Several inches of snow fall across Kentucky. Schools closed, roads slippery
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Snowstorm left roughly 4 inches across several Kentucky areas; another inch possible.
- Schools closed and University delayed; Lexington roads saw collisions and hazards.
- State crews cleared roads overnight; city crews treated roads; motorists use caution.
Several areas across Kentucky received snow from Thursday night’s snowstorm, leaving schools closed and roads slippery.
WKYT chief meteorologist Chris Bailey said several areas have reported about 4 inches of snow. An additional inch of snow could fall Friday morning, said Gov. Andy Beshear.
The National Weather Service reported just shy 3 inches of snow at its Louisville branch office.
The snowstorm should start winding down Friday morning. The NWS said a few pockets of very light freezing drizzle are possible as the storm departs to the east, but no impacts from the freezing drizzle are expected.
Many northern and central Kentucky counties remain under a winter storm warning until at least 10 a.m., according to the NWS. Total snow accumulations from the storm are predicted to be between 3 and 5 inches.
The overnight snowfall created hazardous conditions for several Lexington roads. The Lexington Police Department said it responded to 24 collisions, 12 reports of motorist/citizens assists and nine reports of traffic hazards between midnight and 7 a.m.
Fayette County Public Schools canceled classes on Friday and will have a traditional snow day, the second of the school year. The University of Kentucky is operating on a two-hour delay, and any classes or activities scheduled for before 10 a.m. were canceled.
The city of Lexington is also operating on a two-hour delay for non-emergency personnel. City offices will open to the public at 10 a.m.
City road crews treated the roads overnight, and motorists should use extra caution during their commute. The city said roads remain slushy, and anyone driving should go slow add extra time to their trip.
The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet said District 7 crews, which covers Fayette County, cleared state roads overnight, and are now working on shoulders, turn lanes, crossovers and ramps. Crews are also cleaning cross drains to prevent flooding.
Future forecast
The snow may melt some Friday, as temperatures are expected to peak at 36 degrees, according to the NWS. The projected low for Friday night is 27 degrees, and the NWS said refreezing could create slick spots on the road Saturday morning.
Another round of snow is possible Saturday. The NWS said a series of snow showers could drop another 1 to 2 inches of snow along and north of the Interstate 64 corridor.
Lexington is forecast to get between a half-inch and two inches of snow. The NWS puts Lexington’s chances of getting two inches of snow at 29%.
As of Dec. 11, about 3.1 inches of snow have already fallen in Lexington this month. The normal amount of December snow for Lexington is 1.9 inches.
Lexington hasn’t recorded more than three inches of snow in December since 2020, according to the NWS. The city record for the most amount of snow in December is 19.4 inches, which happened in 1917.
Arctic temperatures to follow weekend snowstorm
A cold, arctic air mass will follow Saturday’s snowstorm and drop temperatures well below freezing. The projected low for Saturday night is 9 degrees, but northwest winds around 10 mph could push wind chill values into the negatives, according to the NWS.
The projected high for Sunday is 15 degrees, followed by a low of 2 degrees that evening, according to the NWS. The record for the coldest high temperature for Dec. 14 in Lexington is 12 degrees, which was set in 1917.
The Office of Homelessness Prevention and Intervention has activated the emergency winter weather plan in preparation for the cold temperatures.
The city’s emergency day centers and overnight shelters welcome all visitors and expand capacity when the plan is activated. Community partners also work to facilitate transportation to shelters when the plan is activated. Lextran offers free rides on all its routes to shelters.
The arctic air mass is expected to depart the region on Tuesday, and temperatures are expected to warm back up above freezing. The projected high is 38 degrees Tuesday, 48 degrees Wednesday and 56 degrees Thursday, according to the NWS.
This story was originally published December 12, 2025 at 8:25 AM.
