BOWLING GREEN, Ky. (WNKY) — A powerful winter storm has left much of South Central Kentucky facing hazardous roads, downed trees, and scattered power outages, as crews shift from storm response to cleanup and recovery.
Roads across the region remain covered in thick layers of snow and ice, creating dangerous travel conditions even on major routes. Officials with the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet say freezing rain and snow have bonded to road surfaces, making it difficult to fully clear and treat many areas.
“The roads are basically a solid block of snow and ice frozen through the roadway, making travel very, very hazardous,” said Wes Watt, public information officer for the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet’s District 3 office in Bowling Green. “We are telling people to avoid travel if at all possible.”
Transportation crews continue to plow and treat roadways, but progress is slow due to the severity of the ice and persistently cold temperatures. Even treated roads can remain slick as ice refreezes on the pavement.
Beyond travel concerns, local emergency managers report the storm has affected neighborhoods and rural areas, where fallen trees and damaged power lines have caused additional problems.
In Simpson County, Emergency Management Director Robert Palmer said crews are still clearing debris so utility workers can safely access damaged infrastructure.
“We’ve got a fair amount of trees that have come down,” Palmer said. “We’re still seeing some power outages, and getting the roadways cleared so electric companies can get in is a big priority.”
Palmer noted the county has opened a warming center for residents without reliable heat or electricity and urged people to take precautions at home to avoid further damage.
“We’re telling people to drip their faucets, open cabinet doors, and protect their pipes,” Palmer said. “Those preventative steps are extremely important, especially when power outages are still possible.”
Officials across the region continue to stress that residents should stay off the roads unless absolutely necessary, allowing crews to focus on clearing debris, treating roadways, and restoring services.
Emergency management and transportation officials are urging residents to stay updated through local alerts and official channels as recovery efforts continue across South Central Kentucky.
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