LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Mayor Craig Greenberg and the National Weather Service (NWS) are advising the public to use caution and prepare for the bitter cold weather that is expected to impact Kentuckiana Friday through early next week.
"C-O-L-D. All week long. Dangerously cold. If we get a little snow, it'll be colder," John Gordon, Louisville NWS chief meteorologist, said.
Louisville is currently under a high wind warning until Saturday morning at 7 a.m. According to the NWS, damaging wind gusts greater than 50 mph are likely for Friday into early Saturday.
Weather experts said there is a potential for accumulating snow Sunday night into early next week. Temperatures are expected to fall into the teens with wind chills near or below zero Monday through Wednesday.
“With dangerously cold temperatures and winter weather on the way, we’re taking the steps necessary to keep Louisville safe,” Greenberg said. “As the temperature plummets, we need everyone who can to stay indoors and avoid driving as much as possible. If you must be out, please use extreme caution.”
Louisville Fire Department also issued a warning because of the house fires they've seen sparked by heating.
"Do not plug your space heaters into extension cords or power strips," Spokesperson Donovan Sims said. "Make sure your space heaters are plugged in to a wall outlet on its own."
They also said to keep the heaters away from flammable surfaces, turn them off when sleeping or leaving a room, and to buy one that can shut off automatically. The department shared that heaters are the second-leading cause of home fires in Louisville.
As for the streets, the mayor explained that the city's snow team consists of more than 200 workers. They will be working around the clock to treat and brine the roads when needed. Greenberg said the team has 38,000 tons of salt on hand.
JCPS is eliminating snow days and preparing their students for non-traditional instruction (NTI). This is similar at-home instruction to what JCPS and other school districts utilized during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Decisions on whether school is canceled will be made by 5 a.m. on school days. There is no school for JCPS students on Jan. 15 in observation of Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
Louisville will have its usual list of over a dozen warming centers and homeless shelters, in addition to welcoming people into metro facilities like libraries and community centers during their normal business hours.
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Operation White Flag goes into effect when the temperature or the wind chill is below 35 degrees. Anyone needing shelter can stay at Salvation Army and Wayside Christian Mission.
For the Salvation Army, White Flag is available for single men and women. A person can make a reservation for White Flag at Salvation Army by calling the Coordinated Shelter Access (CSA) line at 637-2337 between 10 a.m. – 1 p.m., seven days a week. A reservation is not required, but it will guarantee a bed.
For Wayside Christian Mission, White Flag is available for single men, women, and families (including cats and dogs). No reservations are needed for Wayside White Flag; however, it is first come, first serve.
Due to Martin Luther King Jr. Day, most shelters will be closed; however, Northwest Neighborhood Place and South Central Neighborhood Place will be open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Arthur Street Hotel is at capacity, but they are providing outreach services to people living on the street.
"Everything is going to be wet. Then it's going to freeze. Then it's going down to real-feel temperatures of somewhere in the negative numbers. That's a recipe for a human disaster," Donnie Greene, their associate director of care, said.
The hotel is accepting donations like blankets, winter clothes, handwarmers, tents and sleeping bags at 1620 Arthur Street. You can also donate to their website.
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You can prepare for the incoming weather by fully stocking your emergency kits.
Make sure to keep jumper cables, flares or a reflective triangle, ice scraper, blanket, car cell phone charger, cat litter or sand in your vehicle. For your home, make sure you have a flashlight, first aid kit, batteries, water and food, prescription medications, and an extra cell phone battery or chargers. For the full emergency supply list, please click here.
City officials are urging everyone to sign up for LENSAlert and Smart911 to receive weather updates, travel advisories, and safety information. You can text “LENSALERT” to 67283 to sign up for alerts.
Visit SnowKY.KY.gov for travel resources including traffic information, priority route maps, and winter safety tips. Visit GoKy.KY.gov to check traffic conditions before traveling.
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