Ice and Snow leave South Central Kentucky dealing with dangerous roads and power issues

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. (WNKY) – A powerful winter storm has left much of South Central Kentucky struggling with dangerous road conditions, downed trees and scattered power outages, as crews shift from storm response to cleanup and recovery efforts.

Roads across the region remain coated in a thick layer of snow and ice, creating hazardous travel conditions even on major routes. Officials with the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet say freezing rain and snow 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 officials say 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 to the pavement.

Beyond travel issues, local emergency managers say the storm’s impact has extended to 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 working to clear debris so utility workers can safely reach 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 said the county has opened a warming center for residents who do not have reliable heat or electricity, and is urging 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 say residents can help recovery efforts by staying off the roads unless absolutely necessary, allowing crews to focus on clearing debris, treating roads and restoring services.

Emergency management and transportation officials continue to urge people to stay informed through local alerts and official updates as recovery operations continue across South Central Kentucky.