LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- "This is the real deal. Are the weather people overhyping this? No. 100% chance tonight of the arctic express."

Louisville National Weather Service meteorologist John Gordon didn't hold back in sounding a warning about the winter weather and bitter cold moving into Kentuckiana on Thursday evening.

Power outages and tree damage will be possible with wind gusts up to 50 miles per hour. The storm could impact travel conditions Thursday into Friday morning.

Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer echoed the warnings as the city prepares for the winter blast.

"These are the kind of extremely cold temperatures that our city has not experienced since December 1989, more than 30 years ago," he said Thursday morning.

Fischer asked local employers to be flexible in requiring people to be at work on Friday.

"I asked you to give your employees as much flexibility — as you're able — including the opportunity to work from home," he said.

The mayor said fewer cars on the road will mean fewer accidents and greater safety for everyone including first responders.

Gordon said depending on where you are, snow totals from the system will range from 1 to 3 inches.

"For once, the snow is not the main star," Gordon said. "It's wind and cold."

He pointed to the experience in Denver, Colorado, on Wednesday, where it dropped 40 degrees in 90 minutes.

Flash freeze is "on the table" as less than a half-inch of rain precedes the storm, according to Gordon, who said bridges, overpasses and places that do not drain will get icy.

Gordon — who called the storm a "blue norther" —predicts the front will move into the Louisville area around 7 p.m. Thursday. He said our area will go from rain to snow very quickly, and it will continue to snow up to five hours.

"You'll see a tremendous, tremendous temperature drop from the mid-40s into the 20s in two hours," he said. Trust me: It's coming." 

The most dangerous part of this storm will be the wind chills. The worst winds are expected Friday morning of up to 50 mph will be between 2 a.m. and noon, according to Gordon. He predicts temperatures won't rise above freezing until Tuesday.

"Wind is bad. Exposure is bad," he said. "When you get outside here too long, you are in danger. This is life-threatening. This is not a joke."

"This incoming freezing weather could create dangerous road conditions," Fischer added. "That’s why I’m asking residents to stay off the roads and for essential workers to take extra precautions if they must travel."

Road conditions: 

City Public Works director Vanessa Burns said snow teams are ready to treat roadways, but with rain falling before the snow, it is not possible to pre-treat with brine or salt that would be washed away.

Burns asked drivers that have to be on the roadway to use caution, allow extra time to reach destinations and allow plows room to work on all 111 snow routes. She said the snow team will work around the clock as long as necessary to treat the 2,700 two-lane miles of main and essential roadways that will be the first to be treated.

To stay informed on the Snow Team’s progress, click on the Metro Snow map. 

Utilities: 

LG&E is preparing for possible power outages as the winds kick up. Spokeswoman Natasha Collins said hundreds of workers are on standby throughout the service area at their 40 operations centers.

"We have the ability to strategically place all of our resources and redirect those resources once the storm comes in and we see where some of the most impact is within the system," she said.

LG&E customers should call 502-589-1444 to notify the utilities of the location of any downed powerlines. Customers can view the utilities’ online outage map and report outages from the LG&E and KU app or online at lge-ku.com. Residents can also report an outage by using Outage Texting or the utilities’ automated phone system. 

Louisville Water customers are being reminded to take precautions to prevent their pipes from bursting. Wrap exposed pipes with an insulating material, tag outdoor water shut-off valve, cover crawl spaces and outside vents, keep garage doors closed and run a small steady stream of water from a cold-water faucet.

Fire hazards:

Louisville Fire Department Maj. Bobby Cooper reminds residents to use safety precautions when heating their homes in the extreme cold. He said space heaters and generators are leading causes of fire at this time of year.

  • Generators: Do not use generators indoors or inside attached garages and remember to keep them at least 10 feet away from the home.
  • Carbon Monoxide: Never warm a vehicle in a closed garage; clear snow from outdoor vents and frequently test carbon monoxide detectors.
  • Make sure your space heaters meet the industry’s testing standards and have built-in safety features, like an automatic shut off or an overheat shut off feature.
    • Do not use space heaters, if the electrical cord is damaged
    • Always unplug space heaters when leaving the room or going to bed
    • Keep space heaters at least 3 feet away from any combustibles, draperies or furniture.
  • When using a fireplace, make sure it has been serviced by a certified technician and keep fires small.
  • Flashlights and battery-operated candles are recommended for emergency lighting.
    • If you are using real candles, be sure they are in a sturdy non-combustible container
    • Keep candles clear of combustibles and never leave them unattended.

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