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More than 180,000 Kentucky homes remained without power Friday night after Hurricane Helene brought heavy rain and strong winds throughout the state.
As of 8:30 p.m. Friday, the website poweroutage.us reported 180,513 customers in Kentucky were without power, down from 219,524 at 2:30 p.m. Outages were most concentrated in Eastern and Central Kentucky, with more than 33,000 outages reported in Fayette County.
Millions of people were without power throughout the southeastern United States and at least 40 people were dead in four states as a result of Hurricane Helene, the Associated Press was reporting late Friday afternoon.
The Category 4 hurricane came ashore in west Florida’s Big Bend area late Thursday, bringing flooding and winds that reached 140 miles an hour . Rescuers scrambled to help people stranded by floodwaters as far north as Tennessee.
In Central Kentucky, wind gusts reached 50 to 60 mph, and several residents statewide reported downed trees and other damage. The winds toppled trees and cut power lines, and many local schools, including Christ the King School and Lexington Catholic High School, sent students home early.
By early Friday evening, a state of emergency had been declared in eight Kentucky counties — Boyd, Breathitt, Clark, Clay, Lee, Letcher, Magoffin and Wolfe — and four cities — Ashland, Catlettsburg, Clay City and Winchester, according to Gov. Andy Beshear.
The Kentucky Mesonet , a network of monitoring stations, reported Friday afternoon that the top wind gust in the state since midnight Thursday was 60.4 miles per hour in Morgan County.
The second-highest was in Nicholas County, at 57.4, and Fayette County had recorded the third-highest gust, at 56.1 mph.
Since 10 a.m. Friday, Lexington’s police and fire departments responded to roughly 100 calls apiece. Despite multiple crashes on Interstate 75 and city streets, no major injuries were reported, Lexington Emergency Management told the Herald-Leader. One person was struck by a falling branch near Transylvania University’s campus but wasn’t seriously hurt.
“We have every available crew out working to clear the streets,” said Robert Larkin, director of Lexington Emergency Management.
In Harlan County, a woman was taken to a hospital after tree fell on a mobile home in the Cawood area, said county emergency manager Stephen Lewis. The woman’s condition was not immediately available.
At Sandersville Elementary School in Lexington, storms briefly knocked out the power, disrupting phones and communication systems there. In a social media post, school staff encouraged families to pick up students from its afterschool program as soon as possible.
Fayette County Public Schools dismissed students at their normal times, but the district canceled all after-school activities, including athletics.
Several businesses in Lexington closed Friday, including the Walgreens pharmacy off Leestown Road.
City government offices closed early Friday afternoon and all but essential workers were sent home.
UK Healthcare experienced “minor” flooding on its main campus on Nicholasville Road, spokesperson Allison Perry told the Herald-Leader.
“We’ve had minor water intrusions in a few areas at UK Healthcare,” Perry, deputy director of communications for UK Healthcare, confirmed. “It has not impacted patient care and we’ve been able to move patients to other care areas if and when necessary.”
The facility’s pediatric ICU and pediatric behavioral health unit were impacted, along with the Good Samaritan Hospital’s behavioral health unit and professional arts center.
At Blue Grass Airport, spokesperson Amy Caudill said two flights that attempted to land were briefly diverted, but other flights weren’t disrupted. Flyers should stay in touch with their airline and check the airline’s app for the most timely information, Caudill said.
The National Weather Service said Lexington broke its rainfall record for Sept. 27 with 2.24 inches, breaking the record for the date set in 1964, when 1.61 inches of rainfall was recorded.
As of 2:30 p.m. Friday, the Kentucky Mesonet reported that some Kentucky counties had received more than 3 inches of rain since midnight Thursday.
Those were clustered in Western Kentucky, with Todd County at 3.3 inches and neighboring Christian County at 3.25.
A monitor in southern Fayette County had recorded 2.2 inches of rainfall since midnight.
Rainfall totals since midnight in southeastern Kentucky — where flooding is a concern when rain pushes creeks out of their banks in narrow hollers — were generally 1.5 inches or less, though one spot in Harlan County had recorded 2 inches .
“What we are looking at is widespread rain and gusty winds 3-5 inches possible all the way through Sunday night,” Beshear said Friday morning. “The end of this system could stop pretty much right above central Kentucky and dump rain on us all the way through the end of Sunday. The biggest concerns are flash flooding in certain areas, add to that wind gusts of 40-50 miles an hour, starting about noon ... It can be very treacherous on the roadways. Minor flooding is possible today, and we also believe we could lose some trees, which could impact power across the commonwealth. Power outages have begun to spike.
“The most important thing, if you’re out there, and you’re driving, is do not drive through a flooded area. That’s how we lose people,” Beshear said.
According to a Lexington Police Department news release, officers responded to the following incidents between midnight and 2 p.m Friday:
- Injury Collisions: 11
- Non-Injury Collisions: 33
- Motorist/Citizen Assists: 16
- Traffic Hazards: 221
In one case, a resident in the Tates Creek area reported the powerful winds blew open her door, damaging it, WKYT meteorologist Chris Bailey posted on his X account, formerly Twitter.
In the Chevy Chase area, a downed power line on Slashes Road sparked a small fire, to which which Lexington Fire crews responded.
How to report property damage in Lexington
People with property damage from the storm can report it using Survey123 , Lexington Emergency Management said in a news release.
While an emergency has not been declared in Lexington and making a report doesn’t guarantee financial assistance, the city said the information will help “if there is a state-wide emergency declaration.”
Multiple reports and photos showing the damage can be submitted. People can submit reports for damage to roads and utilities near their homes as well.
Sturgill Simpson show still on Friday
Despite Friday’s severe weather, a concert headlined by country music artist Sturgill Simpson will continue as planned, a Rupp Arena spokesperson told the Herald-Leader. The concert is scheduled to begin at 8 p.m. at Rupp Arena on Friday.
Helene’s eye passes through Southern Kentucky
Early Friday afternoon, WYKT meteorologist Chris Bailey noted the center of the storm was passing through Southern Kentucky.
Ryan Sharp, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Louisville, said Helene’s winds were expected to die down in Kentucky later Friday afternoon.
“We’ll continue to have the stronger winds through about mid to late afternoon. We’ll see those winds die down,” Sharp said. Kentuckians shouldn’t expect the rain to let up, however. Sharp said the agency expects a dreary, rainy weekend for much of the state.
How to report downed tree limbs in Lexington
Strong gusts of wind downed trees and tree limbs across several Lexington neighborhoods late Friday morning.
There also was a report of traffic lights out at Man O War Boulevard and Versailles Road.
To report downed trees that are fully or partially blocking roads, the city asks that residents call 911.
For non-emergencies, including trees downed trees in yards that do not pose safety risks, call 311.
Weekend cancellations
Helene prompted several closures, cancellations and delays in Lexington and Central Kentucky Friday.
Lexington’s Latino Festival canceled festivities for the weekend, citing the heavy rain and dangerous winds. Organizers are working to determine if the festival can be rescheduled.
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