Kentucky Gov. Steve Beshear has declared a statewide emergency to allow local officials immediate access to state resources to assist in public safety and recovery efforts.
The governor’s office issued a statement Monday afternoon, saying the state of emergency was declared in response to heavy snows and bitter cold across the Commonwealth in the past 12 hours. In terms of records, more snow has fallen today than in any other 24-hour period in 17 years, since 1998.
“This storm system is still dumping snow across much of the state and temperatures are forecast to drop further," Gov. Beshear said.
"Some areas may see accumulation of up to 16 inches, making it one of the worst storms in recent memory. By declaring a state of emergency now for the entire state, we can deploy any needed state assistance, including National Guard troops if necessary, without delay,” added Gov. Beshear.
Beshear echoed a request made by local and state officials throughout the day Monday, which is to avoid traveling on roads, if possible. Road crews need to be able to salt and plow interstates and major highways, which is more difficult when motorists are out on the roads.
