LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- It won’t be long until winter weather starts to impact Kentuckiana and Metro Public works is ready — with the help of some special guests.

On Tuesday students from Foster, Fairdale and Watterson elementary schools showed off their contributions to an annual tradition of painting the blades of three Metro snowplows.

Many of the students added their own touches with the help of handprints in paint and winter designs.

“I got to help paint the snowflakes and the handprints and it was really fun because we got to like stick out hand in paint and put it on there and put it where we wanted to,” said Lilah Bray, a fifth grade student at Watterson Elementary School.

The National Weather Service is not sure how much the plows will be used, however.

Last year, Public Works didn’t use any plows in Jefferson County because of the low snow fall – only using salt and brine. Louisville measured just over four inches of snow – the average seasonal snow is 13.5 inches.

At a media event on Tuesday the NWS said it expects most of the snow to be in December - with January and February being above normal temps with below normal snowfall amounts.

With that said, JCPS is already in snow-prep mode.

“We are converting our trucks to plows because we are almost out of the mulch and leaf season so we have 18 that are ready to go right now if we needed them, said JCPS communications officer Carolyn Callahan.

Metro Public Works tells WDRB is has 160 plow trucks ready to go with more than 38,000 tons of salt.

In addition to the Metro trucks, the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet will have 72 trucks on the roads this winter – both departments covering a total of 2,700 hundred miles of roadways.

The three painted Metro snowplows will make their debuts in the Light up Louisville parade on Dec. 7.

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