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Cold temps prompts closures in region
Single digit temperatures and subzero wind chills have prompted some school closures in the Rochester region.
Rochester City School District closed all schools and offices for Tuesday, as well as all school-related activities, according to district officials. Pre-planned Regents exams will be rescheduled. Some private schools – including Bishop Kearney High School in Irondequoit and the Charles Finney School in Penfield – both canceled for Tuesday due to the bitter-cold weather.
According to the National Weather Service in Buffalo, although temperatures throughout the Rochester region on Tuesday will range between the single digits and mid-teens, the wind chill will make it feel far colder – between -10 and -15 Tuesday morning. Weather Service Meteorologist Phillip Pandolfo said that a slight warmup is expected by Tuesday afternoon, with wind chills expected to land between 0 and -10.
How cold is too cold for school? Determining school closings for extreme cold weather
Each school district in the Rochester region determines whether they should close for the day due to extreme weather, but Monroe County’s Department of Public Health offers a guideline to help educators determine how cold is too cold to ask students and staff to report to school. That doesn’t, however, mean that a remote learning day in its place is off the table.
Both the city school district and Rochester area suburban schools generally follow the health department’s recommendations that urge schools to consider closing when wind chills are at or near -25 degrees.
How cold will it get in Rochester NY?
The coldest stretch of weather is expected Tuesday into Wednesday with the air temperature to dip close to zero and to feel as cold as -15 to -20 in the region, with the wind chill, Pandolfo said.
Wednesday, he said, will start off bitter cold but will be a few degrees warmer – “but it will still be quite cold,” Pandolfo said. “Cold is a relative term.”
A cold weather advisory is underway through 11 a.m. Wednesday for much of western and central New York, including Monroe and its surrounding counties. Counties south of Rochester are expected to see wind chills closer to -20, forecasters said.
Frostbite concerns during extreme cold
In a letter sent to local school district superintendents on November, Dr. Marielena Vélez de Brown, the county’s public health commissioner, implored schools to consider the potential injury to students as a result of bone-chilling temps, in which frostbite can occur on exposed skin in a matter of minutes.
“Frostbite can occur on exposed skin in about 30 minutes at wind chills of minus 25 degrees. At wind chills of minus 40, frostbite can affect exposed skin in as little as 10 minutes,” Vélez de Brown wrote in the letter. “Wind chills this low can be dangerous depending on how children are dressed, whether students have to walk long distances to school, if children have long waits for the bus.”
She noted that while the health department is regularly contacted by concerned parents on the matter each winter, the decision on whether to close schools due to extreme cold is one made by school officials in each district.
With temperatures dropping below freezing in the region, several closures have been announced due to the cold weather. Schools, businesses, and government offices are shutting their doors to ensure the safety of employees and residents.
The cold temperatures have prompted officials to take precautionary measures, such as canceling classes, delaying opening hours, and advising people to stay indoors. Roads are also being monitored for icy conditions, and drivers are being urged to use caution when traveling.
As the cold snap continues, it is important to stay informed about closures and updates in the region. Remember to dress warmly, stay indoors if possible, and check on vulnerable populations, such as the elderly and homeless, during this chilly weather. Stay safe and stay warm!
Tags:
- Cold weather closures
- Winter weather closures
- Region closures
- Snowstorm closures
- Severe weather closures
- Cold temperature shutdowns
- Weather-related closures
- Snow day closures
- Emergency closures
- Winter storm closures
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