Kentucky State Seal

OFFICE OF GOVERNOR ANDY BESHEAR








*FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE*




*Contact:  *

 

*Scottie Ellis
502-401-6933*
"[email protected]" <[email protected]>






Gov. Beshear Provides Update on State’s Response
to Winter Storm System

"Governor encourages Kentuckians to stay home as crews work
to clear snow and ice from roadways; power outages climb
to over 50,000, with more expected"

*FRANKFORT, Ky. (Jan. 25, 2026) *– Today, Gov. Andy Beshear was joined by Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC) Secretary Jim Gray and Kentucky Emergency Management Director Eric Gibson to provide an update on severe winter weather affecting the commonwealth. As snow, sleet and ice continue to move across Kentucky, Gov. Beshear encouraged Kentuckians to stay off the roads and to seek help in the event of a power outage.

“Kentucky is in the heart of the storm right now as precipitation moves across the state, and ice has become our biggest concern,” said *Gov. Beshear*. “We expect snow, sleet and ice to keep falling throughout today and overnight. This is combined with dangerously cold temperatures throughout next week. Stay off the roads and stay warm. Power outages are rising quickly, and we need you to get to a warming center if your power is out.”

*Power Outages and Warming Centers*: The Governor stated that power outages are rising fast, with over 50,000 reported at the time of the 10 a.m. update. Gov. Beshear said that number is expected to rise throughout the day, making warming centers even more critical. Kentucky currently has 113 warming centers set up across the commonwealth for those facing an outage. To find a warming center near you, or if you need additional assistance, find resources here [ [link removed] ].

Kentucky State Parks have designated resort and recreational parks as warming stations. To assist Kentuckians in locating available warming stations, the Department of Parks has created a webpage with real-time updates at parks.ky.gov/inclement-weather [ [link removed]:*2F*2Fparks.ky.gov*2Finclement-weather/1/0100019be6cf90b0-33e63f84-6e04-4ef8-aab8-d2ba80361a60-000000/ZFmfiRU4sMBC27eShw5FFaXTy7B6ZbPX5e_kjwZ6Khc=441__;JSUl!!Db6frn15oIvDD3UI!lvpXx7Mivaz75k3s_gdz5VUKfFkbLo3VQMDQu_wgoKoZv67lIMPYaydzSO2P0uodmGZnw4geCs6upgEDd9B1_DEjZr16u1H7sJMhFA%24 ].

The following locations are serving as warming stations:


* Blue Licks Battlefield State Resort Park lodge (Carlisle)
* Buckhorn Lake State Resort Park lodge (Buckhorn)
* Carter Caves State Resort Park lodge (Olive Hill)
* Columbus Belmont State Park conference center (Columbus)
* EP Tom Sawyer State Park Sawyer Hayes Center (Louisville)
* General Butler State Resort Park conference center (Carrollton)
* Greenbo Lake State Resort Park lodge (Greenup)
* Jenny Wiley State Resort Park conference center (Prestonsburg)
* John James Audubon State Park downstairs meeting room (Henderson)
* Kenlake State Resort Park lodge (Hardin)
* Kentucky Dam Village State Resort Park lodge (Gilbertsville)
* Kincaid Lake State Resort Park conference center (Falmouth)
* Lake Barkley State Resort Park lodge (Cadiz)
* My Old Kentucky Home State Park visitor center (Bardstown)
* Natural Bridge State Resort Park Woodlands Center (Slade)
* Pennyrile Forest State Resort Park lodge (Dawson Springs)
* Rough River Dam State Resort Park lodge (Falls of Rough)
* Yatesville Lake State Park pro shop (Louisa)

The Department of Parks urges anyone traveling to state parks to exercise caution, as park conditions may also be impacted by the inclement weather.

*Current Weather Conditions:* On Saturday, snow and ice began falling throughout the state and continued overnight. Precipitation continues to move across the state and is expected to continue through early Monday morning when the winter watch ends at 7 a.m. EST.

Gov. Beshear said that ice accumulations are higher than expected and that ice has become the main concern. Bowling Green to Campbellsville, Richmond, Morehead and Ashland could see up to a quarter inch of ice.

*KYTC: *State highway and contracted crews continue to treat and plow snow-covered roads across the commonwealth. Road conditions have been slowly deteriorating overnight and are expected to worsen throughout the day. More freezing rain is forecast, which is likely to cause more downed trees and power lines that could make some roadways impassable. A fleet of nearly 1,500 plow trucks will remain active to keep priority routes passable, but with icy conditions and dangerous cold expected the remainder of the week, travel will remain hazardous.

“Don’t let your guard down if you don’t see snow falling, because ice is actually the biggest threat, making travel extremely hazardous today and throughout the week, and cold temps will cause it to stick around,” said *Secretary Gray*. “Our crews continue to work long 12-hour shifts to respond and adapt to changing conditions, but travelers with a Monday commute should anticipate significant issues, as the storm will continue into the morning.”

Kentuckians are encouraged to continue avoiding unnecessary travel to give crews, utility teams and first responders room to work. Visit snowky.ky.gov [ [link removed] ] for driver tips and resources like traffic cams and travel conditions available on the GoKy map.

*Kentucky National Guard:* Guard members are located at 53 armories across 42 counties. The Guard began making rounds in local communities yesterday. They are continuing to do wellness checks and prepare for any needed transports due to power outages. These teams have preloaded near areas expected to receive increased ice accumulations. 

*Emergency Declaration:* On Friday, the Governor issued a state of emergency [ [link removed] ] declaration, activating state resources to help protect Kentucky communities and families. The state’s Emergency Operations Center has been activated to Level 2, and emergency support functions staff are on standby and ready for increased activation.

Gov. Beshear also implemented the state’s price gouging laws [ [link removed] ] to protect families from grossly overpriced goods and services. With the state of emergency in place, consumers in the commonwealth can report price gouging [ [link removed] ] to the Office of the Attorney General. Under state law, price gougers can be held accountable.

On Saturday, Gov. Beshear announced [ [link removed] ] via his social media that President Trump approved an emergency disaster declaration making federal aid immediately available.

*Tennessee Valley Authority Phishing Email: *Gov. Beshear shared reports of a phishing email on rolling blackouts impersonating the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA). This email is not from the TVA. If you receive this email, do not click on any links in the email and do not respond.

*Shoveling Safety Tips: *The Governor warned Kentuckians to take breaks while shoveling, noting that the state lost six people in 2025 to snow removal incidents. Click here [ [link removed] ] for shoveling safety tips.

*When To Call 911*: If you have an emergency or life-threatening situation, dial 911 for immediate assistance.

*Rapid Needs Assessment:* If you have immediate needs that are not life-threatening, please complete the Rapid Needs Assessment Form [ [link removed] ] or call 502-607-6665. [ tel:5026076665 ] These needs include: power is out or inconsistent; no heat or very little heat; individuals with medical needs or disabilities; no food or unable to cook; no or very little drinking water; unable to leave house due to weather or lack of transportation; phone issues; unable to leave vehicle; checking on a loved one; and more.

For additional preparedness tips, visit kyem.ky.gov [ [link removed] ].

*Disaster Distress Hotline: *The Disaster Distress Helpline [ [link removed] ] is a 24/7, year-round, confidential crisis counseling and emotional support resource for survivors, responders and anyone in the U.S./territories struggling with distress or other mental health concerns related to any natural or human-caused disaster.

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