Hopkinsville might not see a white Christmas, but it’s going to be bitter cold and blustery heading into the holiday weekend with an arctic cold front pushing through the region.
Temperatures will plunge from a high of about 49 degrees during the day Thursday to a low of 1 degree below zero that evening, according to the National Weather Service forecast.
It will be “dangerously cold” all day Friday and into early Saturday, said Justin Gibbs, lead meteorologist at the NWS office at Paducah.
“Temperatures are going to absolutely collapse,” he said during a briefing Monday.
The NWS issued a wind chill watch for the region from 6 p.m. Thursday to noon Friday.
“A wind chill watch means that there is the potential for a combination of very cold air and strong winds to create dangerously low wind chill values,” officials said.
Winds of 17 to 23 mph, with gusts as high as 40 mph, are forecast for Friday. The wind chill factor will be 10 below zero, or colder, creating dangerous conditions for anyone who becomes stranded while traveling, Gibbs warned.
There is a possibility of 1 to 2 inches of snow accumulating in Hopkinsville beginning late Thursday and continuing Friday. The wind could also make driving more difficult if it is snowing because visibility will be diminished, said Gibbs.
There is no precipitation in the forecast on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day. However, windy conditions will persist. The high temperature will be in the upper teens on Christmas Eve and around 23 degrees on Christmas Day.
Beware of exposure
At the wind chill temperatures expected Friday and Saturday, a person could experience frostbite within 30 minutes. Hypothermia is also a concern. This occurs when the body losses heat faster than it can produce heat.
The Salvation Army of Hopkinsville will open its Extreme Weather Event Shelter, also known as EWE, to anyone who needs overnight shelter when the temperature or the wind chill will be 20 degrees or colder.
The EWE entrance is at the back of the soup kitchen on Eighth Street. Hours are 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. Snacks and sleeping cots are provided to those staying overnight.
Watch the pipes
The extreme cold also creates potential problems for residents when pipes freeze and crack.
The Hopkinsville Water Environment Authority provided a list of cold weather tips. These include:
- Wrap exposed pipes with insulating material.
- Secure basements by plugging drafty cracks. Repair broken window panes.
- Block air passages into crawl spaces below the house. Cover vents to prevent cold air from getting into crawl spaces and freezing pipes.
- Remove hoses from outdoor faucets.
- Locate the water shut-off valve at your home and make sure others in the household know how to use it.
- Open cabinets under kitchen and bathroom sinks.
- Keep a trickle of water running from the faucets.
- Keep lids closed on water meter boxes.
Stay safe at home
The Hopkinsville Fire Department encouraged residents to prepare before the cold blast arrives. Here are several tips about home safety from HFD:
- Have working smoke and carbon monoxide detectors in your home.
- Don’t use power generators indoors, and don’t use a gas stove to heat the house.
- Keep space heaters at least 3 feet from drapes, furniture and bedding. Do not cover a space heater.
- Do not plug space heaters into power strips.
- Check on elderly neighbors regularly.
Jennifer P. Brown is co-founder, publisher and editor of Hoptown Chronicle. You can reach her at editor@hoptownchronicle.org. She spent 30 years as a reporter and editor at the Kentucky New Era. She is a co-chair of the national advisory board to the Institute for Rural Journalism and Community Issues, governing board president for the Kentucky Historical Society, and co-founder of the Kentucky Open Government Coalition.
