Jackson, Kentucky – A complex mix of winter weather is expected to affect eastern Kentucky today, creating the potential for hazardous travel conditions despite generally light precipitation amounts.
According to the National Weather Service in Jackson, light snow, drizzle, freezing drizzle, and areas of fog are all possible today, particularly during the morning and afternoon hours. While significant accumulation is not expected, a light glaze of ice could form in some locations, especially along and south of the KY-80/Hal Rogers Parkway corridor.
Forecasters note that fog may become locally dense at times, with visibility potentially dropping below one-half mile, further complicating travel. Temperatures are expected to hover near the freezing mark for much of the day, increasing the risk that even light precipitation could freeze on contact with road surfaces.
Major travel routes potentially impacted include Kentucky Route 80, Interstate 75, U.S. Route 23, U.S. Route 421, and U.S. Route 25E, affecting travel through Jackson, Hazard, London, Prestonsburg, and surrounding communities. Bridges, overpasses, and shaded roadways are especially vulnerable to icing.
The National Weather Service outlined a range of possible outcomes, noting that while most areas will see minimal impacts, localized pockets of freezing drizzle could rapidly create slick conditions. A higher-impact but lower-probability scenario includes a longer duration of freezing drizzle if temperatures remain just below freezing.
Conditions are expected to improve later tonight as precipitation diminishes. However, temperatures will drop into the teens overnight, leading to a hard freeze of any wet or partially melted surfaces, which may result in icy patches during the Thursday morning commute.
Drivers are urged to slow down, increase following distance, and use low-beam headlights in fog. Those encountering sudden visibility reductions should reduce speed gradually.
Students, commuters, and shift workers traveling along KY-80 and I-75 should plan for extra travel time and monitor updates closely.
This outlook is based on forecast guidance issued early Wednesday and will be refined as conditions evolve.
