March 27, 2025
LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — Much of the U.S. East endured a renewed round of harsh, soggy weather Saturday, as water submerged cars and buildings in Kentucky and mudslides blocked roads in Virginia. Forecasters predicted snowstorms in the Northeast and the threat of tornadoes for the Mississippi Valley.
Kentucky, Tennessee, West Virginia, and Arkansas were under flood warnings, and people were warned by the National Weather Service to stay off the roads. Parts of western Kentucky could receive up to 8 inches of rain.
The Kentucky River Medical Center in the city of Jackson said it closed its emergency department and was transferring all patients to two other hospitals in the region. The hospital said it would re-evaluate conditions Sunday morning to determine when it can safely reopen. The north fork of the Kentucky River was forecast to crest nearly 14 feet above flood stage that afternoon, the weather service said.
Photos posted by authorities and residents on social media showed cars and buildings underwater in south-central and eastern Kentucky. In Buchanan County, Virginia, the sheriff’s office said multiple roads were blocked by mudslides.
Gov. Andy Beshear preemptively declared a state of emergency in Kentucky, where flash flooding was expected into Sunday. Flash flooding hit some roads in Bowling Green.
“We want to specifically put assets in places that flood and have flooded in the past,” Beshear said on social media.
The Simpson County Office of Emergency Management in Kentucky said authorities performed several rescues from stalled-out vehicles in floodwaters.
“Stay home if you can,” the office said on Facebook.
Flash flooding was possible in the Mississippi, Tennessee, and Ohio valleys, the weather service said. In Tennessee, flash flood warnings were issued for much of the middle of the state through the evening.
The National Weather Service called the expected rain a “major, potentially historic, flash flood event.”
Meanwhile, heavy snow was expected to blanket much of New England and then transition to sleet, making travel nearly impossible. The heaviest accumulations — possibly a foot or more — were expected in upstate New York and portions of northern New England.
“Ice accumulations up to a quarter inch are forecast for some areas, making driving conditions dangerous. Heavy icing in some locations may result in downed trees and power outages,” the weather service warned.
Snow and arctic temperatures swept much of the Midwest and Upper Plains, covering roads in eastern Nebraska, northern Iowa, and much of Wisconsin. Winter weather advisories were issued for parts of those states and Michigan, with up to 4 inches of snow predicted throughout Iowa, southern Wisconsin, and most of Michigan by Sunday evening.
Meteorologists said the U.S. was about to get its 10th and coldest polar vortex stretching event this season, with the northern Rockies and northern Plains first in line. Weather forces in the Arctic are combining to push the chilly air that usually stays near the North Pole into the U.S. and Europe.
In Denver, where temperatures were expected to dip as low as 14 degrees over the weekend, the city opened shelters for those living on the streets.
Forecasters reported an inch of snow falling every hour just north of Denver. In Boulder County, an unoccupied vehicle that was stuck in the snow after attempting to cross railroad tracks was struck Saturday afternoon and mangled by a train. There were no injuries, but authorities warned drivers about slick roads.
The weather service also warned of extreme cold in the Upper Plains over the coming days, with wind chills ranging from minus 30 degrees to as low as minus 60 in parts of western Montana, North Dakota, northern South Dakota, and western Minnesota. People in those areas were urged to stay indoors and make provisions to shelter livestock and other animals.
