Kentucky Transportation Cabinet prepares for winter

Above, Snow plows and operators await safety inspections as Kentucky Transportation Cabinet personnel prepare for snow and ice season. Highway crews will make test runs along area highways this week to prepare for snow and ice season that runs from Nov. 1 to April 1. -Photo Furnished

Over the next week, western Kentucky motorists may encounter something that looks out of place – snow plows on the move in mid-60s weather. It’s all part of the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet getting ready for winter weather to come.
While the average first snowfall doesn’t normally hit western Kentucky until mid-December, crews go into snow response mode starting Nov. 1. That requires Kentucky highway personnel to complete snow and ice safety training during October.
“Every winter our crews battle snow and ice. A big part of our preparation comes in October, when we conduct safety checks on all of our equipment and put our employees through safety training,” said acting Transportation Secretary Mike Hancock. “Each of our 12 highway districts will take time during October to assure that each truck and every snowplow is road-ready for the winter ahead.
That means safety checks on emergency lights, hydraulic systems, pumps, spreaders and other equipment required to spread salt and plow snow. Salt spreading equipment must also be calibrated to assure it distributes the optimum amount of salt per mile. Drivers will also be making test runs to become familiar with their assigned routes.
Highway District 1 has 92 state-owned trucks that can be equipped with snow plows, along with about 20 contract trucks. The district has about 17,500 tons of salt in storage. Several counties have increased their storage capacity for salt brine and calcium chloride, which are also used to clear snow and ice.
“We average a little less than 11 inches of snow each year, with most of it falling in January and February. It helps us and motorists if we get a light snowfall early in the season to get everyone into a routine,” said District 1 Chief District Engineer Jim LeFevre. “That helps us work out any kinks and gets everyone prepared for a big one later in the season.”
According to the National Weather Service in Paducah, the earliest measurable snowfall on record for western Kentucky was Oct. 29, 1993, and the latest fell on April 18, 1983. The median date of first measurable snow is Dec. 22, and the median date of last measurable snow is Feb. 28, creating an annual snow and ice response season that runs from Nov. 1 to April 1.
District snow response teams will start weekly on-call rotations Nov. 1. The teams watch 10-day weather patterns and alert highway crews whenever a measurable snowfall appears in the forecast. Crews step up preparations as a storm approaches.
District 1 maintenance crews are responsible for 2,800 miles of roadway in 12 western Kentucky counties. Running all routes one time during a snowstorm is the equivalent of driving non-stop from Washington, D.C., to Los Angeles. The roadways may be run several times in the course of a one- to three-inch snowfall.
Weather Box
U.S. Weather Service statistics for Paducah (since 1952):
Average seasonal snowfall: 10.2 inches
Snowiest winter: 35.7 inches (1977-78)
Snowiest month: 24.7 inches (January 1978)
Least snowy winter: Trace (1991-92, 1956-57, 1952-53)
Earliest measurable snowfall: Oct. 29, 1993
Latest measurable snowfall: April 18, 1983
Median date of first measurable snow: Dec. 22