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By Tom Latek
Kentucky Today
The first major winter storm of the season is affecting Kentucky with snow, sleet and freezing rain leading the National Weather Service (NWS) to continue a Winter Storm Warning for most of the state, an Ice Storm warning for parts of the West and a Winter Weather Advisory for counties near the Tennessee line.
The warnings and advisories will remain in effect until Monday at noon (CT) in the West, until Monday night in central and northern Kentucky and into Tuesday morning in the east. Wind gusts of 20 miles per hour or more will only exacerbate the situation, making travel difficult to impossible. Authorities are urging people not to travel unless necessary.
Gov. Andy Beshear has ordered state buildings that house Executive Branch offices to close on Monday, while many courthouses have also announced they are shut down on Monday. You can check if your county is affected by going to kcoj.info/KCOJhomepage. Closings are listed at the top of the page.
“This winter storm is serious, and the extreme cold we’re facing days afterward will make travel more hazardous and impact the speed of even our best road treatments, especially after dark,” said Jim Gray, Transportation Cabinet Secretary.
On Saturday the governor issued a State of Emergency declaration for all of Kentucky. Nineteen counties and 17 cities declared states of emergency by Sunday afternoon, he said.
“We know these numbers will change as the storm continues. We’re working with local governments to ensure resources get to those who need them,” Beshear said on X.
Many school districts will not hold in-person classes on Monday. Some will use online learning, while others are taking a traditional snow day.
Once the wintry weather ends, temperatures are forecast to remain bitterly cold through Friday, according to the NWS, who also caution that there are signs that another winter storm could affect Kentucky next weekend.
Safety tips
• Individuals using oxygen-dependent medical devices or refrigerated medications should have a backup plan for outages.
• Check on the elderly and those with children or medical conditions to ensure they have safety plans.
• Keep devices like phones, laptops, and portable chargers fully charged.
• Prepare an emergency kit for cold weather, including water, blankets, non-perishable food, a flashlight, a battery-powered radio, first-aid supplies, and necessary medications. More details are available on our website.
• If using a generator, follow the manufacturer’s instructions, never operate it indoors, and connect appliances directly to the generator unless an electric load transfer switch is installed.
