Season's first snowfall blankets Kentuckiana, impacts Tuesday travel

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Residents on both sides of the Ohio River woke up Tuesday morning to a blanket of snow across Kentuckiana.

Some areas are seeing up to 4 inches, with downtown Louisville seeing right at 3 inches.

IMAGES | The first snowfall of the season blankets over Kentuckiana

A Winter Weather Advisory was issued around 10 a.m. Monday for portions of south central Indiana and east central, north central, northwest and south central Kentucky. The advisory was set to end at 9 a.m. Tuesday. It called for snow accumulations up to 2 inches in some areas and "ice accumulations around a light gaze," according to WDRB meteorologists.

Drivers are encouraged to exercise caution, slow down, and allow for extra travel time. Monday's advisory forecasted slippery road conditions that could impact Tuesday morning's commute and make roads, especially bridges and overpasses, slick.

WDRB Winter Outlook | Share Photos & Videos | Weather Cameras | Forecast | Radar

Crews spent much of Monday pre-treating major routes in preparation for the season's first measurable snowfall. They began brining roads around 9 a.m., taking advantage of the favorable conditions with road surface temperatures around 31 degrees. Officials said that allows the brine to remain effective, though it works down to roughly 20 degrees.

Louisville Metro Public Works said 14 trucks were deployed Monday for pre-treatment, with another 100 trucks on standby should conditions deteriorate overnight before the Tuesday morning commute.

After a disruptive storm last January, Louisville Metro said it's increased communication with the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet to ensure brining begins earlier and covers more ground. Still, not every neighborhood will see pre-treatment, particularly streets governed by homeowners associations or those in smaller municipalities.

Officials with the Indiana Department of Transportation said all 148 state-maintained routes in the Southeast District were being treated Monday as crews worked districtwide.

Gov. Andy Beshear said cameras have also been used to provide crews with real-time images and weather data to optimize response efforts.

"Since the start of summer, our teams have been prepping for the moment the temperatures drop and the snow starts falling," Beshear said. "For months, they've trained, maintained equipment and restocked supplies, and I hear they have a few new tools of the trade for this year. All this work in the name of keeping Kentuckians safe this winter."

The first measurable snowfall of the season arriving early means there's already some pressure on the local salt supply.

To look at road conditions in Indiana, click here. For Kentucky, click here.

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