- Oct 3, 2007
- 1,539
My wife is a teacher and this year has got me thinking. Her school has already run through all of their allotted "snow days" for the year. Two went to Hurricane Irene-the first day was because the school didn't have power, the second was because kids couldn't get to school because there were so many washed out roads, downed trees, and wires. They lost the next three to this recent storm because the school had no power, and winter is still more than a month away. Previous years saw similar situations-freak October ice storms, late September/early August tropical storms, and record snowfalls had the schools taking away winter break and still going into the summer. Growing up in NJ we're certainly used to snow, but compared to places like the Upper Midwest in New England, it takes considerably less snow (6" falling in the late night/early morning hours will do it) to close schools, offices, etc...or at least delay their opening. Now that we're seeing so much time eaten up by other weather events where it's physically impossible to have school (no electricity or blocked roads), will we begin to see a shift in how schools and municipalities deal with snow? Will folks start buying snow tires, chains, and having tires studded/siped again? Just a thought...