Temps have stayed well above freezing at the GSD Home Office (elevation 900'), so the rain continues here. Snow is falling to our north and west. Expect the shift from rain to snow to occur later today and into this evening. Here's what we have for shortened days:
EARLY RELEASE:
Hoosick Falls (NY)
Southwest Vermont SU
SNOW DAY:
Emma Miller
Mohawk Trail
Friday, March 22, 2019
Thursday, March 21, 2019
Winter Storm Warning for No. Berkshire County
[6 PM Update: Southwest Vermont Supervisory SU will be releasing students early tomorrow due to the Winter Storm Warning forecast for Bennington County. We'll start a list later tonight only if more districts call in. See our afternoon report below.]
Boy, that escalated quickly.
The National Weather Service in Albany has issued a Winter Storm Warning--not a Watch--for Berkshire County. Snow days and early releases are in play for Friday. The window for this storm is 2 AM Friday to noon on Saturday.
Colder air is expected to deepen as the storm moves up the coast and intensifies. The rain we are experiencing right now is the leading edge of the storm, and we will see a gradual changeover to wet snow anywhere between 3 AM and noon Friday, depending on the elevation of your location. Some schools do have a shot at a snow day tomorrow.
Because the temperature has been over freezing during the day for the last week or so, it will take much longer for the snow to accumulate on the roads. For this reason we think students should have little problem getting to their schools in Northern Berkshire tomorrow morning.
But if the snow begins to accumulate on the roads before the morning commute, or Superintendents are worried about accumulating snow during the day, then we might see a snow day or two from this list of schools: Hancock, Florida, Savoy, Central Berkshire, Adams-Cheshire, and perhaps even North Adams and Mount Greylock.
In all of Berkshire County we should see accumulating snow at some point on Friday For that reason, we can not rule out a few early releases for tomorrow.
This storm will impact high elevation towns the most. NWS Albany is expecting 5 to 10 inches of snow for Northern Berkshire with some higher elevations getting over a foot. Southern Berkshire County could see 4-6 inches. The bulk of this snow should fall Friday afternoon and into the evening, if we were to generalize for the entire County.
Be aware that the past history with these late season storms indicates that it will be a bust. But--there's always a but--should it do what meteorologists think it is going to do, some group of students will have some time off from school tomorrow.
The GSD Office will be kicking it into high gear tomorrow morning with updates on the storm, cancellations and/or delays.
Boy, that escalated quickly.
The National Weather Service in Albany has issued a Winter Storm Warning--not a Watch--for Berkshire County. Snow days and early releases are in play for Friday. The window for this storm is 2 AM Friday to noon on Saturday.
Colder air is expected to deepen as the storm moves up the coast and intensifies. The rain we are experiencing right now is the leading edge of the storm, and we will see a gradual changeover to wet snow anywhere between 3 AM and noon Friday, depending on the elevation of your location. Some schools do have a shot at a snow day tomorrow.
Because the temperature has been over freezing during the day for the last week or so, it will take much longer for the snow to accumulate on the roads. For this reason we think students should have little problem getting to their schools in Northern Berkshire tomorrow morning.
But if the snow begins to accumulate on the roads before the morning commute, or Superintendents are worried about accumulating snow during the day, then we might see a snow day or two from this list of schools: Hancock, Florida, Savoy, Central Berkshire, Adams-Cheshire, and perhaps even North Adams and Mount Greylock.
In all of Berkshire County we should see accumulating snow at some point on Friday For that reason, we can not rule out a few early releases for tomorrow.
This storm will impact high elevation towns the most. NWS Albany is expecting 5 to 10 inches of snow for Northern Berkshire with some higher elevations getting over a foot. Southern Berkshire County could see 4-6 inches. The bulk of this snow should fall Friday afternoon and into the evening, if we were to generalize for the entire County.
Be aware that the past history with these late season storms indicates that it will be a bust. But--there's always a but--should it do what meteorologists think it is going to do, some group of students will have some time off from school tomorrow.
The GSD Office will be kicking it into high gear tomorrow morning with updates on the storm, cancellations and/or delays.
 |
| If you can make sense of this snow onset map, then you're a better person than we are. Good luck with it. |
Wednesday, March 20, 2019
Winter's Last Gasps
Hello, Flake Followers! Old Man Winter may have a few more statements (plural) to make before he retires for the season.
A complicated and messy storm will impact our region Thursday and Friday and even Saturday. We'll see mostly rain for the Berkshires on Thursday, but there will be enough cold air in place on Friday to convert the rain to wet snow. We may see as many as 4-5 inches, but more than likely we'll get an inch of slush given how meteorologists have overshot the mark often this winter.
Travel on Friday night could be troublesome if you're out on the town. If the snow does actually intensify, it will fall throughout Friday evening and we'll all wake up on Saturday to a blanket of 2-4 inches of snow (with higher amounts in the higher elevations.)
But that might not be the end of it. You may not be seeing it on your favorite weather app, but we have heard some rumblings about a classic coastal storm Tuesday night into Wednesday. This one has the potential to be moderate and even heavy. Two storm systems will need to come together to make this happen, but don't be surprised to see the weather alarm bells go off this weekend about a sizable midweek storm. Just saying.
We'll be monitoring next week's storm potential throughout the weekend.
A complicated and messy storm will impact our region Thursday and Friday and even Saturday. We'll see mostly rain for the Berkshires on Thursday, but there will be enough cold air in place on Friday to convert the rain to wet snow. We may see as many as 4-5 inches, but more than likely we'll get an inch of slush given how meteorologists have overshot the mark often this winter.
Travel on Friday night could be troublesome if you're out on the town. If the snow does actually intensify, it will fall throughout Friday evening and we'll all wake up on Saturday to a blanket of 2-4 inches of snow (with higher amounts in the higher elevations.)
 |
| NWS Albany |
We'll be monitoring next week's storm potential throughout the weekend.
Sunday, March 10, 2019
Winter Weather Advisory; High Winds
Wild March weather continues today. After a gorgeous spring-like day yesterday, Old Man Winter has said, "Not so fast."
The bulk of the snow is over for the morning--2 inches at the GSD Home Office so far--but we could see a period of sleet later in the morning hours that will disrupt travel. And the wind is howling. Gusts up to 50 mph are expected this morning.
There is no threat that this fast-moving storm will affect the start of school tomorrow. Everything will wind down later this afternoon.
As for the week ahead, it's starting to look more like spring. After a coolish start to the week--temps in the 30s on Monday and Tuesday, we should end the work week with temps in the mid-50s. The only real chance for precipitation will be Friday afternoon when we could see some rain showers.
The long-range folks are saying the back half of March should be colder than normal with precipitation at or around normal. This means at least one more major storm is still possible before we close the books on Winter 2018-19.
The bulk of the snow is over for the morning--2 inches at the GSD Home Office so far--but we could see a period of sleet later in the morning hours that will disrupt travel. And the wind is howling. Gusts up to 50 mph are expected this morning.
There is no threat that this fast-moving storm will affect the start of school tomorrow. Everything will wind down later this afternoon.
As for the week ahead, it's starting to look more like spring. After a coolish start to the week--temps in the 30s on Monday and Tuesday, we should end the work week with temps in the mid-50s. The only real chance for precipitation will be Friday afternoon when we could see some rain showers.
The long-range folks are saying the back half of March should be colder than normal with precipitation at or around normal. This means at least one more major storm is still possible before we close the books on Winter 2018-19.
Monday, March 4, 2019
Nothing But Cold Air
The biggest news today was that the storm--which wasn't as much of a bust as we might have been led to believe--did not generate a single delay or snow day in Berkshire County. We all expected county Superintendents to zig but they zagged.
Given their past records on 3-6 inch snow storms that end before or right around the morning commute, the Superintendents' collective decisions to all have a full day of school reeks of collusion.
(Actually, the real reason is that streets and roads were too warm, and it took several hours for the snow to accumulate on the roads, if it accumulated at all. Road crews didn't have that much snow to move, and they had plenty of time to do it.)
So, we missed this storm about as badly as we've missed one all season. Our apologies. And we won't have an opportunity to get right back on the horse because the next weather-maker will not arrive until Sunday when a mixed bag of precipitation is forecasted to impact our area Sunday afternoon and Sunday night.
What we will see over the next few days is a well-below average cold air mass on top of us. Tuesday won't be too bad (mid 20s) but we will get into the single digits Tuesday night, and Wednesday's highs will only be in the upper teens. We will almost get to 0 degrees on Wednesday night before we see a gradual warm-up to the upper 30s and mid-40s for the weekend.
There may be some stray lake effect snow showers over the next few days but no accumulation is expected.
Given their past records on 3-6 inch snow storms that end before or right around the morning commute, the Superintendents' collective decisions to all have a full day of school reeks of collusion.
(Actually, the real reason is that streets and roads were too warm, and it took several hours for the snow to accumulate on the roads, if it accumulated at all. Road crews didn't have that much snow to move, and they had plenty of time to do it.)
So, we missed this storm about as badly as we've missed one all season. Our apologies. And we won't have an opportunity to get right back on the horse because the next weather-maker will not arrive until Sunday when a mixed bag of precipitation is forecasted to impact our area Sunday afternoon and Sunday night.
What we will see over the next few days is a well-below average cold air mass on top of us. Tuesday won't be too bad (mid 20s) but we will get into the single digits Tuesday night, and Wednesday's highs will only be in the upper teens. We will almost get to 0 degrees on Wednesday night before we see a gradual warm-up to the upper 30s and mid-40s for the weekend.
There may be some stray lake effect snow showers over the next few days but no accumulation is expected.
 |
| A near miss. |
Delays for Monday, March 4
The snow exited more quickly than expected, so road crews have gotten a jump on clearing the streets. Most schools in Massachusetts have delayed or cancelled school...but not the Berkshires. We have a few delays to report outside the Berkshires, and we'll update this list if there are changes.
TWO-HOUR DELAY:
Berlin
Mohawk Trail
New Lebanon
Southwest Vermont SU
TWO-HOUR DELAY:
Berlin
Mohawk Trail
New Lebanon
Southwest Vermont SU
Sunday, March 3, 2019
Winter Storm Warning for South County; Advisory for North County
The GSD Staff had a sneaking suspicion that a slight uptick would happen, and the recent information we're seeing and reading shows a more moderate to heavy snow storm for South County and just a moderate storm for Pittsfield and towns to the north. NWS Albany has upgraded South County to a Winter Storm Warning--yes!--and the Winter Weather Advisory remains in effect for North County.
The storm should start any minute now (6 PM), if it hasn't started already for you. The snow will be heavy and wet initially, and it should pick up in intensity toward midnight. The storm is a fast-mover, but it is certainly large enough to last into the morning commute. As a result of the bump in the forecasted snow totals, we're going to raise the chance for delay for all schools in the County.
We still think that Southern Berkshire, Farmington River, Berkshire Hills and Lee and Lenox and even Central Berkshire should be in a good position for at least a delay tomorrow, and we cannot rule out a snow day for our school districts down on the Connecticut border.
Students in Adams/Cheshire, Mount Greylock, McCann, Clarksburg and Stamford are less likely to get a delay, but if the storm holds on just a little longer than it's expected to, we'll even see those students enjoy a late start to the day.
We recognize that many folks are ready to turn the page and get on to spring. Those of you who were out in the sun today probably felt that warmth that the March sun can bring. It did feel nice. But who really doesn't want a delay on a Monday morning? It's a long, long stretch until we get to April vacation, so we should make the most of these opportunities.
Think snowy thoughts. South County students have generally gotten the short end of the stick this winter, so hopefully this storm will do a little to make up for lost time for them.
The storm should start any minute now (6 PM), if it hasn't started already for you. The snow will be heavy and wet initially, and it should pick up in intensity toward midnight. The storm is a fast-mover, but it is certainly large enough to last into the morning commute. As a result of the bump in the forecasted snow totals, we're going to raise the chance for delay for all schools in the County.
 |
| Image courtesy of WNYT Albany Channel 13. |
Students in Adams/Cheshire, Mount Greylock, McCann, Clarksburg and Stamford are less likely to get a delay, but if the storm holds on just a little longer than it's expected to, we'll even see those students enjoy a late start to the day.
 |
| NWS Albany's latest forecast. |
Think snowy thoughts. South County students have generally gotten the short end of the stick this winter, so hopefully this storm will do a little to make up for lost time for them.
Snow Tonight; Some Delays for Monday
The Winter Storm Watch issued yesterday has now become a mere Winter Weather Advisory. We will see snow tonight--and it will last into the Monday morning commute--but it is not going to be the premier snow event we thought it might be last week.
If schools issued delays for the 4-5 inches of fluffy snow we got on Thursday, then the 3-6 inches of snow predicted for tonight should yield many delays tomorrow morning. South County schools will have the better chance for delays, as the farther south and east you go with this storm, the more snow you will see. In fact, Litchfield County in northwest Connecticut has a full Winter Storm Warning for tonight and tomorrow.
Schools south of Pittsfield will have a better than 50% chance for a delay; schools north of Pittsfield may get shut out but the potential for a delay still exists. There's a chance a district like Southern Berkshire or Farmington River could go for the full snow day if they get 6-7 inches, which is certainly possible.
A big difference between this storm and Thursday's Alberta Clipper will be the density of the snow. As temperatures are relatively high right now, the snow will be heavy and wet. Especially in North County, the snow may even take a while to stick on the roads because the last few days have been over freezing for much of the day.
So, we do expect some delays tomorrow, but they probably won't be county-wide. We strongly suggest students prepare tonight for regular full-length classes or slightly shortened periods. We'll update later if we hear anything about changes to the track of the storm.
If schools issued delays for the 4-5 inches of fluffy snow we got on Thursday, then the 3-6 inches of snow predicted for tonight should yield many delays tomorrow morning. South County schools will have the better chance for delays, as the farther south and east you go with this storm, the more snow you will see. In fact, Litchfield County in northwest Connecticut has a full Winter Storm Warning for tonight and tomorrow.
 |
| NWS Albany |
Schools south of Pittsfield will have a better than 50% chance for a delay; schools north of Pittsfield may get shut out but the potential for a delay still exists. There's a chance a district like Southern Berkshire or Farmington River could go for the full snow day if they get 6-7 inches, which is certainly possible.
A big difference between this storm and Thursday's Alberta Clipper will be the density of the snow. As temperatures are relatively high right now, the snow will be heavy and wet. Especially in North County, the snow may even take a while to stick on the roads because the last few days have been over freezing for much of the day.
So, we do expect some delays tomorrow, but they probably won't be county-wide. We strongly suggest students prepare tonight for regular full-length classes or slightly shortened periods. We'll update later if we hear anything about changes to the track of the storm.
Saturday, March 2, 2019
Red Flags for Sunday Night's Storm
Before anyone starts to make plans for how they are going to spend their day off on Monday, we feel obliged to present a few sobering realities:
1. The primary source of energy for this storm is currently in California. That's a lot of distance to cover in a short amount of time, which means a variety of things can go wrong with it.
2. Check out these two forecasts:
For most storms this past winter, the high end prediction and the low end prediction have been much, much closer together--just 3-4 inches difference typically. To see an 18-inch difference raises an enormous red flag. This set-up has "bust" written all over it.
So even though the National Weather Service has issued a Winter Storm Watch for the Berkshires for Sunday night into Monday, the GSD staff is suddenly not feeling so great about a sure-thing snow day (based on the reports we read this morning). It all could work out for us in the end, but we urge you to proceed with caution.
1. The primary source of energy for this storm is currently in California. That's a lot of distance to cover in a short amount of time, which means a variety of things can go wrong with it.
2. Check out these two forecasts:
For most storms this past winter, the high end prediction and the low end prediction have been much, much closer together--just 3-4 inches difference typically. To see an 18-inch difference raises an enormous red flag. This set-up has "bust" written all over it.
* * *
So even though the National Weather Service has issued a Winter Storm Watch for the Berkshires for Sunday night into Monday, the GSD staff is suddenly not feeling so great about a sure-thing snow day (based on the reports we read this morning). It all could work out for us in the end, but we urge you to proceed with caution.
Friday, March 1, 2019
Light Snow Saturday; Moderate/Heavy Snow Sunday Night
The weather forecast may be confusing tonight as not one but two storms will hit New England in about a 36-hour period. The first storm will have a low impact on the Berkshires; the second storm appears to be poised to deliver the goods.
The Berkshires may see 2-3 inches during the day tomorrow from a coastal storm that is going to intensify and spread snow in an unusual manner--east to west. Some models see strong intensification but most of the snow will fall over Rhode Island and southeast Massachusetts. South County could see up to 4 inches if the storm takes a more northerly track.
As for the more important Sunday evening storm, the European model is the one that is calling for heavy snow for the Berkshires. The North American one is less optimistic and has the storm tracking farther to the south. But the Euro is usually fairly reliable with coastal storms, so we'll put our eggs in that basket this tie. We're still not fully convinced the map below is accurate, and we expect it to change over the next 24 hours. As we indicated yesterday, the track of this storm is still a moving target, so our 8-12 inches could become 3-5 in a hurry.
We'll probably wait until the evening model runs tomorrow night to give you a more serious prediction for Monday, but if we were wagering on this storm, we would be putting just a few dollars on a snow day for Monday for almost all schools in Berkshire County.
The Berkshires may see 2-3 inches during the day tomorrow from a coastal storm that is going to intensify and spread snow in an unusual manner--east to west. Some models see strong intensification but most of the snow will fall over Rhode Island and southeast Massachusetts. South County could see up to 4 inches if the storm takes a more northerly track.
As for the more important Sunday evening storm, the European model is the one that is calling for heavy snow for the Berkshires. The North American one is less optimistic and has the storm tracking farther to the south. But the Euro is usually fairly reliable with coastal storms, so we'll put our eggs in that basket this tie. We're still not fully convinced the map below is accurate, and we expect it to change over the next 24 hours. As we indicated yesterday, the track of this storm is still a moving target, so our 8-12 inches could become 3-5 in a hurry.
 |
| Image courtesy of NWS Albany. |
We'll probably wait until the evening model runs tomorrow night to give you a more serious prediction for Monday, but if we were wagering on this storm, we would be putting just a few dollars on a snow day for Monday for almost all schools in Berkshire County.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)