Wednesday Morning:
The National Weather Service in Paducah says freezing rain and drizzle will continue across west Kentucky early Wednesday morning as a winter weather system moves out of the region. Light snow and freezing drizzle continues in southeast Illinois and southwest Indiana.
While primary roads are okay, use caution on secondary roads and bridges that may be slick. Few crashes have been reported as of 4 a.m.
The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet says ice-fighting efforts have focused in areas along the Ohio River where temperatures were low enough to cause falling rain to ice over.
KYTC says in District 1 crews in Ballard, McCracken, Graves, Marshall, Livingston, Lyon and Crittenden counties are reporting the most ice accumulation and have been most active. In District 2, crews in Union, Henderson, Webster, Daviess and Ohio counties were most active.
In other counties, crews are patrolling for any trouble areas.
They say the pavement temperatures held at the freezing mark overnight, however temperatures are starting to drop as the freezing rain moves out of the region. Crews in Marshall County have stepped up anti-ice efforts on I-24 where pavement temperatures ahve dropped below freezing.
The U.S. 45 Ohio River "Brookport" Bridge is closed due to icing on the deck.
Tuesday Evening:
An ice storm warning is in effect for parts of southeast Missouri and southern Illinois where between two-tenths and three-tenths of an inch of ice accumulation is expected Tuesday night. A winter weather advisory is in effect tonight for other parts of the region, including most of west Kentucky.
A mix of freezing rain, snow and some sleet will cause travel difficulties tonight and Wednesday morning.
Areas where the advisory is in effect will see snow and sleet accumulation of up to one inch and up to two-tenths of an inch of ice accumulation.
Heavy rainfall of one to two inches is likely in the southern Pennyrile region, which could cause some minor flooding in areas from Murray to Hopkinsville.
Precipitation will break out Tuesday evening across southeast Missouri into west Kentucky and then move northeast into southern Illinois and southwest Indiana between 8 or 9 p.m. to Midnight.
Most of west Kentucky will remain above freezing.
Afternoon Update:
Northern parts of the region will see a wintry mix of precipitation Tuesday night, into early morning Wednesday. The National Weather Service in Paducah says the areas of greatest impact are west of the Mississippi and north of the Ohio River, though areas of northwest Kentucky should also prepare for freezing rain and ice.
In an afternoon briefing, Mike York of the National Weather Service in Paducah said the main concern is whether schools will be in session on Wednesday, as the greatest weather concern is in the early morning hours.
Precipitation, largely in the form of freezing rain, will move into southeast Missouri between 5 and 8 p.m. Precipitation will spread into Illinois and southern Indiana between 7 and 10. The freezing line will move slowly southeast to western Kentucky, slow to change to freezing rain. In the areas between Paducah and Owensboro, the roads will be hazardous between midnight and 3 a.m.
So far, impacts look minimal in the Hopkinsville area. Any ice will be brief and have minimal impact on the roads.
Not much snow accumulation is expected. Minor accumulations are likely north of the Ohio River of mainly one inch across southern Illinois and Indiana after midnight. Most of west Kentucky looks free of accumulating snow and sleet. Southeast Missouri towards Cairo, Illinois will see the highest ice accumulations of up to a quarter inch. Across the rest of the area between one-tenth to one quarter of an inch.
From Mayfield to Owensboro will have the main impacts of ice in west Kentucky. Southeast parts of west Kentucky around Hopkinsville should see little amounts of ice. The sun is expected to come out and melt ice Wednesday afternoon.
Average wind speeds around 15 to 25 miles per hour could affect ice on trees for several hours in the early morning. There may also be power outages due to winds.
Tuesday Morning Update:
A winter weather advisory will be in effect Tuesday evening for the north west portion of the region. The advisory is in effect from 6 Tuesday evening to 6 a.m. Wednesday.
The National Weather Service in Paducah says a wintry mix of precipitation will spread east from southeast Missouri through southern Illinois and into southwest Indiana. This area will see freezing temperatures and wintry precipitation - from freezing rain to snow and sleet - creating hazardous travel conditions.
Total wet snow accumulations of up to one inch and ice accumulations of up to two tenths of an inch are expected.
Monday Evening:
Road crews in the northwest areas of Kentucky are pre-treating highways in anticipating of winter weather arriving Tuesday night.
The National Weather Service in Paducah says a wintry mix that could cause ice to form on roadways is possible Tuesday evening through Wednesday morning. Precipitation is expected to spread northeast across the region late Tuesday afternoon.
According to NWS, areas north of the Ohio River will see sub-freezing temperatures. Colder air will progress into west Kentucky later Tuesday night. NWS expects a mix of snow, sleet and freezing rain north of the Ohio River and mainly liquid rain in further south in Hopkinsville.
The region from Paducah to Owensboro will likely see one-tenth of an inch of ice. There is a potential for an inch of snow and sleet from the areas north of Cape Girardeau, Missouri, to Owensboro, Kentucky.
The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet says the pre-treating work underway is in District 2, which includes Madisonville, Henderson and Owensboro.
Motorists should prepare for slow-moving trucks throughout the day on Tuesday. KYTC says the Super Tanker has covered the Natcher Parkway, Audubon Parkway and Western Kentucky Parkway. Work on Tuesday will mainly be long I-69.
The pre-treatment work involves spraying brine on the highway surfaces that leaves a powder of salt that activates when snow and ice begin to fall.
This story will be updated.
