Kentucky Transportation Cabinet District 1 crews in the state’s 12 westernmost counties, which includes Crittenden and Livingston counties, are gearing up for a developing winter weather event expected to arrive Sunday and continue into Monday.
The weather forecast indicates about a 50 percent chance of rain moving into the area Sunday afternoon with a 50 percent chance of a switch over to snow during the overnight hours into Monday morning.
Temperatures are expected to drop below freezing at some point overnight Sunday. Accumulations of snow up to around 1 inch are possible.
To prepare, Kentucky highway crews will be out pre-treating bridges and overpasses in District 1 counties today. Motorists should be alert for slow moving trucks going about pre-treating activities, particularly along Interstates, parkways and other major routes.
Pre-treating with brine leaves a fine coating of salt powder that will stick to road surfaces for several days. The salt is then available to be activated by falling precipitation during the early hours of a winter weather event. Due to rain that is expected to precede the snow, crews will only pre-treat bridges and overpasses for this event.
Additionally, highway crews across western Kentucky will be loading salt onto their trucks, mounting snow plows, and preparing other necessary equipment before they leave work on Friday. This will allow crews to hit the road quickly over the weekend, if required.
The KyTC District 1 Snow and Ice Team will continue to monitor the weather forecast for changes and provide regular updates on the snow response plan.
The National Weather Service has indicated that this is not expected to be a significant event. However, there may be some limited travel impact as the system develops. Pronounced cold is expected to remain over the region into most of next week.
Motorists are asked to do their part by assuring that they have good tread on their tires, carrying appropriate emergency supplies in their vehicle, wearing warm clothing anytime they go out, and using appropriate caution when precipitation and freezing temperatures create hazardous driving conditions.
Motorists are advised to closely monitor the local forecast for updates as the system approaches, and be aware of the potential for rapid changes in driving conditions.
The NWS has started their winter weather awareness campaign. Details are available at http://www.crh.noaa.gov/jkl/?n=ky_wwa_portal under "Top News of Day."
Timely traffic advisories for the 12 counties of KyTC Highway District 1 are available by www.facebook.com/kytcdistrict1. You do not have to be a Facebook member to access this page.
