Snow, bitter cold temperatures will hit Lexington tonight. Here’s how the city’s preparing
Lexington is preparing for another snowstorm, with up to 5 inches expected to land in Lexington starting Tuesday night.
Fayette County is under a winter storm warning issued by the National Weather Service from 7 p.m. Tuesday at 7 p.m. to noon Wednesday, with 2 to 5 inches of snow expected. The Lexington road department started pretreating roads Monday and will continue through Tuesday night.
Most of the state can expect anywhere from 1 to 6 inches of snow. Parts of Eastern Kentucky are expected to be on the high end of that forecast, just days after being hammered by flooding.
“Fayette County is on the very edge of the heaviest snowfall predicted,” said Rob Larkin, director of emergency management.
The National Weather Service in Louisville also issued a Cold Weather Advisory from 1-11 a.m. on Thursday. Temperatures could get as low as minus 5 degrees, Larkin said.
He said snow will impact the morning commute Wednesday, and to avoid the roads if possible. If you have to drive, slow down and allow more space between vehicles.
This is the third big winter storm Lexington has seen since the middle of January, the first of which left ice on the roads for over a week after the storm.
Councilmember Emma Curtis said the city must stop acting like heavy snow is rare, and adjust its winter weather protocol to better serve Lexington.
“I am growing increasingly concerned with our response to these sorts of weather events and treating them as though they are abnormal. This is something that is happening with increased frequency … This is not an abnormal occurrence anymore,” Curtis said at Tuesday’s council work session.
“In the long term, let’s consider what tangible policy solutions — what actions — we can take to make sure we are fully equipped to handle this change in our weather.”
The city purchased five additional plows in January and added them to trucks it already owned. Those vehicles will be in operation for this snowstorm. Director of Streets and Roads Rob Allen said the city usually runs about 40 plows per shift.
The Parks and Recreation Department will drive those trucks and plow neighborhood streets. Allen said those plows made road cleanup a lot faster during the last winter storm which hit Feb. 11.
Trash pick-up is scheduled for Wednesday — the routes didn’t run Monday because of President’s Day. Cans that are missed because of the snow Wednesday will be collected Thursday or Friday.
The office of homelessness prevention and intervention activated its winter weather protocol, which seeks to expand the capacity in shelters during extreme weather, on Feb. 16 and will run through Feb. 22. Part of that plan includes operating overflow beds at emergency shelters and relaxing enforcement of a suspension policy for people previously restricted from the shelters.
Fayette County on Tuesday evening announced it will have a non-traditional, or at-home, instruction day Wednesday.