Winter storm cancels more than 4,000 US flights
Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear has declared a state of emergency ahead of a winter storm that is slated to pass through the commonwealth starting late Wednesday night and into Friday morning.
“We are looking at an ice storm that may make travel difficult to impossible at some times in various regions of our state and the amount of potential ice accumulation could potentially result in the loss of power for a large number of Kentuckians,” Beshear said.
National Guard members, law enforcement and other authorities are expected to be pre-positioned near major interstates and roadways to respond to emergencies.
“This is something that is rarely done, but the predictions about this storm are again severe and we want to be ready,” he said.
Beshear urged residents to stay off roadways during the storm.
“If everything holds to where it is right now, this is the real deal. It is dangerous,” he said. “People need to be prepared and need to be prepared especially to stay off the roads tomorrow and potentially be ready to deal with this emergency for the next several days.”
The storm is expected to bring a significant amount of snow, rain, sleet and ice. Parts of the commonwealth are under a winter weather warning and flood watches are also in place, according to Beshear.
“Ice accumulations — this is concerning — the expectation is anywhere from a quarter to three-quarters of an inch. Three-quarters of an inch is debilitating wherever it occurs,” Beshear said.
State offices will also be closed Thursday, and an executive order has been signed by Beshear to help protect against price gouging.
