Ready for Spring? YES!
A beautiful, fluffy snowfall can be illuminating and epitomizes “Winter Wonderland.” Ideally, those days can come during winter break; however, Mother Nature does not usually follow our school calendar needs. So, when there is a concerning forecast, what leads to the decision making process?
There are a lot of factors to consider when making weather decisions: temperature, wind chill, wind gusts, the combination of those factors which creates “actual temperature,” precipitation, road conditions, advisories vs. warnings, and even Early Out Fridays can impact the decisions.
There are many factors that alert us to keep a close eye on winter weather conditions and could determine a delay or cancellation:
- -30 degree windchill
- -15 degree air temperature
- Escalated wind gusts that impact the “actual temperature” OR blowing fallen snow
- Combination of air temperature, windchill, and wind gusts
-
Weather warnings
- Road conditions
- Snow fall, ice, sleet or precipitation
- Fog
We try to determine as much as possible as early as possible, but weather and road conditions can change very quickly. One factor, like wind gusts, can impact the other factors, like snow drifts on roads. We use resources like the NOAA and National Weather Service to watch the forecast. When road conditions are concerning, we have team members who drive the roads in the early morning hours to assess road conditions in addition to the state patrol reports and the City/County road teams.
Ultimately, it is a complex process. We try very hard to reach decisions and communicate to families and staff by 5:30 a.m.
Read Superintendent Bush's full note, including a detailed breakdown, in the link below.
