A state of emergency has been declared in Kentucky in view of a severe winter storm that is expected to move through the state between Thursday and Friday.

Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear announced the emergency at a press briefing on Wednesday, saying “We want to be ready,” for the storm that is expected to cause dangerous levels of ice accumulation across the state. The Governor also added that state offices would be closed on Thursday, and urged residents to stay off the roads for the duration of the storm to minimise the risk of accidents.

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According to the National Weather Service, the storm is expected to cause ice accumulations between 1/4 of an inch and 3/4 of an inch, which could give rise to hazardous road conditions and damage power lines.

Commenting on the risks posed by the gathering storm, Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC) Secretary Jim Gray said that the National Weather Service had warned that the ice accumulation would create “difficult to impossible travel conditions” in the state.”

“This is the real deal,” added Gray.

To prevent any major mishap during the storm, personnel from the Kentucky State Police, the Kentucky National Guard, and the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet will be stationed at major interstate highways and roads to enable them to quickly respond to emergencies should they arise.

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Major General Hal Lamberton of the Kentucky National Guard added that personnel would be tasked with conducting wellness checks and clearing debris in badly affected areas after the storm passes.

While the approaching storm is expected to worse in terms of severity than the winter storm that hit the state in February 2021, it will not be as fierce as the 2009 winter storm that led to the accumulation of 1.5 inches of ice in the state.