Winter Storm Warning issued for Friday ice, sleet, snow

A Winter Storm Warning is now in effect for western Kentucky and northern middle Tennessee from 9 p.m. Thursday through 9 p.m. Friday as ice and snow will make roads slick and could cause power outages.

Christian, Todd and Montgomery County Schools will be closed Friday, in addition to Sts. Peter and Paul Catholic School, Heritage Christian Academy and University Heights Academy.

Another conference call was held by the National Weather Service in Paducah Thursday afternoon, when Warning Coordination Meteorologist Rick Shanklin reiterated there could be isolated to scattered power outages with a quarter-inch of ice and winds gusting to about 20 mph.

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Lead forecaster David Humphrey said the southern Pennyrile region can expect two and possibly up to three inches of snow after the ice.

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Rain will make the transition to freezing rain in Trigg, Christian and Todd counties between 3 and 6 a.m. and road conditions will deteriorate quickly.

Hopkinsville Mayor Carter Hendricks issued a statement Thursday saying, “In light of significant freezing rain, ice, and snow accumulation expected to impact our region, we are taking proactive measures to be ready.”

The mayor says pre-treating roads wasn’t a possibility due to plain rain forecast to precede the wintry weather, but adds that “Public Works will have crews coming in at 4:00 a.m. Friday morning and will start treating streets when the rain starts to change over to freezing rain.”

Priority routes will be treated first and then secondary routes.

Those needing a place to stay warm or emergency accommodations in Hopkinsville should contact the Salvation Army, Micah Mission Center, Coffee Connection or the Hopkinsville Police Department, according to a news release from the city.