The first flakes start every student, from kindergartener to college senior, chattering about the possibility of the beloved impromptu vacation — a snow day.
The very presence of snow starts the debate. Will there be enough? Will the roads be passable?
While it’s all speculation for the giddy student, University of Idaho Vice President for Finance and Administration Ron Smith helped make the decision to close campus Thursday.
While the snow was deep, Smith said school closures are infrequent for a reason.
“We have withstood larger storms than this,” Smith said. “We have maybe closed twice in the past 10 years.”
In both instances Assistant Vice President for Facilities Brian Johnson, who also helps make the snow day decision, said there was already a foot or two on the ground making disposal of the new snow difficult.
“In this case we had nothing on the ground,” Johnson said.
Wednesday afternoon Smith said he was confident the snow removal crew could keep campus clear, but with an expected 5 to 9 inches and escalating winds, Smith was still nervous. And for good reason.
Before 5 p.m. Wednesday night Smith and Johnson advised UI President M. Duane Nellis to close the university.
The change was decided as the forecasted 5 to 9 inches became 9 to 12, and Washington State University, Lewis-Clark State College, and Moscow Valley Transit announced they would be closed the following day. The City of Moscow was also considering a closure.
Smith said the university decided, “we probably should too.”
While there is no set prescription for a snow day, Smith said, safety is of paramount concern.
“There are many factors — it’s hard to tie it to a specific amount,” Smith said. “It’s not necessarily how many inches received, but it’s how it’s coming.”
The night of a big winter storm, the university’s snow removal crew hits the plows at 2 a.m., clearing roads and parking lots first. At 4 a.m., the crew switches to small tractors to clear sidewalks, while building custodians clear steps and entry ways.
The timing and rate of snow fall play an instrumental role. Five inches in five hours is manageable, but five inches in an hour becomes trying for the crew, especially if it dumps during those critical early morning hours.
UI officials also consider road conditions across Latah County. While the university is usually able to clear its campus, the county’s limited resources make travelling difficult for commuting faculty and staff. Wind also plays a factor as it can turn a few inches into large drifts.
The first question, Smith said, is can the crew get campus to a usable condition? Next, can faculty and staff travel safely?
By 5 a.m., Johnson, who oversees the removal crew, said they have a pretty good idea if a closure is in order.
“They give me a call and I call (Smith and) Nellis, and (we) will talk it over,” Johnson said.
The president makes the decision before 6 a.m., contacting local media outlets and web postings.
“We do our best to give a notification in those early morning hours before they start their trek,” Smith said.
Even if the university decides to remain open, Smith advises prudence for faculty, staff and students, who have the option to contact their supervisors if travelling becomes too dangerous.
In the event of a closure, only mission-critical personnel — ousing staff, food service and some maintenance — must report for duty.
A midday closure, in which the university will close early to allow everyone to return home safely, is also a probability during the long Moscow winter.
“If a storm’s coming in and we run the risk that people can’t get home, that’s our main consideration,” Smith said.
Friday’s late opening was caused by 5 inches of heavy snow Thursday night and Friday morning that created problems for the removal crew’s road graders. While campus had been clear the previous night, the crew had to use front-end loaders to cut through the compacted ice layer, putting themselves two hours behind schedule.
The decision — like all the others made in winter storm situations — Smith said, was about safety. Keeping faculty, staff, and students out of harm’s way is always the main concern.