Lexington Faces Power Outages and Damage as Hurricane Helene Strikes

Lexington, KY – More than 180,000 homes in Kentucky were left without power Friday night after Hurricane Helene unleashed heavy rain and powerful winds across the state. As reported at 8:30 p.m. Friday, 180,513 customers remained affected, primarily in Eastern and Central Kentucky, with over 33,000 outages in Fayette County alone.

The storm, which made landfall in west Florida’s Big Bend area late Thursday, had significant impacts throughout the southeastern United States, leading to at least 40 confirmed deaths across four states. Hurricane Helene, classified as a Category 4 hurricane, brought gusts reaching 140 miles per hour and substantial flooding.

In Kentucky, areas like Central Kentucky experienced wind gusts between 50 and 60 mph, while the Kentucky Mesonet recorded a peak gust of 60.4 mph in Morgan County. Numerous trees were toppled, impacting vehicles and structures. The fierce winds prompted local schools, including Christ the King School and Lexington Catholic High School, to dismiss students early.

Governor Andy Beshear declared a state of emergency across eight counties and four cities—Boyd, Breathitt, Clark, Clay, Lee, Letcher, Magoffin, and Wolfe, as well as Ashland, Catlettsburg, Clay City, and Winchester—by Friday evening. Emergency response teams were deployed to assist individuals stranded by the floodwaters, some as far north as Tennessee.

Despite the challenges posed by the storm, Lexington’s police and fire departments responded to approximately 100 emergency calls each. While there were multiple traffic incidents on Interstate 75, no major injuries were reported. However, one individual was injured by a falling branch near Transylvania University.

Power outages escalated throughout the region, affecting local businesses and essential services. The emergency manager for Harlan County reported that a woman was hospitalized when a tree fell on her mobile home. In Lexington, a brief power outage at Sandersville Elementary School disrupted communications, prompting staff to advise parents to pick up their children.

As the storm progressed, rainfall records were shattered in Lexington, where 2.24 inches fell on September 27, surpassing the previous record from 1964. Meteorological reports indicated some areas in Western Kentucky received more than 3 inches of rain, raising concerns over flash flooding.

Looking ahead, forecasts predict continued rain and wind through the weekend, prompting Governor Beshear to stress safety precautions, particularly avoiding driving through flooded areas. He emphasized the importance of heeding weather warnings as the storm system persists.

As communities assess the extent of damage, residents are encouraged to report property damage and monitor local news for updates on recovery efforts and safety alerts.