LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) – Icy conditions have knocked out power to thousands of northern Kentucky residents, but forecasters said Wednesday the region shouldn’t be getting any more freezing rain or snow.
More than 14,000 customers were without power in six northern Kentucky counties, said Duke Energy spokesman Steve Brash. Winds could bring down more power lines and tree branches weakened by ice throughout the day, Brash said.
“We’ve still got some fairly high winds in the area, they’re diminishing now, so that will help us,” Brash said Wednesday.
Brash said most customers should have their power restored by Thursday night, but some will be in the dark until Friday.
As the mix of sleet and rain moved out of the state on Wednesday, cold temperatures in the teens moved in.
The National Weather Service said the winter storm is mostly over, but afternoon snow showers could cover parts of northeastern and eastern Kentucky on Wednesday.
The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet had crews out salting roads Wednesday morning in all of the state’s large metro areas, as well as in the Somerset, Flemingsburg, Jackson, Manchester and Pikeville areas.
Several school districts were closed, including districts in Boone, Campbell, Kenton, Fayette, Boyd and Russell counties.
About 20 percent of scheduled flights at Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport were canceled Wednesday morning because planes have not been able to leave other cities hit by winter storms. An airport spokesman said about 100 people were stranded in Cincinnati overnight because their connecting flights did not arrive.
Turfway Park canceled racing Wednesday at the northern Kentucky track because of cold conditions.
The icy rain on top of a layer of snow also caused leaky roofs at some businesses in Covington, including HealthPoint, a medical office that lost ceiling tiles in an exam room as water dripped inside, The Kentucky Post reported.
“They said it was a combination of very cold and warm and a lot of rain that caused a crack in the roofing which opened up to let water in,” said Marc Bellisario, vice president of support services for HealthPoint. He said the office would be closed through the week.
