LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Wind chills around 0 degrees will arrive in Louisville early Friday morning behind the snow, John Gordon, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service, said Thursday.
Around 2 inches fell at Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport, but areas south of the city received more. Many portions of Interstate 65 in Bullitt County experienced traffic issues Thursday afternoon as the roads got slick after as much as 7 inches of snow fell.
"Slow down," said Vanessa Burns, director of Louisville Metro Public Works. "We saw a number of people today that are still driving like the middle of summer."
[WDRB Weather Blogs - What To Expect]
I have deployed @kentuckyguard teams to assist @KYTC and @kystatepolice. We are using every resource available. Again, please stay off the roads unless absolutely necessary.
— Governor Andy Beshear (@GovAndyBeshear) January 6, 2022
Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer said city crews sprayed brine on major roads Tuesday and Wednesday in preparation for the storm. Crews began salting city roads Thursday morning before the snow fell, and Fischer said they'll treat the roads as long as necessary and there's plenty of salt to do so. The city said it started the year with 38,000 tons of salt, more than half of which is stored underground in the Louisville Mega Cavern.
“... I’m asking residents to stay off the roads and for essential workers to take extra precautions if they must travel,” Fischer said in a news release. “With colder temperatures like those expected in the coming days, there’s great potential for dangerous slick spots and black ice on roadways.”
IMAGES | First snow of 2022 blankets parts of Kentucky and southern Indiana
Email your snow pictures to webteam@wdrb.com. Please include where they photos were taken.
Roads are snow-covered and treacherous in Elizabethtown, Kentucky. Jan. 6, 2022
- Grace Hayba
A salt truck near the Gene Snyder Freeway and Interstate 65. Jan. 6, 2022.
- Lexie Ratterman
Snow made the Western Kentucky and Bluegrass Parkways nearly impassable. Image courtesy the National Weather Service - Louisville on Twitter. Jan. 6, 2022.
Crews in Clarksville, Indiana were out early to brine streets. Jan. 6, 2022.
Crews in Clarksville, Indiana were out early to brine streets. Jan. 6, 2022.
Snow on the ground in downtown Louisville. Jan. 6, 2022
- Darby Beane
The WDRB crew in Elizabethtown, Kentucky had some fun in the snow. Jan. 6, 2022
- Grace Hayba
Brownsboro Road was so slippery during the snow that cars were sliding down the hill. Jan. 6, 2022
- Joel Schipper
A Jefferson County Public Schools bus was stuck on a very slippery Old Heady Road. Image courtesy of viewer Kara Mudd. Jan. 6, 2022.
Jefferson County Public Schools dismissed students early because of snow. Buses lined up at Central High School to transport students. Jan. 6, 2022.
- Lexie Ratterman
Jefferson County Public Schools dismissed students early because of snow. Buses lined up at Central High School to transport students. Jan. 6, 2022.
- Lexie Ratterman
Jefferson County Public Schools dismissed students early because of snow. Buses lined up at Central High School to transport students. Jan. 6, 2022.
- Lexie Ratterman
State road crews used brine on the Interstates before the snow began to fall. Image courtesy KYTC District 4 on Facebook. Jan. 5, 2022.
Snow on the ground at the Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport. Jan. 6, 2022.
- Amanda Manning
A heavy coating of snow on Burksville Street in Columbia, Kentucky. Image courtesy of viewer Heather Johnson. Jan. 6, 2022.
Seven inches of snow was measured by midday in Elizabethtown, Ky. Image courtesy of view Megan Horner. Jan 6, 2022.
Five inches of snow was measured by midday in Hodgenville, Ky. Image courtesy of Christina Rowland. Jan. 6, 2022.
The Greenbelt Highway in southern Jefferson County was snow-covered by 11 a.m. on Thursday. Image courtesy of Shari Judd. Jan. 6, 2022.
Snow falling near Frankfort. Image courtesy Kentucky State University on Twitter. Jan. 6, 2022.
For the first time in a while, there was enough snow for Teresa Sharp's grandson to go sledding. Jan. 6, 2022.
Jessica Beard shared a photo of her 22-month-old daughter enjoying snow for the first time. Jan. 6, 2022.
Snow in LaRue County, Ky. Image courtesy of Madison Howell. Jan. 6, 2022.
Snow in Marengo, Indiana. Image courtesy Amy Waterworth. Jan. 6, 2022.
Salt trucks on the Gene Snyder Freeway near Preston Highway. Jan. 6, 2022
- Lexie Ratterman
Snow in Shepherdsville, Ky. Image courtesy of Char Grimm-Akerley's ring doorbell camera. Jan. 6, 2022.
An aerial view of snow near Iroquois Park in south Louisville. Image courtesy Sam Louis. Jan. 6, 2022.
Brinks Truck sliding off into a ditch off of Wooldridge Ferry Road in Elizabethtown, Kentucky. Image courtesy Robin Fentress. Jan. 6, 2022.
Eight inches of snow so far in Northern Grayson County, so Ashley Johnson and her family decided to gather some snow for snow cream! Jan. 6, 2022.
Burns added that public works crews will put brine and calcium chloride on roads in an effort to prevent precipitation from freezing. To get a real-time look at what roads have been treated in Louisville, click here.
Fischer said 62 of the authorized 450 Public Works staff are either out because of a positive COVID-19 case or quarantine. That amounts to about 14% of the force, but they will be rolling back as available, he said.
Louisville Metro Police said there were 24 injury crashes and 120 non-injury crashes between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. Thursday.
Fischer said his administration is in talks with the Coalition for the Homeless and other city agencies to keep the homeless community safe. He said Operation White Flag, which kicks in when the temperature drops below 35 degrees, is in effect at Wayside Christian Mission, St. Vincent de Paul and the Salvation Army Center.
To reserve a bed at the nearest shelter to you, call 502-637-2237.
Participating shelters will fly a white flag outside of their doors to indicate that White Flag is occurring," the city says on its website. "You may remain inside of the shelter as long as the flag is flying outside."
Related Stories:
- Now That the Snow Has Started, What to Expect This Afternoon
- JCPS releasing students early Thursday with inclement weather approaching
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