Kentuckians are being urged to avoid unnecessary travel as a massive winter storm brings snow, sleet and freezing rain.
“We have a long day and night ahead of us,” Gov. Andy Beshear said at a news conference in Frankfort.
Pulaski County to Barren County and areas in between appear to be the most heavily impacted.
As of mid-morning, there were 60,000 power outages across the state, mostly in the southern and eastern regions. The number of outages is expected to climb throughout the day and evening as the ice storm continues. Beshear said emergency responders are reaching out to hospitals and nursing homes.
“I’m anticipating challenges potentially through Monday,” Beshear said. “Once the temperature gets below a certain amount, what we use to treat the roads just doesn’t work as well.”
Ice remains the greatest concern through Monday morning. Bowling Green to Campbellsville, Richmond, Morehead and Ashland could see up to a quarter inch of ice, according to Beshear’s office.
In and around Louisville, LG&E reported less than 1,000 customers without power as of Sunday afternoon. Work crews cleared roads in the city and across the river in Southern Indiana, but snow continues to pile up, needing nearly constant attention to stay clear. Louisville residents can see maps of road conditions and other storm related resources here. Public library branches are open 1-5 p.m. Sunday as warming centers, according to Mayor Craig Greenberg.
The Kentucky National Guard began making rounds in local communities Saturday. They’re continuing to do wellness checks and prepare for any needed transports due to power outages.
Beshear urged drivers to stay off the roads unless it’s an emergency due to the threat of becoming stranded and low fuel availability at many gas stations.
“Our crews continue to work long 12-hour shifts to respond and adapt to changing conditions, but travelers with a Monday commute should anticipate significant issues, as the storm will continue into the morning,” Kentucky Transportation Secretary Jim Gray said.
Low temperatures will be below freezing the rest of the week.
Kentucky currently has 113 warming centers across the state for those facing an outage. To find a warming center or for additional assistance, resources can be found on Kentucky Emergency Management’s website.
President Donald Trump has approved an emergency disaster declaration for Kentucky in response to the storm.
This story may be updated.
Rebecca Feldhaus Adams contributed to this reporting.
