MAYFIELD, Ky. (AP) -- Gov. Steve Beshear is praising the spirit of Kentuckians who have weathered what he calls the state's biggest natural disaster.

Beshear made stops in Murray, Mayfield on Tuesday and planned to visit Bardwell and Paducah.

The powerful storm, blamed for at least 25 deaths in Kentucky, crusted roads, trees, buildings and power lines with up to nearly an inch of ice before sending temperatures plummeting. At their peak, the power outages affected more than 700,000 homes in the state.

Beshear delivered a pep talk to emergency workers at an airport in Mayfield Tuesday. The governor says the storm brought out the best in the state's residents. He says "neighbors helped neighbors, friends have helped friends and even strangers have helped strangers."