Initially, Kentucky was expecting to see more snow than ice in much of the state, but conditions shifted to sleet and ice during this storm.
“Kentucky is in the heart of the storm right now as precipitation moves across the state, and ice has become our biggest concern,” Beshear said. “We expect snow, sleet and ice to keep falling throughout today and overnight. This is combined with dangerously cold temperatures throughout next week. Stay off the roads and stay warm. Power outages are rising quickly, and we need you to get to a warming center if your power is out.”
Transportation Secretary Jim Gray said, “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."
Thousands of Kentuckians are without power and numbers are expected to rise. As of Sunday afternoon, a majority of the outages were in the southern part of the state. You can view the statewide power outage map here.
The governor anticipates the state will be impacted at least through Monday but could continue for several days.
"Once the temperature gets below a certain amount, what we use to treat the roads just doesn't work as well," Beshear said. "I think people need to anticipated that we're going to be impacted through a portion of this week."
Kentucky currently has 113 warming centers set up across the commonwealth for those facing an outage. To find a warming center near you, or if you need additional assistance, find resources here. State parks are also being utilized for shelter.
Kentucky National Guard members are deployed at 53 armories across 42 counties and making rounds in local communities and Saturday. Beshear said they are continuing to do wellness checks and prepare for any needed transports due to power outages. Teams have preloaded near areas expected to receive increased ice accumulations.
Beshear issued a state of emergency declaration on Friday, activating state resources and the state’s Emergency Operations Center has been activated to Level 2. Price gouging laws are also in effect. You can report suspected price gouging to the Office of Attorney General Russell Coleman.
On Saturday, President Donald Trump approved an emergency disaster declaration making federal aid immediately available.
