LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer hosted a news conference Monday afternoon with officials from the National Weather Service, Public Works, and Division of Fire to talk about weather conditions and tips to stay safe during the winter storm.

What You Need To Know

  • Metro Louisville lays out safety plans for dealing with the storm

  • With another storm system predicted for later in the week, efforts are underway to keep roads as clear as possible

  • Public Works crews will work 12-hour shifts

  • Louisville Fire gave out safety tips for your home

 

With snow covering Louisville and more forecasted, Fischer said the metro area should prepare for the worst.

“We could possibly see additional snow later this week so this is shaping up to be a series of storms unlike what we’ve seen here in the past several years. So, again, hope it doesn’t happen, but it likely could so we’re going to prepare accordingly,” said Fischer.

John Gordon with the National Weather Service said there could be another wintry mix Wednesday night into Thursday night 

“Snow, sleet, freezing rain, could be a mess around here again. After that, it’s quieter weather,” Gordon said.

Louisville’s Snow Team is working 12-hour shifts to salt and clear the roads. Communications Specialist Sal Melendez with Louisville Metro Public Works said as of Monday afternoon, there were 35,000 tons of salt out on the roads. Melendez said in addition to treating roadways with salt and calcium chloride, operations Monday and through the night would be focused on plowing, specifically tandem plowing. 

“Meaning we will have, in certain areas in those high priority routes, two trucks going at the same time, at a safe distance from each other, and, basically, what that does is whatever the first truck misses the second one not only takes care of the lane assigned to them but makes sure that it completes those two-lane passes that we do with just salt application and other treatments,” Melendez explained.

It’s a slower operation, Melendez said, so the department asks commuters to be patient and to give a lot of space to snow plows that may also be on the road while they are driving. He also reminded residents to not shovel snow into storm drains.

Fischer asked all Louisville residents to stay home and avoid travel unless absolutely necessary.

“As in if you have to go to work, get food, medicine, or medical care, we certainly understand that,” Fischer said.

He also asked employers to give employees as much flexibility as possible, like allowing them to work from home. 

“The fewer cars on the road, especially while snow is falling or rain is freezing, the safer we’re going to be all the way around,” Fischer explained.

Major Bobby Cooper with Louisville Division of Fire also provided fire safety tips during the press conference, stating home heating is the second leading cause of home fires. 

You can watch the full press conference here. 

Below is a full list of winter weather home safety guidelines by the Louisville Division of Fire.