Delays and Snow Days for Thursday, April 4

Snow and sleet is still coming down in Berkshire County. It should continue for several hours before tapering later this morning. Here is the list of delays and snow days: LAST UPDATE: 7:40 AM

SNOW DAY

Berkshire Community College -- no day classes; evening classes TBD

Berkshire Country Day

Berkshire Hills

Berkshire Montessori

Berkshire Waldorf

Clarksburg

Emma Miller (Savoy) 

Berkshire Arts & Technology

Central Berkshire
Gabriel Abbott (Florida)
Hancock

Hillcrest

Hoosac Valley

Lee [upgraded to closed]

Lenox

MCLA [now closed]

Mohawk Trail

Mount Greylock

North Adams

Pine Cobble

Pittsfield

Richmond 

Southern Berkshire

Southwest Vermont SU

Stamford (VT)

Storm Update and Early Cancellations for Thursday, April 4

The storm has started and the waiting game begins...for most. Already a few schools have gone with the snow day for tomorrow. Here's the short list (updated 9:02 PM): 

Emma Miller (Savoy) 

Berkshire Arts & Technology

Gabriel Abbott (Florida)

MCLA -- delayed opening; opening at 10:30

Mohawk Trail

Stamford (VT)

As of 5 PM, sleet is already mixing in with the rain at the Home Office of GSD in Williamstown (elevation 700 feet). Temps are in the mid 30s and creeping downward.

Most models and meteorologists are expecting the sleet to pick up and the snow to begin after midnight. But the worst of it does seem to be centered on the hours of the morning commute, which is giving us hope.

The radar, though, shows that this storm is not as tightly formed as we might like it to be. This means more of an off-and-on storm rather than long steady stretches of precipitation.

So, due to the more sporadic nature of the precipitation, snow totals need to be adjusted down, which means our chance of widespread snow days also needs to be ticked down. Again, schools in the northeast part of the county will have a much better chance for a snow day than schools in the southwest.

Unless there are many power outages tonight due to the high winds, we probably won't see too many schools added to the above list. We'll update it if we learn of any new cancellations. Otherwise, this is going to be a wait-and-see situation to see how bad the roads are in the 5 AM-8 AM window.

NWS Albany forecast.

Wind, Sleet and Snow -- April 3-4, 2024

Let's just get right into it. Overnight developments:

*The upgrade to a Winter Storm Warning in Northern Berkshire County for today through Friday morning--expected snow 5-10".

*South County now has a Winter Weather Advisory -- expected snow 2-4". 

*The continuation of the High Wind Warning for North County and a Wind Advisory for South County.

Today will feature rain and high winds. Wind speeds will peak later this evening. Gusts up to 60 MPH are expected in some higher elevation spots in Northern Berkshire county. 

Snow totals are great for eastern elevation towns--still in the 6+ range--but less exciting for the route 7 corridor -- only 2-5 inches south to north.

This is the NAM model showing ample sleet (2 AM Thursday).

But sleet is going to be the big X factor for snow day decisions. Right now models are showing the potential for prolonged period of sleet between 2 AM and 10 AM for Thursday. If the sleet does happen, roads will be very slick and most districts will call for a snow day.

Here's what we're thinking:

*Likely snow days for the northeast mountain elementary schools, Hoosac Valley, and Richmond Consolidated.

*Better than average chance for North Adams, Mount Greylock, and Central Berkshire.

*50/50 for Pittsfield.

*Less than average chance for Lenox, Lee, Berkshire Hills and Southern Berkshire.

Of course, a long period of sleet--especially if sleet is falling between 5 AM and 8 AM--will raise everyone's chances for full snow days.

And also in our proverbial back pocket is the fact that Superintendents have to had few opportunities to call in snow days. Some of them may be more inclined to use that snow-day-calling muscle that has atrophied this winter.

April 4, 2024 Storm

Things are about to get a whole lot messier in the New England.

Most reading this will see that the rain has started. It will continue through the evening and then the real action kicks in on Wednesday.

Northern Berkshire still has a Winter Storm Watch with the additional kicker of a High Wind Watch. Unfortunately, there has been no extension of the Winter Storm Watch to South County. Winds on Wednesday could hit 60 MPH in parts of northern Berkshire County.

Predicted snow totals came down last night, but as of mid-morning today they were back up with even the lowest elevation areas of the County expected to get a few inches of snow.

We are also starting to see the word "sleet" creep into the discussion with this storm. Sleet at the right time--namely the 5-8 AM window on Thursday--would increase chances for more districts to go with a snow day.

There's no real change to the snow forecast. High elevation towns will get 6+ inches. Towns by the Connecticut border will be in the 2-3" range. We should see 4-5 from Pittsfield north along the route 7 corridor. Just how deep into the valleys the cold air goes will determine if a few North County schools get snow days or if nearly every school in the county decides to call for a snow day on Thursday.

The key is going to be: when will the changeover to snow occur Wednesday night? We had hoped this map might provide some clarity, but...maybe? The good news is that snow and/or sleet is supposed to fall throughout the day on Thursday. So, it's likely going to be snow day or bust situation. Delayed openings will be off the menu.

More to come...

Winter Storm Watch for Northern Berkshire

Happy April Fool's day, all you flake followers.

Just a caveat before we break down this early spring storm: Spring storms can be very unpredictable. October and April/May storms tend to have high variance often because not enough cold air is firmly in place.

But, without said, let's jump in to this storm and most likely get our hopes up way too high for a snow day on Thursday.

First, moderate-to-big April storms are not that uncommon. In 1997, there was a legendary April Fools Day blizzard that crushed New England with 25" in Boston and areas in central Mass and New Hampshire hitting 30 inches. In 2021, the northeastern hill towns picked up half a foot on April 14th. In 1982, Springfield received 13 inches of snow. In 2016, parts of Western Mass picked up 4" of snow on April 4th. And in 2017 4-8" was predicted for April 1 but the storm was a flop.

This storm is going to be a long duration storm. It will start raining tomorrow (Tuesday), and it will not stop raining/sleeting/snowing until Friday.

Right now it's looking like rain Tuesday and Wednesday with snow mixing an then changing over to all snow Wednesday night. Snow will fall throughout the day on Thursday before tapering to snow showers on Friday.

NWS Albany has issued a Winter Storm Watch for Northern Berkshire that begins on Wednesday and ends Thursday night. The forecast is for the chance for 7+ inches of snow with some icing mixed in and high winds to boot. This sounds a little like our Saturday, March 23rd storm but with less ice. That day would have assuredly been a snow day had it fallen on a week day.

From the map above, it looks as if the eastern half of the county has a much higher chance for snow days. Any districts with high elevation towns (over 1000') could and perhaps should be enjoying a full day off on Thursday. 

Hopefully South County gets involved with at least a Winter Weather Advisory by tomorrow. 

Look for our next update around 1 PM on Tuesday.