How much snow does it take to cancel school? Astronomically we’re only half-way through autumn, but flakes are already flying in some parts of the country. As I write this post blizzard-like conditions are in the forecast for the Lake Superior snow belts. An impending snowstorm brings lots of questions. Many revolve around travel. How long will my commute be? Will my flight be cancelled or delayed? Can I get by without snow tires?
The first snowfall also brings questions about preparedness. Did we remember to renew our snow removal contract? Will the snowblower start? Where’s the snow shovel? Where are all the kids’ snow clothes? Will their boots still fit?
As important as all of those are, the biggest question before every snowfall is – Will they cancel school? For parents, teachers, and especially students nothing looms larger. Younger kids dream of building snowmen, sledding down hills, and warming themselves with a cup of hot chocolate. Older students contemplate finishing homework, writing papers, and studying for tests or enjoying a relaxing evening. Parents and teachers face uncertainty about caring for their kids and going to work. The whole process generates excitement and stress in equally perilous amounts.
So how do ‘they’ decide to cancel school? While who ‘they’ are varies by location, the process is generally similar. Taking into account many factors (forecast, bus routes and schedules, walking students, snow already on the ground, etc.) they try to decide as soon as possible. However it’s not always possible to decide the night before. Sometimes they don’t cancel school until the wee hours of the morning. In those instances those affected by the decision won’t know until after they wake up and prepare for school.
While not the only factor in their decision, snowfall amounts are a key factor in the school cancellation equation. So how much snow do they need to cancel school? As you might expect this amount varies by location, which brings us to our featured map courtesy of Alexandr Trubetskoy.
Average snowfall needed to cancel school
While this map is no guarantee – kids don’t tell your teacher you didn’t do your homework because Map Monday told you school would be cancelled – it does offer a guideline for how much snow it typically takes to close school.
As always thanks for reading.
Armen
Note to Pay the Bills: While none of the books in the Misaligned Series features snow cancelling school, lake effect snow and other weather phenomena do play important supporting roles. How does that fit into a Young Adult fantasy series about the intersection of Welsh myth and String Theory? Learn more by reading a summary of the series here or find links to purchase books here.