Realtime Blog: Impacts of Ice and Winter Storms in Kentucky, Indiana

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Severe winter conditions are expected to hit Kentucky and Indiana Thursday through Friday, bringing heavy accumulations of ice and snow.

Much of Kentucky and southern Indiana is under an ice storm warning, with ice totals up to 3/4″ possible for some, in addition to snow. The greatest impacts will be l buildup of ice on trees and power lines, which could lead to power outages, as well as dangerous road conditions.

Throughout Thursday we will have live weather updates on WHAS11 to provide the latest information on the winter storm as it moves through our area.

Here are the latest updates from city and state officials on this winter storm.

Rumpke Waste and Recycling said crews will be out very early Thursday morning to collect as much as possible before winter weather hits.

Since they start early, Rumpke officials are urging customers to put their trash and recycling on the sidewalk Wednesday night.

“With the weather forecast for Thursday and Friday, we likely won’t be able to return to residences that haven’t taken their materials out for collection while we’re away,” area vice president Eric Curtis said.

If you miss this pickup, your items will be picked up on your next scheduled service day.

All TARC routes through Louisville and southern Indiana will operate on winter detours on Thursday. For a list of detours listed by route, visit the CARC website.

Updates are also available on social media or through text and email notifications provided by TARC.

Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer urged people to stay home during a Wednesday press briefing.

“There’s no benefit to going out,” Fischer said. He asked Louisville residents to get their groceries on Wednesday so they can stay home Thursday and Friday when the roads could be at their most dangerous.

LG&E officials warned of the risk of power outages Thursday due to ice weighing on power lines and tree branches. LG&E has teams ready to read to begin repairs as soon as possible.

Louisville Public Works is also ready to act, as soon as the conditions are met to deposit the salt and brine. The plan is to start laying salt on Thursday morning, after the rain stops but before everything starts to freeze.

Governor Andy Beshear declared a state of emergency for Kentucky ahead of the winter storm’s arrival. The governor said Wednesday that the expected ice level could be “debilitating.”

Members of Kentucky Transportation CabinetNational Guard and Kentucky State Police will be stationed along major highways and roads to be available to respond to emergencies.

The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC) is ready to use more than 1,300 pieces of equipment and more than 2,000 staff available to respond to roadside emergencies. Due to the rain, crews can’t treat the roads yet, but Gray said they’ll start laying down salt as soon as the precipitation turns into something that won’t wash them away.

Drivers are asked to stay off the roads unless absolutely necessary.

The Indiana Department of Transportation said it has 215,000 tons of salt and 1.5 million gallons of brine to fight the storm. INDOT has a full call, with almost 1,000 trucks already starting to process the roads. More than 1,500 employees will work 12-hour shifts.

“In my five years here, this is the first truly statewide weather event that has prompted us to mount a statewide response effort,” the governor said. Eric Holcomb. “It will require areas of expertise in different areas at different times, and we just ask for your cooperation.”

Schools in Kentuckiana switched to virtual instruction for Thursday, including Jefferson County Public Schools (JCPS) in Louisville.

“Students should bring their Chromebooks or other devices home today (Wednesday), in preparation for participating in NTI on Thursday and possibly Friday,” district leaders told parents in a Feb. 2 email. .

JCPS said Thursday’s decision could mean another NTI day on Friday, which would be the last of 10 the district is assigned each school year.

See the latest school and business closures here.

Wednesday’s rain made it difficult for road crews to prepare for the impending winter storm. Lamb’s Law Department and Landscaping said they would have to be more responsive and proactive for this storm because the rain would wash away any salt or brine they deposited.

Spokespersons for the Indiana Department of Transportation and Louisville Metro Public Works are following the same thought, delaying the application of treatments until the rainfall begins to freeze.

Louisville and the state of Indiana said their jobs would be much easier on Thursday if drivers stayed off the roads. For those who need to drive, check 511 card for Indiana and GoKY real time traffic map for Kentucky.

These stories include information on how to prepare for and deal with winter weather conditions.

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