KYTC warns motorists to avoid north I-71 in Gallatin County

THE SNOWFALL HAS STOPPED... BUT THE DEEP COLD IS JUST >> THE SNOWFALL HAS STOPPED BUT THE DEEP COLD IS JUST SETTLING IN WITH THOUSANDS WITHOUT POWER. THE STRUGGLE TO STAY WARM, AND WHY DRIVING TO A WARMING CENTER BRINGS ITS OWN RISKS. AND WE’RE TRACKING THE TROUBLES ON THE ROADS. WHY CREWS SAY SOME OF THEIR TOOLS TO TREAT THE STREETS WON’T WORK IN THESE CONDITIONS. >> THE FIRST BLIZZARD IN 44 YEARS BRINGS A DANGEROUS COLD. HOW LONG THE LIFE-THREATENING WIND CHILLS STICK AROUND. >> THIS IS WLWT NEWS 5 TODAY, LEADING THE WAY. MIKE: THE DANGERS WEATHER HAS BEEN HERE NOW FOR SEVERAL HOURS. IT WILL BE HERE FOR A WHILE. ROAD CREWS URGING YOU TO STAY HOME, STAY WARM, STAY SAFE. THANKS FOR JOINING US AT 5:00 P.M. I’M MIKE DARDIS. SHEREE: AND I’M SHEREE PAOLELLO. WE’RE LEADING THE WAY WITH TEAM COVERAGE, AS CREWS TRY TO CLEAR THE ROADS. WE BEGIN WITH CHIEF METEOROLOGIST KEVIN ROBINSON, WITH THE LATEST ON THE BELOW-ZERO TEMPS. >> ONE OF THE MOST INTENSE WEATHER STORMS. KEVIN: WE HAVE LIKE THAT AND COLD THAT IS ACROSS THE AREA. LOOK AT THIS SHOT. IT SPEAKS TO HOW COLD, FRIGID IT IS OUT THERE. LET’S TALK ABOUT THE TEMPERATURES OUTSIDE RIGHT NOW. THIS IS IMPRESSIVE. THIS IS WHAT IT FEELS LIKE OFFICIALLY. IT FEELS LIKE 24° BELOW ZERO. EARLIER THIS MORNING, THE FEELS LIKE TEMPERATURE DROP TO -36. THE COLD AS IT HAS FELT -- COLD AS IT HAS FELT IN DECADES GOING BACK TO 1994. THE WIND SHOWS REBEL TEMPERATURES THAT GOES BACK 20 YEARS. IMPRESSIVE COLD AFTER LAST NIGHT STORM. A HISTORIC STORM. WE HAD A RECORD DROP IN TEMPERATURES. TEMPERATURES ALMOST FELL 40°. NOW HERE WE ARE BELOW ZERO THE ENTIRE DAY TODAY AND WHEN SHOWS CONTINUE TO RUN 25 TWO 30° BELOW ZERO. IT IS ABSOLUTELY BRUTAL TO BE OUTDOORS. MUCH BETTER SPENT INSIDE TONIGHT. THOSE ARE YOUR WHEN SHOWS. WHAT ARE THE ACTUAL TEMPERATURES? TO BELOW IN CINCINNATI. EVERYONE BELOW ZERO OUTSIDE AND UNFORTUNATELY, AS WE HAVE BEEN HEARING FROM ROAD CREWS, SNOW TREATMENT REMOVAL NOT AS EFFECTIVE WHEN THE TEMPERATURES ARE BELOW ZERO. I WILL LET YOU KNOW HOW LONG WE STAY IN THIS DEEP FREEZE. SHEREE: THOUSANDS BACK ON, THOUSANDS STILL WAITING. THAT’S THE COLD, HARSH REALITY OF THE AFTERMATH OF LAST NIGHT’S BLIZZARD. MIKE: YOU CAN IMAGINE THE WORRY FOR THE FIVE THOUSAND STILL WITHOUT HEAT. MOST OF THE OUTAGES ARE IN THE MORROW AREA. WLWT NEWS 5’S JOHN LONDON WHO IS THERE RIGHT NOW. JOHN: A LARGE NUMBER AND ACCORDING TO DUKE ENERGY, THIS AREA ACCOUNTS FOR 80% OF THE OUTAGES THAT ARE LEFT. AN OUTAGE IN PRICE HILL ALSO HIGHLY PROBLEMATIC. WE ARE SITUATED AT A WARM CENTER IN THE AREA. THE SALEM MORROW FIREHOUSE, STATION 71. SOME FOLKS HAVE SOUGHT SHELTER HERE. OTHERS TRYING TO RIDE IT OUT. >> -- JOHN: THIS IS NOT HOW THE SHAFER FAMILY IN THE WOODLANDS OF MORROW ENVISIONED THE START OF CHRISTMAS WEEKEND. ALL IS SUPPOSED TO BE CALM AND BRIGHT. WINTER DIDN’T GET THE MEMO. THE SHAFER’S HAVE BEEN WITHOUT HEAT SINCE 3:30 THIS MORNING. >> AT FIRST, IT WASN’T TERRIBLE. BUT AS TIME HAS GONE ON ITS JUST GOTTEN COLDER AND THE KIDS HAVE GOTTEN RESTLESS AND COLD AND HUNGRY CAUSE WE CAN’T, YOU KNOW, COOK ANY WARM MEALS FOR ’EM. JOHN: LILY, MADDY, TRISTAN, AND AVERY, RANGING IN AGE FROM THIRTEEN YEARS TO ELEVEN MONTHS, ARE EAGERLY ANTICIPATING SANTA. WHAT THEY DIDN’T BARGAIN FOR IS NORTH POLE-LIKE TEMPERATURES IN THEIR OWN HOME. >> MY MAIN CONCERN IS MY WIFE AND MY CHILDREN, OBVIOUSLY. MAKING SURE THAT THEY STAY WARM. AND, OF COURSE, IT WOULD BE NICE TO GET A HOT MEAL IN THEM, ESPECIALLY MY LITTLE ONE. JOHN: THEIR ENTIRE SUBDIVISION WAS STILL WITHOUT POWER AT MID-AFTERNOON. DAYLIGHT REVEALED A FROZEN AFTERMATH WITH NO MELTING IN SIGHT. ONLY A MOONSCAPE LOOK. WE’RE TOLD IT WAS A FAILED CIRCUIT THAT LEFT 1140 DUKE CUSTOMERS IN MORROW WITHOUT HEAT. AND THAT IT’S NOT LIKE FLIPPING A SWITCH AND GETTING EVERYONE BACK AT ONCE. >> THIS WEATHER’S EXTREME, IT’S VERY CHALLENGING. I CAN ASSURE YOU FOR DAYS WE’VE BEEN URGING CUSTOMERS TO HAVE A PLAN AND ALTERNATIVE PLACES TO GO. WE KNEW THAT IT WOULD BE BITTER TEMPERATURES. JOHN: THE INITIAL ESTIMATE FOR THE SHAFER’S WAS 7:30 THIS MORNING. >> AND THEN ABOUT AN HOUR OR SO AFTER THAT, IT JUST SAID THAT IT WAS BEING ADDRESSED. JOHN: THEY’RE HOSTING A HOLIDAY MEAL THIS WEEKEND. THEY’RE COUNTING ON IT BEING A WARM ONE. THEY ARE GOING ON THE HOURS WITHOUT POWER. DUKE ENERGY TELLS US THEIR GOAL IS TO HAVE THE MAJORITY OF OUTAGES RESTORED BY MIDNIGHT TONIGHT.

KYTC warns motorists to avoid north I-71 in Gallatin County

Updated: 5:41 AM EST Dec 24, 2022

The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet is warning motorists to avoid the interstate in Gallatin County, Friday evening. Click the video player above to watch other evening headlines from WLWT News 5According to KYTC, all lanes on northbound Interstate 71 beginning at mile marker 62 in Gallatin County are blocked due to multiple car crashes in the area. Officials strongly advise motorists to avoid the area as reports indicate back-ups of up to five miles. Kentucky State Police is on scene and working to clear stalled traffic and prevent more vehicles from accessing this portion of the interstate. KYTC is treating the roadway ahead of the blocked area on north I-71. Traffic on southbound I-71 continues to move slowly. Officials say traffic has stalled intermittently throughout the day on both sides of the interstate following reports of disabled vehicles and jacknifed semi trucks. For live traffic updates, click here.Meredith Mikesell sent WLWT News 5 this photo through our online submission site, New Spark. When you see news happening in your neighborhood, please upload them to https://www.wlwt.com/upload. Be sure to include your name and any additional details so we can give you proper credit online and on TV.

GLENCOE, Ky. —

The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet is warning motorists to avoid the interstate in Gallatin County, Friday evening.

Click the video player above to watch other evening headlines from WLWT News 5

According to KYTC, all lanes on northbound Interstate 71 beginning at mile marker 62 in Gallatin County are blocked due to multiple car crashes in the area.

Officials strongly advise motorists to avoid the area as reports indicate back-ups of up to five miles.

Kentucky State Police is on scene and working to clear stalled traffic and prevent more vehicles from accessing this portion of the interstate.

KYTC is treating the roadway ahead of the blocked area on north I-71.

Traffic on southbound I-71 continues to move slowly.

Officials say traffic has stalled intermittently throughout the day on both sides of the interstate following reports of disabled vehicles and jacknifed semi trucks.

For live traffic updates, click here.

Meredith Mikesell sent WLWT News 5 this photo through our online submission site, New Spark. When you see news happening in your neighborhood, please upload them to https://www.wlwt.com/upload. Be sure to include your name and any additional details so we can give you proper credit online and on TV.