Hazard Kentucky Lives Up to It's Name, Sort Of

The Kentucky town of Hazard may be named after the U.S. naval Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry of the late 18th and early 19th century, but the town has been facing the more familiar term when we think of the word 'hazard', mudslides.

The recent snowmelt and heavy rain have produced numerous hazards for the town's property owners and travelers.



The picture above is some of the issues residents in Perry County are facing as mudslides wreak havoc on local roadways. This is Upper Second Creek Road.

According to this story in the Hazard-Herald, other significant slides have impacted the following areas:

Middle Fork
Puncheon Camp
Brown's Fork
Faulkner Ave and Highland Ave in Hazard

One thing I do not understand is that the National Weather Service has products for Avalanches, yet do not have an official advisory or warning for mudslides. Areas that are usually impacted by these events, and there are maps from the USGS that show these locations, should be given more transparent information about the potential for mudslides that could impact life and property but especially area roadways. Special Weather Statement products from the NWS may highlight the potential but again is buried beneath other weather information that does not specifically spell out the danger like a stand-alone advisory or warning would do in such cases.

MS