Officials say the approaching winter storm could make Louisville roads especially dangerous.
The storm has already impacted the state, closing Jefferson County Public Schools, University of Louisville and canceling legislative meetings in Frankfort on Friday.
Weather Channel Meteorologist Chris Warren is advising people to stay inside, warning that road conditions will worsen as temperatures drop.
“If you’re at work and you’re looking out and there’s rain," Warren said, "on the way home from work in the greater Louisville area and central Kentucky, it is going to be, likely, a snowy mess. So if you don’t absolutely have to go out, don’t.”
Warren said residents should allow snow crews to clear the roads and wait for road conditions to improve before traveling.
The Weather Channel is predicting rain and up to three inches of snow and ice over the weekend, with temperatures reaching a low of 18 degrees by Sunday.
A recent cold snap already caught Louisville by surprise, crippling the jail’s heating system and exhausting a homeless sheltering program’s budget.
The cold weather has also cause many issues for Louisville Water Company, as spokesperson Kelley Dearing Smith said there’s been more than 140 water main breaks since Jan. 1.
Citing nearly 2,000 customer calls, Dearing Smith said residents should wrap their pipes or let cold water run to keep pipes from freezing.
“If you don’t have water in your house, chances are you probably have a frozen pipe on your side,” Dearing Smith said.
The company can’t help with frozen pipes, but in the event that pipes freeze, Dearing Smith said residents should shut off water valves to avoid further troubles.
“That’s that main valve that controls the flow of water coming into your house," she said. "So if your pipes freeze or if they happen to burst, you want to be able to turn off the water in your house so that you don’t have a big mess on your hands.”
Meteorologists predict temperatures will warm up after snow showers on Monday.
