PADUCAH, Ky. (Feb. 10, 2021) – Kentucky Transportation Cabinet crews are responding to reports of slick spots as round 1 of an extended winter weather event moves through.
Radar has indicated gradually increasing bands of freezing rain moving across the district’s 12 counties from west to east starting around 9 p.m. The freezing rain generated reports of slick spots starting around 1 a.m., CST.
McCracken County put several trucks on the road spreading salt on scattered trouble spots around 2 a.m. Specifically, Paducah/McCracken County 911 Dispatch reported crashes along Interstate 24 between the 10 and 13 mile marker with traffic restricted to one-lane due to several jackknifed SEMI trucks. Slick spots were also reported along U.S. 45 in the Lone Oak area and near the I-24 Exit 7 Interchange, as well as along U.S. 60 into Ballard County. Marshall County has trucks on the road responding to slick spots along Interstate 69 and U.S. 641.
KYTC District 1 personnel have trucks fueled and ready to roll out quickly when they receive reports of slick spots. The District 1 Snow and Ice Team continues to closely monitor the developing snow and ice event to coordinate response efforts.
The National Weather service has issued a Winter Storm Warning for much of the region in anticipation of several rounds of freezing rain and winter mix rolling through Tuesday night through Thursday to be followed by extreme cold temperatures through the weekend into next week.
Due to the likelihood of accumulating ice, The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet is reminding motorists that travel may become hazardous. While ice accumulations are expected to be well below the ice storm of 2009, there will be plenty of opportunities for travel disruptions. The potential for damage to trees and power lines is significant.
Kentucky Transportation Cabinet crews have pretreated roadways. However, once the ice starts to accumulate, the ability to improve driving conditions will be limited. Extreme low temperatures into and through the weekend will severely limit the effectiveness of salt and other ice-fighting chemicals.
As a precaution, highway crews are checking chain saws and other tree-clearing equipment.
KYTC engineers are asking the public to avoid travel as the ice accumulates. Crews will be focused on maintaining access for emergency vehicles.
The public is urged to closely monitor changing weather conditions as this winter storm develops.
Most of western Kentucky can expect ¼ to ½ inch of ice. As a comparison, the ice storm of 2009 was about an inch to 2 inches of ice.
The National Weather Service indicates about 70 to 80 percent chance of ½ inch of accumulating ice. The probability of 1 inch of ice is only about 5 percent.
The two rounds of freezing rain and sleet will be followed by extreme cold heading into the Weekend with a low temperature on Sunday morning around 6 degrees at Paducah.
Again, KYTC engineers are urging everyone to limit travel due to the potential for hazardous driving conditions.
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Timely traffic advisories for the 12 counties of KYTC Highway District 1 are available by going to www.facebook.com/kytcdistrict1. You do not have to be a Facebook member to access this page.
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