What factors go into a snow day for school districts?
For most school districts, it all comes down to whether kids can get to and from school safely.
FILE: FOX Weather Correspondent Katie Byrne joins kids in Richmond, Virginia on their third snow day
FOX Weather Correspondent Katie Byrne is live in Richmond, Virginia catching up with the kids as they take on their third snow day. Find out what all the fun is about:
The winter weather brings plentiful snow for people to enjoy all season long, but what factors go into a snow day for students?
For adults, winter usually means shoveling snow, cleaning off cars or slow commutes. At the same time, children look forward to playing outside in the snow and the chance of a school cancellation.
What factors go into a school cancellation due to winter weather?
The safety of children is the top priority for schools, as icy roads for bus and car transportation are taken into account.
Black ice is a constant threat to drivers on the road during the winter.
For many school districts, it all comes down to whether kids can get to and from school safely.
Snow plows clear lake-effect snow along Interstate 86 in Sherman, New York on Thanksgiving Day. (Katie Byrne / FOX Weather / FOX Weather)
According to the National Weather Service (NWS), snow and ice are common causes of school closures, but extreme cold is another factor superintendents must consider.
Dangerous wind chills can be hazardous for kids waiting outside for the bus. Heavy accumulations of snow and ice can bring down trees and topple utility poles and communication towers, areas where kids could be waiting for buses, posing a serious risk.
Intense wind chills, along with the freezing weather, can increase the risk of frostbite, or even hypothermia.
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"Exposed skin is especially at risk for frostbite when the air is cold, and winds are strong," a statement from the NWS reads.
Students arrive to class on snowmobiles at Forest Hills Consolidated School in Jackman, ME on Feb. 28, 2020. (Blake Nissen / The Boston Globe / Getty Images)
But hypothermia can occur even at temperatures above 40 degrees if someone becomes cold and wet, according to the NWS.
Superintendents often refer to the hourly weather graph provided by the NWS, which includes detailed information on conditions for each hour of the day. This can help school officials decide whether to implement a two-hour delay or a full-day school cancellation.
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Although there is no magic number for how much snow must fall for schools to cancel, it comes down to the safety of students and faculty, as well as the district’s ability to ensure school parking lots and roadways are cleared and passable for drivers.
A town or city that's more prone to seeing snow might not cancel at the first sign of it, whereas schools in the South might be more apt to cancel due to the rarity of it.