Posted December 21st, 2009 5:55 am

It’s difficult for flatlanders to appreciate why even a dusting of snow can be deadly in the mountains of Eastern Kentucky. With many mountain roads lacking guardrails, and often being graded towards the edges instead of away from them, and with mountain days that often don’t let the sun shine to heat and melt those roads, a half-inch of snow can be paralyzing.

The 10 + inches that hit Pike and other easternmost Kentucky counties this weekend has created a life-threatening emergency. 100,000 homes are without power in sub-freezing temperatures, including 24,000 homes in Pike County alone. The state is responding and declared a state of emergency, trying to get resources in to help in the restoration efforts. Apparently only 3 dozen families took advantage of the Pike County shelter so far, which is concerning. There are three possibilities for the next few days: 1: More will seek the shelters 2: The power companies will move mountains to restore power in record times in a harsh terrain, or 3: The storm will cause a great deal more suffering.

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