Kentucky braces for frigid temperatures while grappling with deadly flooding, snowstorm

Name: Watch: Drone video shows Kentucky football field underwater
Uploaded: 2025-02-17T12:36:14-05:00
Duration: 1 min 19 s
Description: The National Weather Service extended a Flood Warning in eastern Kentucky on Monday after heavy rainfall caused rivers and creeks in the area to overflow their banks. As much as 7 inches of rain had fallen over the weekend in some parts of the state, the weather service said. Drone footage captured by Daniel Reeves shows a football field completely underwater in Williamsburg on Monday.

Snow falling on top of waterlogged Tennessee Valley following deadly floods

Cleanup and recovery efforts are continuing across the Tennessee Valley following deadly flash flooding over the weekend. The region is now facing colder temperatures and snow on Wednesday.

PADUCAH, Ky. – Kentucky is battling the combined effects of historic flooding, a significant snowstorm and dangerously low temperatures.

Gov. Andy Beshear addressed the state Wednesday morning, outlining the challenges and the ongoing efforts to ensure public safety as significant snow fell across the state, with some areas receiving more than 8 inches. Eastern Kentucky was particularly hard hit, with heavy snow that hindered road-clearing efforts.

The snow came after devastating flooding over the weekend left at least 17 people dead across Kentucky, Tennessee and West Virginia. Fourteen of the deaths occurred in Kentucky.

While the snow has subsided, communities in flood-ravaged areas are facing bitterly cold temperatures, making cleanup efforts more challenging.

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The most pressing concern now is the plummeting temperatures, Beshear stressed.

"If the snow wasn't tough enough, it's cold right now," he said. "It's going to get dangerously cold tonight and into tomorrow," he said.

With wind chills expected to reach single digits and even negative values, Beshear urged residents without safe heating to seek shelter.

"If you can't safely heat your home, call friends, call family, go stay with them or contact one of your local shelters," the governor said. "We will find a place for you to stay."

Photos from Hatfield, Kentucky, show Sunday's flooding versus Wednesday's snow.

The extreme cold is also complicating ongoing flood recovery efforts, making road conditions treacherous and potentially delaying the reopening of flood-damaged routes. Beshear urged drivers to avoid unnecessary travel and to never drive around barricades.

Watch: Drone video shows Kentucky football field underwater

The National Weather Service extended a Flood Warning in eastern Kentucky on Monday after heavy rainfall caused rivers and creeks in the area to overflow their banks. As much as 7 inches of rain had fallen over the weekend in some parts of the state, the weather service said. Drone footage captured by Daniel Reeves shows a football field completely underwater in Williamsburg on Monday.

"You drive around the barrier, your car gets swept away," he said. "It threatens your life, but it also threatens the life of every person out there trying to rescue you in these really cold conditions," he said.

According to the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet, the storm impacted roads in nearly all of Kentucky’s 120 counties. At least 344 state highways were closed from flooding, 14 were closed due to mudslides and three are closed because of rockslides. Officials said that the biggest issues have been reported in western, southern and southeastern Kentucky from Paducah to Pikeville.

"About 2,300 Department of Highways personnel remain focused on restoring vital transportation links and keeping Kentuckians safe," Kentucky Transportation Cabinet Secretary Jim Gray said.

This photo shows a rockslide that occurred on Interstate 69 in Dawson Springs, Kentucky.

(DawsonSpringsPolice/Facebook)

Despite the challenging conditions, progress is being made in recovering from the flooding. Power outages have been significantly reduced, and water service is gradually being restored.

The Kentucky National Guard has been mobilized, and Kentucky State Police have responded to thousands of calls for service, including numerous accidents.

Troopers shared a heartwarming photo of one of the youngest survivors of the devastating weekend flooding. The image below shows a mother and her infant being rescued by an aviation unit in Martin County on Saturday. The rescue was one of many, with 44 people and seven dogs airlifted to emergency shelters.

Since last Saturday morning, the Kentucky State Police have responded to more than 12,500 calls for service related to the combined impact of the deadly flooding and the winter storm. Troopers continue to assist with water rescues and welfare checks in the most impacted areas.

Troopers shared a heartwarming photo of one of the youngest survivors of the devastating weekend flooding.

(Kentucky State Police)

Beshear said the state is preparing to request individual assistance from FEMA, which could provide further relief to affected residents.

"We're not out of the woods yet," the governor acknowledged. "But folks, there's a light at the end of the tunnel. We get through this weekend going into next week, it's going to get in the 40s at least, and that's going to feel balmy for most of us. So let's keep pushing through."