Wearing a mask in Louisville is illegal. But what if it's too cold?

Getting festive for a Mardi Gras masquerade, you're good. Wearing a "Scream" mask for Halloween, totally fine. But wearing a ski mask in subzero temperatures? That's slightly complicated.

Louisville has a city ordinance that states no one can wear a mask where "a substantial portion of the face is hidden or covered" in any public place within Jefferson County.

And the punishment is pretty steep — a maximum fine of $100 or a maximum 50 days in the county jail.

And while there are several exceptions in the law, such as "wearing traditional holiday costumes in season" or for a "sporting activity," there isn't a part of the law that says it's OK to wear a ski mask in public when it's really cold outside.

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As Louisville prepares to deal with a wind chill that will make it feel like negative 20 degrees outside on Wednesday, an important question arises: is it possible to wear a ski mask outside without getting thrown in the county pen?

Short answer, you should be good.

As long as you aren't holding a crowbar or terrorizing the town while wearing your ski mask in subzero temperatures, it's not a problem, said Carl Yates, spokesman for the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office.

"As long as people aren’t doing anything suspicious, then it isn't an issue," he said. "It's like all enforcement efforts, it's discretionary ... and it's just plain common sense."

Louisville Metro Police Department spokesman Dwight Mitchell said it's unlikely someone would be arrested for walking around in the cold wearing a ski mask. But it depends on what someone is doing — if the individual is menacing people or robbing a bank, that's a clearly a problem.

The law was approved in 1983 by the old Jefferson County Fiscal Court and was originally an effort to discourage activity by the local Ku Klux Klan.

Yates said he can't remember a time where someone was arrested or cited for wearing a mask.

"This question comes up every year when it gets cold. We're used to dealing with it," Yates said. "I can't even remember the last time we cited someone for it."

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In April last year, sheriff's officers clashed with Louisville City FC fans after the police told fans to remove their masks and scarves, citing the ordinance.

Yates later told the Courier Journal that it was an "isolated situation" and that they had no plans to enforce it at future games.

So, that's good news! Bundle up and put on a ski mask, if that's what you're in to. Just don't do anything sketchy, all right?

Reach Thomas Novelly at 502-582-4465 or by email at tnovelly@courier-journal.com. Follow him on twitter @TomNovelly.