State Of Emergency Declared In Kentucky As Winter Storm Looms

State of Emergency.PNG — Gov. Beshear / Twitter

FRANKFORT, KY — Governor Andy Beshear declared a state of emergency for Kentucky on Saturday, Jan. 4, ahead of a winter storm anticipated to impact most of the Commonwealth.

WPSD Local 6 has activated a Weather Authority Alert for Sunday, Jan. 5, into Monday, Jan. 6, due to a messy mix of snow, sleet, ice, and rain in the weekend’s forecast.
According to the governor’s press release, the storms can disrupt utility systems, impact road conditions, and damage private property. Declaring a state of emergency allows the state to activate statewide resources like Kentucky Emergency Management.

“This winter storm will likely cause significant disruption and dangerous conditions on our roads and could cause significant power outages – just 24 hours before it gets dangerously cold,” Gov. Beshear said. “We care about every Kentucky family and those traveling through our great state, and we want to ensure everyone has the information and resources needed to stay safe.”
Kentucky state highway crews have been monitoring weather conditions, prepping equipment to clear snow and debris, and began some pretreating activities across the state.

“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 Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC) Secretary Jim Gray. “Our focus is to keep priority routes open, like interstates and parkways, before moving to other routes. Our force of state and contracted crews are ready and will be active. Motorists should exercise caution if they must be on the roads by driving distraction-free and slowing down.”

The transportation cabinet offers the following tips for drivers:

Give plows plenty of space on the roads, and increase the distance between you and the car ahead of you.
Avoid unessential travel. If returning to Kentucky from a holiday trip, travel today or make alternate plans.
If travel can’t be avoided, have an emergency car kit to keep yourself and other passengers safe for long hours.
Remember, roads often aren’t clear until after a storm passes, and bridges and overpasses freeze faster than roads.
Drive alert and slow down.
Treat dark traffic signals as a four-way stop.
Do not touch or drive over downed power lines.