KENTUCKY TRANSPORTATION CABINET, DISTRICT 1 CREWS PREPARE FOR ROADWAY PREP

KYTC District 1 Highway Crews Prepared for Winter Storm System Arriving Tonight

Snow arriving tonight continuing into Tuesday Night

PADUCAH, KY (Feb. 14, 2021)- - Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC) District 1 Snow-Fighters are prepared to take on several rounds of winter precipitation this week.

The most immediate threat comes from a winter storm running from tonight through Monday evening. The NWS forecast calls for between 6 and 12 inches of snow accumulation by Monday night.

In the Winter Storm Warning issued for the region, the National Weather Service (NWS) indicates a significant winter storm is imminent with snow ramping up tonight with the heaviest snow falling by Monday afternoon. The Warning suggests that the region will experience major to near-impossible travel conditions. For more information go to https://www.facebook.com/NWSPaducah.

The District 1 Snow & Ice Team is joining the NWS in alerting the public to the possibility of travel disruptions across the region if the snow accumulation trends toward the higher numbers. Snow accumulation rates of an inch an hour are expected at times on Tuesday afternoon.

Highway crews will initially focus primarily on “A” Snow Priority Routes- which include Interstates, Parkways, U.S. Highways, and some other 4-lane routes. For a complete priority list by county, go to https://transportation.ky.gov/Maintenance/Pages/Snow-and-Ice-Maps.aspx.

KYTC “B” crews will report for duty starting at 9 p.m., CST, tonight. The “A” Crews will be reporting at 9 a.m., Tuesday, with plans to stay until midnight. After that, crews will go on a 13-hour shift rotation for the remainder of the week.

Due to cold temperatures across the region, the snow is expected to be fairly light and fluffy. That will make it easier to plow, but with 10 to 15 mile per hour winds, it could also create the opportunity for drifts to develop.

The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet is working with the Kentucky State Police to expedite the removal of abandoned vehicles along the shoulder of area highways to prevent them from interfering with snow plows.

No pre-treating activities will be required by KYTC District 1 crews. The heavy application of salt and other ice-fighting chemicals used to clear ice from roadways over the last few days left salt residue on pavement surfaces that will give highway crews a head start on the approaching winter storm.

KYTC engineers continue to remind everyone that extra caution is required during extreme cold temperatures. The low Monday night is expected to be around 9 degrees with a wind-chill around zero or below. It all adds up to some brutal working conditions for District 1 Snow-Fighters and some very difficult driving conditions for the public.

After a brief reprieve on Tuesday, another strong winter weather system is expected to impact the area on Wednesday and last through Thursday evening. This system will bring another round of snow to the area. There is a possibility parts of Western Kentucky could end up seeing a period of freezing rain and sleet at some point on Thursday as well. There is confidence that we could see multiple inches of snow with this second event. Stay tuned to the latest forecasts as updates are inevitable this week.

Cold weather is also going to stay with us into Friday. Some help is expected by the weekend with highs above freezing expected by Saturday.