Each winter I think about the courses I took to become a superintendent. I learned to lead and manage issues related to school finance, school law, school district governance, data analysis, and various other topics that have supported my work over the past 5 years. One area that I did not study but rely on each winter to make countless decisions is meteorology.
On this early December day, the afternoon temperatures are expected to reach into the low 50s. I thought without the threat of snow, sleet or freezing rain it would be a good day to brief you on what lies in store for us this winter and how I prepare for and make decisions about school delays, cancellations or early dismissals.
Last month the Eastern Pennsylvania Weather Authority (EPAWA) released their winter weather outlook for 2015-2016. You can access the full report here. If you read their seasonal outlook you will have learned a great deal about the Siberian snow cover, the impact of the Quasi-Biennial Oscillation (QBO) on the strength of the polar vortex and the strengthening El Nino in the Pacific Ocean. Again, I have not taken any courses in meteorology so I was grateful for the final summary titled, "Plain English Summary."
A summary of the summary looks like this:
- we are in for a snowy winter with February being the coldest of the winter months and showing well above normal snowfall totals (Quakertown average snowfall total = 31” and 46-54” is predicted)
- we won't have as many storms as last year but the ones we do have (particularly the coastal storms) will be slower and bigger which equals more snow
- in general it won't be as cold as last winter but there will be some colder snaps
Frequently Asked Questions about Snow Calls
How do you prepare for the winter months?
To make sure I am able to reach you in the very early hours of the morning, I sent out a recorded message to make sure our phone contact list was accurate. Information about where we post weather-related information is also posted on the Palisades School District website.
Speaking of those early calls, why do you send them out so EARLY? I strive to get information out to the Palisades community prior to 5:15 am. We have employees that start their day at 6:00 am and I want them to have delay or closure information prior to starting their drive to work. I also want to provide families with sufficient time to make alternative arrangements for childcare if necessary .
Why don’t you make snow calls at night and give us as much notice as possible? It is rare that I can be 100% certain of what the travel conditions will be in the morning. There are times when the snow or ice predicted in the evening does not materialize in the morning which is why I wait until 4:00 am. If for example, snow starts falling right after school, remains heavy through the early evening and is predicted to continue through the night, I would likely start with an evening call of a delayed opening. In the morning I would reassess the situation and discuss the conditions with our Director of Transportation, Director of Facilities and the Superintendents from Pennridge School District and Quakertown Community School District.
Why do you talk with the superintendents from Pennridge and Quakertown prior to making a snow call?
Palisades, Pennridge and Quakertown all send students to the Upper Bucks County Technical School and we also have have students attending programs in each other’s districts. We strive to keep programming consistent for all of our students; however, occasionally weather conditions vary across the region and districts make different decisions. As a result of the possible variation, please focus on the decision for the Palisades School District.
So what do you consider when making a snow call?
There are numerous factors that go into making a decision to delay or cancel school.
Short story: accumulation, timing of storm, and road/facility conditions
Long story: I wake up at 4:15 am when inclement weather is expected. My first call is to our Director of Transportation for an update on road conditions. He has often already talked with the Transportation Directors from Pennridge and Quakertown to see what conditions look like in their areas. I then talk with our Director of Facilities for an update on the condition of the buildings, sidewalks and parking lots and finally I talk with the superintendents from Pennridge and Quakertown.
If there is already a significant amount of snow on the ground at 4:15 am, the forecast is for additional accumulation throughout the morning, the chance that snow crews will have an opportunity to clear the roads with a 2-hour delay is minimal and the chance our facilities crew can clear sidewalks and parking lots with a 2-hour delay is also minimal then school will be cancelled. If there is some accumulation on the ground, the snow has already stopped, crews are already out clearing, then we will likely have a 2-hour delay.
Timing is everything. On a normal day the first buses roll out of the bus garage to start their routes at approximately 5:45 am. On a two-hour delay, the buses roll out of the garage at 7:45 am so road conditions have to be in good shape by that time otherwise a decision will likely be made to cancel school.
What if it is really cold outside?
As noted in the 2015-2016 forecast, there will be several significant snaps of cold temperatures this winter. When it is clear the temperatures are going to drop I remain in contact with our Director of Facilities who monitors building temperatures overnight and into the morning. If our schools are warm and the buses are ready to transport students then school will open. In rare occasions, however, conditions may require a closure.
Why don’t you make more early dismissal calls?
I am greatly concerned about calling early dismissals because it causes havoc for parents/guardians to find coverage for their child(ren) when they arrive home early or to pick their child(ren) up if they normally do parent pick up. If snow is expected to arrive during the afternoon I continually watch the hour by hour forecasts and watch the radar to see when the snow is set to arrive. If our buses can safely get students home with light snow falling or a small amount on the roads I will keep students in school for a normal dismissal.
