Messy Sunday; Brutal Cold Tuesday

Well, we've survived the first week of 2022...barely.

It's been a rough week, but at least some of the students in the area got to sleep in today or enjoy a day off. The models did a fairly good job with their predictions. Certainly that was the case at the GSD Home Office where we ended up getting the forecasted 2 inches most models were showing.

The models get a lot of criticism, but so far this winter they've been spot on the day before a storm for our area.

Eastern Mass got pounded by this storm and it over-performed in a big way. Parts of Massachusetts southwest of Boston will see 14-20" when this storm final spirals its way out of the Gulf of Maine.

Next up is a shot of snow/wintry mix during the day on Sunday. We could see a slushy inch or two, but then the bigger weather news will be the intense shot of cold air expected for Tuesday. Highs will be in the single digits on Tuesday, and Tuesday night, temps will drop below zero. 

Before you get ahead of yourselves, freeze delays are highly unlikely for Wednesday. We would need to get to double digits below zero before school heads start entertaining that idea.

After the cold air passes through, the week looks milder and quiet, but then the weather machine will ramp up the excitement again for a weekend storm. Sadly, we will not get to partake in the snow day prediction game due to the holiday on Monday. But we will gladly take a massive storm.

Snow reports as of 3:30 PM on Friday.

Delays, Days Off -- Friday, January 7

Snow arrived right on time. It's light but coming down steadily. It should last until noon.

Here's the list (updated 7:23 AM):

NO SCHOOL:

BART

Emma Miller

Gabriel Abbott

North Adams

Taconic HS, Reid Middle (Pittsfield--all other schools open with a 2-hour delay)

TWO-HOUR DELAY:

Adams-Cheshire

Central Berkshire

Clarksburg

Hancock

Hillcrest Academy

Hoosick Falls

Mount Greylock

New Lebanon

Pittsfield (but Taconic, Reid closed)

Southern Berkshire

Snow Totals Ticking Up

It will be light, but snow is still expected to fall throughout Berkshire County late this evening and through the late morning hours. A Winter Weather Advisory goes into effect at midnight. Snow amounts are expected to be between 2 and 5 inches.

It should be snowing during the key decision-making hour for Superintendents, and it should be snowing during the bus runs. Delays are becoming increasingly likely.

Incrementally, the forecast models are pushing the storm further west. This is a good sign. But--and there always seems to be a "but"--some models are showing a possible dry slot that could keep the measurable snow to our southeast and north.

The other good news is that we'll be 5 or 6 degrees below freezing when the snow starts. This means the snow will be light and fluffy and pile up more quickly. Ten or twelve inches of snow per inch of liquid is typical, but with this storm we could see a 15:1 ratio. Models are forecasting between .2 and .25 inches of liquid.

We also continue to want to impress upon the Flake Followers of the impact that the rising number of Covid cases could have on the decision to go for the full snow day. Cancelling school for the day would be one sure way to slow the spread, as many Superintendents are likely fully aware.