Snow closures, curious - From another post

luvmykids wrote: So how much snow does it take where you live to get a snow day? We got a foot overnight and the interstate is closed, schools are closed, etc. Some people manage to make it to work, the feed store is NEVER closed (thank goodness LOL), gas stations are open, but everyone else is staying home. They closed the schools in ABQ (the nearest city) with just three inches. And most business follow the lead of the schools as far as delay or closure, so if school is closed many businesses do too.

We get up and running again as soon as the roads are at all cleared, you'll definitely need 4x4 around here for the next 3-4days, those without one will be staying home longer.

CantWait replied: A foot of snow, and they close, if not less. It's only got to be the threat of snow and the schools close down. Also if they weather gets to about -30 or so.

coasterqueen replied: It depends around here because rural schools close down quicker than city schools so the ice, wind, temp, snow accumulation, etc get factored in a lot more for us in the rural area. Our whole city basically shut down yesterday at noon. Businesses that NEVER never close closed down at noon yesterday. The problem for us, living in rural, is the plows only come down the road 2x a day (morning and night) and you have drifting and blowing so we had no chance to even get back home by noon yesterday. It was nuts! I got stuck 4 times just trying to get to the elevator and I mean STUCK. I'm thinking I did a ton of damage to my transmission yesterday (and this morning) so we'll see after I have it looked at. Not only that but the counties shut down plowing by 6 pm yesterday because as soon as they would get an area plowed, it was actually blowing back over immediately. They used snow mobiles yesterday as emergency vehicles to get to people stranded in cars and for EMT purposes in general because fire trucks and ambulances were getting stuck. It's nuts. We aren't used to getting 12+ inches dumped on us so fast, at least not like we used to when we were kids and we got that kind of snow all the time.

Not sure I can even answer your question because for us rural folks things stop pretty quickly. I usually won't even try to make it in to work in these conditions but we are swamped. If they hadn't plowed my drive this morning I would have just worked from home.

luvmykids replied:
We're rural too, in the mountains. I've been suprised at how quickly things shut down considering there is a ski area within 5 miles and people here are used to this; I kind of thought this town would be up and running no matter what.

Do you live on a county road? Mine is private so there is no plowing unless a neighbor feels generous enough to plow up my way, I'm at the end of the road so it's out of their way.


Hope your car is ok and you get home safe and sound tonight

MyBabeMaddie replied: If the temperature gets below 0*F or if there is significant snow or ice.

Kentuckychick replied: The ole saying here is the public schools close if "someone spits on the sidewalk"
New York would laugh at us...


Our school system usually closes if there's snow on the roads or over an inch accumulation because we just never see snow so even that little amount makes it hazardous for drivers (since we're all inexperienced in the snow). I went to private school and we hardly ever closed... now they seem to pretty much follow the public schools.

Last night we had a lot of icy rain and this morning the side roads in neighborhoods were covered in ice so they called out.

Many surrounding counties, those up in the mountains especially miss weeks of school at a time. My best friend just went back monday after having 2 weeks off because she drives to the mountains to teach and the snow still hadn't melted. Plus it's a very poor community where many children walk and they call off often for it being to cold.

mom21kid2dogs replied: About 3" does it in our district. we live in a rural, hill laden. not great roads anyway area. we've closed 3 times this year for sub zero weather, which equals our # of true "snow" days.

redplaydoh replied: Here I don't think they ever close because schools are in walking distance for the most part. Switzerland doesn't bus kids so I think it's a different situation here. Our school is across the street so it's no big deal.

jcc64 replied: Here in upstate NY the schools will close down pretty quickly, mainly b/c we are allotted 10 snow days, and by law, we have to use them by the end of the school year. When I first moved here in 1988, we used to get alot more snow than we do now, and we often used MORE than 10 snow days, but now, with global warming, we've had 3 winters in a row with very little snow. This year, today is our first major storm. It's half way through Feb- that's unbelievable to me!

luvmykids replied:
That seems to be the standard here too. I know it's enough snow to cause problems but since every time it's snowed this year we've gotten 8+ at a minimum I catch myself scoffing at it, like if it's less than a foot it doesn't even count

3xsthefun replied: 1" closes our schools here. : Sometimes if it just starts snowing they will close the schools down. Also, if it is too cold in the mornings to start the buses sometimes there will be a delay or they will close. They did last week for 2 days in a row for cold mornings, not sure what the temps were though. Plus we got 6 inches of snow last week that closed the schools for 2 days and delay for one day. So they only went to school for one day last week.

We got freezing rain last night and they said some of the roads were solid sheet of ice. So of course there is no school here again today. I'm not sure if we will even have school tomorrow since we are suppose be getting little over inch snow today.
Actually we still have snow left from last week still laying on the ground, we live back on a mountain road.

It is funny now how easy the schools shut down. I remember back when I was in school that the buses would put chains on and just come on and get us, if the roads were bad. And they are hardly ever did close schools unless we had bunch of snow or the power was out.

amymom replied: I am in Upstate NY and we close for almost nothing. Today was the first snow day this school year and we have had a few snow storms. We alot 4 snow days but I have not seen us use them all yet, we add the extras on to Memorial Day weekend. About two weeks ago we had 6 inches before 6am and there was school that day. The plows in our town head out in front of the school buses. They are very efficient. Today there is already 24-30 inches fallen and they expect more, so it was good to close the school. But I am at work today!

We will close if the temp goes below 20 degrees below zero. That has not happened yet this year.

amymom replied:
I just noticed Jeanne's post about 'upstate NY' We are both in Upstte NY but about 300 miles apart

jcc64 replied: I guess anything north of Westchester qualifies as upstate NY!

Calimama replied: Wow some of the areas you guys mention close so easily!

Bamamom replied: Man if it sleets hard we close here (South Mississippi). The people just don't know how to drive in those condition and so it is VERY dangerous on the roads. I think I've seen it snow here about 5 times my whole life (30 years.)

amymom replied:
Just a big state! I suppose if we measured, we would be about 250 miles or so. I grew up 20 miles north of NYCity and thought that was 'Upstate'!!! I never dreamed that I would live where I can see Canada out the window!

It is funny we both started our posts with we were in 'Upstate NY', Makes you think we are neighbors or something. lol

My3LilMonkeys replied: We close for anything over about 6 inches of snow. If the temp goes below 10 they have a late start too. Everyone around here is so afraid of being sued

Today was our first storm of more than an inch this winter and we've got at least a foot - EVERYTHING is closed.

hoosier momma replied: Like Karen, we are very rural even though I live in a tiny little "town". Our schools usually close with 2 or 3 inches if there is a lot of wind. It doesn't take much snow to close a country road if there is a lot of wind. With the foot of snow and sleet we got yesterday, everything was shut down. I work for the State Police and I am the only civilian to come in today. Also, our schools had a 2 hour delay everyday last week due to the extreme cold.