Gov. warns of cold blast, declares state of emergency in Ky.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear declared a state of emergency ahead of a cold blast that will drive temperates into negative digits in parts of the state by Thursday evening.

Beshear said the dangerously cold temperatures would continue into Christmas day on Sunday. He urged motorists traveling for the holidays to arrive at their destination by Thursday midday before a “flash freeze” occurs and road conditions could worsen.

“This is going to be dangerous,” Beshear said at a morning briefing on Wednesday. “So everybody, let’s be prepared for this.”

The colder temperatures will move in Thursday from western Kentucky, and some areas will reach -10 and -20 degrees below zero, with wind gusts of up to 40 miles per hour, the governor said. Precipitation will turn to snow in some areas Thursday evening.

There will be a designated warming center in each county through the weekend, Beshear said.

Officials will be monitoring the temporary trailer housing that hundreds of eastern Kentucky families are living in after summer flooding in the region. Kentucky Emergency Management Director Jeremy Slinker said the trailers have been switched to larger capacity propane tanks and officials will be making periodic checks at the trailer sites.