Early Morning Snow Snarls Traffic and Closes Schools

By Shawntaye Hopkins, The Lexington Herald-Leader, Ky.

Jan. 23–Snow and rain fell across Central and Eastern Kentucky on Tuesday morning, closing schools and causing wrecks, including one involving a school bus in Magoffin County.

In Lexington, snow started to accumulate about 5 a.m. and ended about 8 a.m., according to the National Weather Service in Louisville. Lexington police worked several minor weather-related collisions.

Fayette County received about 1 to 11/2 inches of snow. Scott, Jessamine and Clark counties received 11/2 to 2 inches of snow. Franklin, Harrison and Madison counties received about an inch. The National Weather Service said there is about a 30 percent chance of snow in Lexington late Wednesday or early Thursday.

Fayette County Public Schools were canceled about 5:45 a.m. because the snow was falling quickly and officials did not think the roads would be clear in time for classes, district spokeswoman Heidi Reihing said.

It wasn’t quite cold enough to snow Tuesday morning in Eastern Kentucky. “We’ve got kind of a slushy mix over here,” said weather service meteorologist Dusty Harbage in Jackson.

Still, the roads were slick.

Six students in Magoffin County were taken to a hospital with minor injuries after a school bus went off the road Tuesday morning, schools Superintendent Joe Hunley said.

The rear of the bus struck a tree about 8 a.m. on Ky. 7 near Ky. 404. The bus was returning students home after school was canceled.

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