Schools across Minnesota cancelled classes today amid blizzard conditions and severe wind chills. Here on northern Minnesota’s Iron Range we didn’t get much snow, but wind chill readings approaching -60 degrees (F) were enough to force most public schools to close for the day.
We’ve now reached a point in late January where most public schools in the state have used up the three snow/cold days most districts build into their schedule. Now, cancellations will require make-up days sometime during the semester or into the summer.
This is unusual, and could be quite interesting, because the last few years have brought a lot of heavy snow in March and April.
I’d like to see the numbers after this winter is over: was it colder than usual? Did school cancellations increase this year relative to weather, or was this just a normal reaction to abnormal weather? That’d be a good idea for a Minnesota science project for someone out there.
PHOTO: In case you’ve never seen how railroads keep the tracks clear in the winter, this Burlington Northern Santa Fe engine shows you how. Greg Gjerdingen / Creative Commons
Here in Ely we already had four today counting the earlier day they took for the high school football game at the dome…(that is another subject, but still an unscheduled day off). Now they already canceled tomorrows school as well…