Beshear declares state of emergency ahead of potentially severe flooding in KY this weekend
Gov. Andy Beshear has declared a state of emergency ahead of a heavy rain storm that’s expected to bring significant flooding to Kentucky.
About 2 to 6 inches of rain is expected throughout the state. The counties bordering southern Indiana and Illinois are projected to receive the most rain.
Central and Southern Kentucky is expected to receive 3 to 4 inches of rain, and Eastern Kentucky is expected to receive 2 to 3 inches, according to the National Weather Service.
“We could potentially see flooding in any corner in any part and in any community of our state,” Beshear said in a post on X Friday.
A state of emergency means the Kentucky Emergency Operations Center is activated, and the Kentucky National Guard is on standby ready to respond. Beshear said he is also working with local emergency management leaders to prepare for the storm.
“Be careful, because of the amount of rain that will be coming down. It will make it hard to drive,” Beshear said. “Flash flooding, especially across our roads, can create dangerous conditions.”
The rain is expected to begin Saturday morning and continue into Sunday, according to the NWS. It will be moderate to heavy at times, with the heaviest rainfall expected Saturday evening.
The entire state is under a flood watch beginning Friday night and lasting through Sunday afternoon. Significant flash flooding and river flooding is possible, and people living in flood-prone areas are encouraged to prepare for the storm.
The NWS’ river crest forecast shows many Kentucky rivers are at risk for minor or moderate flooding while some rivers are at risk for major flooding. Major flooding implies “extensive inundation of structures and roads, significant evacuations of people and/or transfer of property to higher elevations.”
The rivers most at risk are the Kentucky, Green, Rolling Fork and Rough Rivers, according to the NWS.
Beshear said officials don’t expect this flooding event to be as significant as the July 2022 floods, but they are still preparing for significant impacts.
“We are taking this seriously,” Beshear said during Thursday’s Team Kentucky Update. “Most important thing for people out there: Standing water, do not drive through. That is my biggest concern. My second biggest concern is flooding that might occur Saturday night into Sunday morning.”
Recently the storm’s axis has traveled more north and west closer to the Ohio River, but the shift is not unanimous among the NWS’ weather tracking models.
“For the time being however, the overall northwestward shift in the heavy rainfall axis has reduced the forecast precipitation totals by as much as an inch for portions of southeastern Kentucky due to most of the area now ending up firmly in the warm sector and a relative lull in the rainfall Saturday afternoon into Saturday night,” NWS meteorologists said in the area forecast discussion for Eastern Kentucky.
However, additional shifts in the forecast are expected, and the NWS said people should not let their guard down. Rainfall rates could reach 1 inch per hour and high-impact flooding remains a major concern.
“We won’t know exactly where the majority of rain will go until right up into Saturday,” Beshear said. “We hope it continues to move northward and misses most of Kentucky but we have to prepare for significant rain.”
Breathitt County Emergency Management will be opening a shelter for people displaced or evacuated from their homes. The shelter is at Lee’s College Gymnasium and it will open Friday at 9 p.m.
Beshear said he’s been in contact with the state parks as a possible evacuation spot for people.
Catlettsburg will be installing the floodgate as a precaution due to incoming rainfall. The floodgate will be positioned at at 20th Street and Center Street from Friday morning until the river recedes.
Bobby Akers, Floyd County Schools’ spokesperson said the district is working with Floyd County Emergency Management, and “taking proactive steps to ensure the safety and well-being of our community during a possible flooding situation.
“Floyd County Schools is prepared to determine locations for shelter as needed,” Akers said.
Severe weather is also possible for areas of Western Kentucky late Saturday, according to the NWS. The confidence in the storm is low, but damaging winds and brief tornadoes are possible.
This story was originally published February 14, 2025 at 10:38 AM.
