deep South. Temperatures seldom drop below 0 degrees or rise above 100 degrees. Rain and snowfall totals about 45 inches per year.

The climate varies markedly within the state. The northern parts tend to be about five degrees cooler than those in the western parts of the state. Somerset in the south-central part receives ten more inches of rain per year than, for instance, Covington to the north. Average temperatures for the entire Commonwealth range from the low 30s in January to the high 70s in mid-July. The annual average temperature varies from {{convert|55|to|60|°F}}: of {{convert|55|°F}} in the far north as an average annual temperature and of {{convert|60|°F}} in the extreme southwest.Klotter, James C. and Freda C. (2015). Faces of Kentucky. University Press of Kentucky. Page 53. {{ISBN|9780813160528}}.AV2 by Weigl. (2008). Discover America: Kentucky: The Bluegrass State. Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc. Page 8. {{ISBN|9781593397630}}.

In general, Kentucky has relatively hot, humid, rainy summers, and moderately cold and rainy winters. Mean maximum temperatures in July vary from {{convert|83|to|90|°F}}; the mean minimum July temperatures are {{convert|61|to|69|°F}}. In January the mean maximum temperatures range from {{convert|36|to|44|°F}}; the mean minimum temperatures range from {{convert|19|to|26|°F}}. Temperature means vary with northern and far-eastern mountain regions averaging five degrees cooler year-round, compared to the relatively warmer areas of the southern and western regions of the state. Precipitation also varies north to south with the north averaging of {{convert|38|to|40|in}}, and the south averaging of {{convert|50|in}}. Days per year below the freezing point vary from about sixty days in the southwest to more than a hundred days in the far-north and far-east.Jones, Ronald (2005). Plant Life of Kentucky: An Illustrated Guide to the Vascular Flora. University Press of Kentucky. Page 11. {{ISBN|9780813123318}}.

{{Louisville, Kentucky weatherbox}}

{{Weather box

|location = Lexington, Kentucky {{efn|(Blue Grass Airport), 1991–2020 normals. Mean monthly maxima and minima (i.e. the expected highest and lowest temperature readings at any point during the year or given month) calculated based on data at said location from 1991 to 2020. Extremes 1872–present. Official records for Lexington were kept at the State College on South Limestone Street from October 1872 to July 1876 before closing, the Tower State College Building on the University of Kentucky campus from September 1888 to July 1915 after reopening downtown in 1887, various locations near downtown from July 1915 to July 1944, and Blue Grass Airport since July 1944. For more information, see [https://www.weather.gov/media/lmk/climate/clilex/Station_History.pdf].}}

|single line = yes

|collapsed = Yes

|Jan record high F = 80

|Feb record high F = 80

|Mar record high F = 86

|Apr record high F = 91

|May record high F = 96

|Jun record high F = 104

|Jul record high F = 108

|Aug record high F = 105

|Sep record high F = 103

|Oct record high F = 97

|Nov record high F = 83

|Dec record high F = 75

|year record high F = 108

|Jan avg record high F = 64.2

|Feb avg record high F = 68.4

|Mar avg record high F = 75.0

|Apr avg record high F = 81.6

|May avg record high F = 87.2

|Jun avg record high F = 92.0

|Jul avg record high F = 93.9

|Aug avg record high F = 93.4

|Sep avg record high F = 90.9

|Oct avg record high F = 83.6

|Nov avg record high F = 73.5

|Dec avg record high F = 65.6

|year avg record high F = 95.9

|Jan high F = 42.3

|Feb high F = 46.8

|Mar high F = 56.1

|Apr high F = 67.2

|May high F = 75.8

|Jun high F = 83.8

|Jul high F = 86.9

|Aug high F = 86.2

|Sep high F = 80.2

|Oct high F = 68.6

|Nov high F = 55.8

|Dec high F = 45.9

|year high F = 66.3

|Jan mean F = 33.9

|Feb mean F = 37.5

|Mar mean F = 45.9

|Apr mean F = 56.2

|May mean F = 65.4

|Jun mean F = 73.3

|Jul mean F = 76.7

|Aug mean F = 75.7

|Sep mean F = 69.1

|Oct mean F = 57.8

|Nov mean F = 46.1

|Dec mean F = 37.8

|year mean F = 56.3

|Jan low F = 25.4

|Feb low F = 28.3

|Mar low F = 35.8

|Apr low F = 45.2

|May low F = 55.0

|Jun low F = 62.8

|Jul low F = 66.5

|Aug low F = 65.2

|Sep low F = 58.1

|Oct low F = 47.0

|Nov low F = 36.4

|Dec low F = 29.6

|year low F = 46.3

|Jan avg record low F = 3.5

|Feb avg record low F = 7.8

|Mar avg record low F = 16.9

|Apr avg record low F = 28.1

|May avg record low F = 38.9

|Jun avg record low F = 49.8

|Jul avg record low F = 56.9

|Aug avg record low F = 54.9

|Sep avg record low F = 43.5

|Oct avg record low F = 30.8

|Nov avg record low F = 20.2

|Dec avg record low F = 11.5

|year avg record low F = 0.3

|Jan record low F = −21

|Feb record low F = −20

|Mar record low F = −2

|Apr record low F = 15

|May record low F = 26

|Jun record low F = 39

|Jul record low F = 47

|Aug record low F = 42

|Sep record low F = 32

|Oct record low F = 20

|Nov record low F = −3

|Dec record low F = −19

|year record low F = -21

|precipitation colour = green

|Jan precipitation inch = 3.42

|Feb precipitation inch = 3.64

|Mar precipitation inch = 4.48

|Apr precipitation inch = 4.42

|May precipitation inch = 5.44

|Jun precipitation inch = 4.96

|Jul precipitation inch = 5.12

|Aug precipitation inch = 3.71

|Sep precipitation inch = 3.42

|Oct precipitation inch = 3.66

|Nov precipitation inch = 3.37

|Dec precipitation inch = 4.20

|year precipitation inch = 49.84

|Jan snow inch = 4.7

|Feb snow inch = 4.5

|Mar snow inch = 2.8

|Apr snow inch = 0.2

|May snow inch = 0.0

|Jun snow inch = 0.0

|Jul snow inch = 0.0

|Aug snow inch = 0.0

|Sep snow inch = 0.0

|Oct snow inch = 0.0

|Nov snow inch = 0.4

|Dec snow inch = 1.9

|year snow inch = 14.5

|unit precipitation days = 0.01 in

|Jan precipitation days = 12.6

|Feb precipitation days = 11.6

|Mar precipitation days = 12.8

|Apr precipitation days = 12.8

|May precipitation days = 12.6

|Jun precipitation days = 11.7

|Jul precipitation days = 10.7

|Aug precipitation days = 9.6

|Sep precipitation days = 7.7

|Oct precipitation days = 9.2

|Nov precipitation days = 10.3

|Dec precipitation days = 12.6

|year precipitation days = 134.2

|unit snow days = 0.1 in

|Jan snow days = 4.5

|Feb snow days = 3.8

|Mar snow days = 1.7

|Apr snow days = 0.2

|May snow days = 0.0

|Jun snow days = 0.0

|Jul snow days = 0.0

|Aug snow days = 0.0

|Sep snow days = 0.0

|Oct snow days = 0.0

|Nov snow days = 0.7

|Dec snow days = 2.5

|year snow days = 13.4

|source 1 = NOAA{{cite web |url = https://w2.weather.gov/climate/xmacis.php?wfo=lmk |title = NowData – NOAA Online Weather Data |publisher = National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration |access-date = May 31, 2021}}{{cite web |url=https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/services/data/v1?dataset=normals-monthly-1991-2020&startDate=0001-01-01&endDate=9996-12-31&stations=USW00093820&format=pdf |publisher=National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration |title=Station Name: KY LEXINGTON BLUEGRASS AP |work=U.S. Climate Normals 2020: U.S. Monthly Climate Normals (1991–2020) |access-date=June 4, 2021}}

}}

{{See also|List of lakes in Kentucky|List of rivers of Kentucky|List of dams and reservoirs in Kentucky}}

File:Wolf Creek Dam and Lake Cumberland, KY.jpg is the largest artificial American lake east of the Mississippi River by volume.]]

Kentucky has more navigable miles of water than any other state in the union, other than Alaska.{{cite web|title=Corbin, Kentucky: A Fisherman's Paradise |publisher=Corbin, Kentucky Economic Development |url=http://www.corbinkentucky.us/fishing.htm |access-date=November 29, 2006 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060626140323/http://corbinkentucky.us/fishing.htm |archive-date=June 26, 2006 }}

Kentucky is the only U.S. state to have a continuous border of rivers running along three of its sides{{snd}}the Mississippi River to the west, the Ohio River to the north, and the Big Sandy River and Tug Fork to the east.{{cite book |editor=Kleber, John E. |others=Associate editors: Thomas D. Clark, Lowell H. Harrison, and James C. Klotter |title=The Kentucky Encyclopedia |year=1992 |publisher=The University Press of Kentucky |location=Lexington, Kentucky |isbn=978-0-8131-1772-0 |chapter=Rivers |page=774 |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=CcceBgAAQBAJ&pg=PA774 |access-date=February 18, 2015}} Its major internal rivers include the Kentucky River, Tennessee River, Cumberland River, Green River and Licking River.

Though it has only three major natural lakes,{{cite book |editor=Kleber, John E. |others=Associate editors: Thomas D. Clark, Lowell H. Harrison, and James C. Klotter |title=The Kentucky Encyclopedia |year=1992 |publisher=The University Press of Kentucky |location=Lexington, Kentucky |isbn=978-0-8131-1772-0 |chapter=Lakes|page=531|chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=CcceBgAAQBAJ&pg=PA531|access-date=February 18, 2015}} Kentucky is home to many artificial lakes. Kentucky has both the largest artificial lake east of the Mississippi in water volume (Lake Cumberland) and surface area (Kentucky Lake). Kentucky Lake's {{convert|2064|mi|km}} of shoreline, {{convert|160300|acre|ha|abbr=off}} of water surface, and {{Convert|4,008,000|acre-ft|e9m3|lk=on|sigfig=2|abbr=off|sp=us}} of flood storage are the most of any lake in the TVA system.Tennessee Valley Authority, The Kentucky Project: A Comprehensive Report on the Planning, Design, Construction, and Initial Operations of the Kentucky Project, Technical Report No. 13 (Washington, D.C.: U.S. Government Printing Office, 1951), pp. 1–12, 68, 115–116, 509.

Kentucky's {{convert|90000|mi|km|-4}} of streams provides one of the most expansive and complex stream systems in the nation.

File:WaterfrontPkDwnt.jpg

Kentucky has an expansive park system, which includes one national park, two National Recreation Areas, two National Historic Parks, two national forests, two National Wildlife Refuges, 45 state parks, {{convert|37896|acre|km2|0}} of state forest, and 82 wildlife management areas.

Kentucky has been part of two of the most successful wildlife reintroduction projects in United States history. In the winter of 1997, the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources began to re-stock elk in the state's eastern counties, which had been extinct from the area for over 150 years. {{as of|2009}}, the herd had reached the project goal of 10,000 animals, making it the largest herd east of the Mississippi River.{{cite web |url = http://fw.ky.gov/elkinfo.asp?lid=1653&NavPath=C117C147C301C547 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060926064155/http://fw.ky.gov/elkinfo.asp?lid=1653&NavPath=C117C147C301C547 |archive-date=September 26, 2006 |title=Elk Restoration Update and Hunting Information |publisher=Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources |access-date=December 9, 2006 }}

The state also stocked wild turkeys in the 1950s. There were reported to be fewer than 900 at one point. Once nearly extinct here, wild turkeys thrive throughout today's Kentucky.{{cite news |last=Pearce|first=Tom|title=Once nearly extinct, turkeys gobbling throughout state |url = https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1696&dat=19940327&id=T_4aAAAAIBAJ&pg=6989,2846713&hl=en |access-date=May 15, 2016 |work=Bowling Green Daily News |date=March 27, 1994}} Hunters officially reported a record 29,006 birds taken during the 23-day season in spring 2009.{{cite web |url = http://fw.ky.gov/app/news/newsdetail.aspx?id=542 |title=Hunters Take Record Number of Spring Turkey |website=Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Service |access-date=January 17, 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20130117104812/http://fw.ky.gov/app/news/newsdetail.aspx?id=542 |archive-date=January 17, 2013 }}

In 1991 the Land Between the Lakes partnered with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for the Red Wolf Recovery Program, a captive breeding program.{{cite web|date=October 6, 2015|title=Wolf Week Spotlight: The Endangered Red Wolf|url=https://www.landbetweenthelakes.us/wolf-week-spotlight-the-endangered-red-wolf/|access-date=November 30, 2020|website=Land Between the Lakes}}

See also the 1939 WPA Guide to Kentucky. WPA, Kentucky: A Guide to the Bluegrass State (1939); classic guide from the Federal Writers Project; covers main themes and describes every town and feature, with capsule histories [https://archive.org/details/kentuckyguidetob00federich/page/n8/mode/1up online]

File:Half Moon, Kentucky.JPG is one of Kentucky's most visited places.]]

File:Otter Creek Park 2.jpg, Meade County, Kentucky]]

• Cumberland Gap, chief passageway through the Appalachian Mountains in early American history.
• Cumberland Falls, the only place in the Western Hemisphere where a "moonbow" may be regularly seen, due to the spray of the falls.{{cite web |title=Cumberland Falls State Resort Park |date=October 19, 2005 |

publisher=Kentucky Department of Parks |url = http://parks.ky.gov/findparks/resortparks/cf/ |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20061005015537/http://parks.ky.gov/resortparks/cf/ |archive-date=October 5, 2006 |access-date=November 29, 2006 }}

• Mammoth Cave National Park, featuring the world's longest known cave system.{{cite web | title=Mammoth Cave National Park |date=October 12, 2006 | publisher=National Park Service | url = http://www.nps.gov/maca/index.htm | access-date=November 29, 2006 }}
• Red River Gorge Geological Area, part of the Daniel Boone National Forest.
• Land Between the Lakes, a National Recreation Area managed by the United States Forest Service.
• Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area near Whitley City.
• Black Mountain, state's highest point.{{cite web | title=Science in Your Backyard: Kentucky | publisher=United States Geological Survey | url=http://www.usgs.gov/state/state.asp?State=KY | access-date=November 29, 2006 }} Runs along the south ridge of Pine Mountain in Letcher County, Kentucky. The highest point located in Harlan County.
• Bad Branch Falls State Nature Preserve, {{convert|2639|acre|km2|0|adj=on}} state nature preserve on southern slope of Pine Mountain in Letcher County. Includes one of the largest concentrations of rare and endangered species in the state,{{cite web| title=Bad Branch State Nature Preserve | publisher=Kentucky State Nature Preserves Commission | url=http://www.naturepreserves.ky.gov/stewardship/badbranch.htm | access-date=November 29, 2006 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20061024022402/http://www.naturepreserves.ky.gov/stewardship/badbranch.htm| archive-date = October 24, 2006}} as well as a {{convert|60|ft|m|0|adj=on}} waterfall and a Kentucky Wild River.{{clarify|reason=What does 'a Kentucky Wild River' mean?|date=June 2014}}
• Jefferson Memorial Forest, located in the southern fringes of Louisville in the Knobs region, the largest municipally run forest in the United States.{{cite web | title=Jefferson Memorial Forest | url=http://www.louisvilleky.gov/metroparks/parks/jeffersonmemorialforest/ | access-date=November 29, 2006 | archive-date=October 1, 2006 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061001025352/http://www.louisvilleky.gov/MetroParks/parks/jeffersonmemorialforest/ | url-status=dead }}
• Lake Cumberland, {{convert|1255|mi|km|0}} of shoreline located in South Central Kentucky.
• Natural Bridge, located in Slade, Kentucky Powell County.
• Breaks Interstate Park, located in southeastern Pike County, Kentucky and Southwestern Virginia. The Breaks is commonly known as the "Grand Canyon of the South".{{Cite news|url=http://www.onlyinyourstate.com/virginia/grand-canyon-of-virginia/|title=The Grand Canyon of the South Is Right Here in Virginia And It's Breathtaking|newspaper=OnlyInYourState|access-date=February 16, 2017}}

• List of counties in Kentucky
• Coal mining in Kentucky

{{reflist}}

{{notelist}}

• WPA, Kentucky: A Guide to the Bluegrass State (1939); classic guide from the Federal Writers Project; covers main themes and describes every town and feature, with capsule histories [https://archive.org/details/kentuckyguidetob00federich/page/n8/mode/1up online]

Category:Geography of Kentucky

Category:Regions of Kentucky