Gov. Andy Beshear declared a state of emergency during a news conference Saturday ahead of Kentucky’s first significant winter storm, expected to hit the commonwealth Sunday morning into Monday.
The National Weather Service in Louisville issued a winter storm warning for Jefferson County and several other counties in north-central Kentucky and southern Indiana early Saturday morning, which will take effect at 4 a.m. Sunday and ends at 7 p.m. Monday.
A Saturday afternoon update from the service predicted snowfall accumulations in Louisville could reach 6-10 inches of snow and accumulate up to 0.75 inches inches of ice. Snowfall totals could change as the system advances, as freezing rain and sleet could reduce snow accumulation while increasing ice potential, forecasters said.
Following the winter storm, temperatures are expected to plunge starting Tuesday. Beshear said this heightens the need to clear roadways throughout the day Monday, as road salt will not be as effective as temperatures drop.