Anonymous
12/04/2025 13:08
Subject: Closed on Friday or early closing?
was that the storm that people were trapped in their cars downtown and on 395?
Anonymous
12/04/2025 12:54
Subject: Closed on Friday or early closing?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:I remember when my now senior was in first grade and we were supposed to just get a coating to an inch - or something similar- and it was a total mess. We waited an hour for the bus and no cars could get around. We eventually walked because we are just over that mile line. The buses couldn’t make it up the hill when they showed up later. It was terrible. And we’re just in a regular neighborhood that always gets cleared quickly.
I remember my kids were in high school and middle school that day, they had so much fun that day, they still remember they are going to tell the kids they went to school in the snow...
I remember a day like that too, not sure if I'm recalling the same one or later - feels like it was more like 8-10 years ago. #CloseFCPS was a top Twitter tag across the country. (Ha, remember when "trending on Twitter" was our top measure of how popular a movement had become?).
It was bad. As a result, FCPS went totally overboard on conservatism in closing school - for several years, any hint of the possibility of a dusting of snow meant school was closed. I think they were really afraid of repeating that scenario.
In the last few years, I think they've brought the pendulum back toward center again. I've been pretty happy with the FCPS calls for the past couple of years, including a few times that I was surprised they stayed open.
The snow for this week is now trending earlier, Thursday overnight into Friday morning. They could easily wait until this evening to make a call, or even tomorrow morning. Based on the current forecast, I wouldn't be surprised by a two hour delay, but I hope they don't cancel entirely. Of course that could change depending on how the storm moves ... which is why it makes sense to wait and see.
They got it trending worldwide!
Anonymous
12/04/2025 12:36
Subject: Closed on Friday or early closing?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:I remember when my now senior was in first grade and we were supposed to just get a coating to an inch - or something similar- and it was a total mess. We waited an hour for the bus and no cars could get around. We eventually walked because we are just over that mile line. The buses couldn’t make it up the hill when they showed up later. It was terrible. And we’re just in a regular neighborhood that always gets cleared quickly.
I remember my kids were in high school and middle school that day, they had so much fun that day, they still remember they are going to tell the kids they went to school in the snow...
I remember a day like that too, not sure if I'm recalling the same one or later - feels like it was more like 8-10 years ago. #CloseFCPS was a top Twitter tag across the country. (Ha, remember when "trending on Twitter" was our top measure of how popular a movement had become?).
It was bad. As a result, FCPS went totally overboard on conservatism in closing school - for several years, any hint of the possibility of a dusting of snow meant school was closed. I think they were really afraid of repeating that scenario.
In the last few years, I think they've brought the pendulum back toward center again. I've been pretty happy with the FCPS calls for the past couple of years, including a few times that I was surprised they stayed open.
The snow for this week is now trending earlier, Thursday overnight into Friday morning. They could easily wait until this evening to make a call, or even tomorrow morning. Based on the current forecast, I wouldn't be surprised by a two hour delay, but I hope they don't cancel entirely. Of course that could change depending on how the storm moves ... which is why it makes sense to wait and see.
+1
But 2 hours would work just for ES. MS busses are very early (6:20 is the first stop), so 2 hours won't help a lot.
Anonymous
12/04/2025 12:29
Subject: Closed on Friday or early closing?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:I remember when my now senior was in first grade and we were supposed to just get a coating to an inch - or something similar- and it was a total mess. We waited an hour for the bus and no cars could get around. We eventually walked because we are just over that mile line. The buses couldn’t make it up the hill when they showed up later. It was terrible. And we’re just in a regular neighborhood that always gets cleared quickly.
I remember my kids were in high school and middle school that day, they had so much fun that day, they still remember they are going to tell the kids they went to school in the snow...
I remember a day like that too, not sure if I'm recalling the same one or later - feels like it was more like 8-10 years ago. #CloseFCPS was a top Twitter tag across the country. (Ha, remember when "trending on Twitter" was our top measure of how popular a movement had become?).
It was bad. As a result, FCPS went totally overboard on conservatism in closing school - for several years, any hint of the possibility of a dusting of snow meant school was closed. I think they were really afraid of repeating that scenario.
In the last few years, I think they've brought the pendulum back toward center again. I've been pretty happy with the FCPS calls for the past couple of years, including a few times that I was surprised they stayed open.
The snow for this week is now trending earlier, Thursday overnight into Friday morning. They could easily wait until this evening to make a call, or even tomorrow morning. Based on the current forecast, I wouldn't be surprised by a two hour delay, but I hope they don't cancel entirely. Of course that could change depending on how the storm moves ... which is why it makes sense to wait and see.
Anonymous
12/04/2025 12:17
Subject: Closed on Friday or early closing?
Hopefully it won't be anything. We have had way too many days off and kids need to be in school.
Anonymous
12/04/2025 12:14
Subject: Closed on Friday or early closing?
High likelihood of a closure. It isn’t going to be better for a 2 hour delay.
Anonymous
12/04/2025 10:05
Subject: Closed on Friday or early closing?
Anonymous wrote:Oh my kid is missing school on Friday but I will wait to call him out until we see what happens. Thanks!
Does it matter? Just curious what happens in this case. I assume the kid doesn't end up with an absence if school was canceled.
Anonymous
12/04/2025 09:38
Subject: Closed on Friday or early closing?
Forecast currently has the snow at morning commute time, so 2-hour delay is a definite possibility. We'll know more by this evening.
Anonymous
12/04/2025 09:05
Subject: Closed on Friday or early closing?
Anonymous wrote:Not a chance. Don’t see anything significant in the forecast.
Tomorrow (Friday): Odds of light snow are up during the morning. Snow will probably be steadiest south and east of the Beltway but most of the area could see some flakes. The snow could linger at times into the afternoon before tapering off. A light accumulation is possible, especially in our southern areas, but there is still some chance the moisture from the storm misses most of the area. We’ll post a detailed accumulation outlook later this morning. Highs range from around 30 to 35 and will be lowest where the snow is steadiest. Confidence: Medium
Tomorrow night: A few snowflakes could linger into the early evening, mainly east of the Beltway toward the bay. It’s not quite as cold as tonight, but still pretty chilly. Skies trend mainly clear as lows range across the 20s. Confidence: Medium
Anonymous
12/04/2025 08:51
Subject: Closed on Friday or early closing?
Anonymous wrote:People do not seem to understand that there is a difference between a "dusting" of snow in Dec (when the ground is warm) and a "dusting" of snow in late Jan when the ground is colder and a "dusting" of snow in late March when the ground is warming back up. Yes, FCPS often cancels for an inch of snow in Jan. But not when the snow melts as soon as it touches the roads.
Are you new here?
Anonymous
12/04/2025 08:42
Subject: Re:Closed on Friday or early closing?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Any bets on whether FCPS will post a decision on their website and then backtrack six minutes later like it never happened?
I still think my DS was lying when he said that.. did you ever get a text or just on the website?
I do not get texts now that I have pulled my DS out of FCPS for a private school focusing on his special needs. (Expensive, but I was so tired of battling in the IEP meetings). However, the private school is located in Fairfax County and so uses FCPS weather closings for their own decisions. We are told to monitor FCPS to find out when our own school with be closing. I do live here and pay taxes for that incompetent FCPS mess of an announcement system.
Anonymous
12/04/2025 08:41
Subject: Closed on Friday or early closing?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:People do not seem to understand that there is a difference between a "dusting" of snow in Dec (when the ground is warm) and a "dusting" of snow in late Jan when the ground is colder and a "dusting" of snow in late March when the ground is warming back up. Yes, FCPS often cancels for an inch of snow in Jan. But not when the snow melts as soon as it touches the roads.
It was in the mid-20s this morning. There is frost. It’s been cold all week. The high temp tomorrow isn’t supposed to be above freezing. How warm do you think the ground is at this point?
DP but high temps have been above freezing the last several days. The Weather Channel shows a high of 43 today. That's not the same as days as highs in the 20s like we sometimes get in January leading up to snow. It does make a difference.
I hope people aren't looking at the Apple weather app on their phones, that thing is garbage.
Anonymous
12/04/2025 08:33
Subject: Closed on Friday or early closing?
Not a chance. Don’t see anything significant in the forecast.
Anonymous
12/04/2025 08:21
Subject: Closed on Friday or early closing?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:I remember when my now senior was in first grade and we were supposed to just get a coating to an inch - or something similar- and it was a total mess. We waited an hour for the bus and no cars could get around. We eventually walked because we are just over that mile line. The buses couldn’t make it up the hill when they showed up later. It was terrible. And we’re just in a regular neighborhood that always gets cleared quickly.
I remember my kids were in high school and middle school that day, they had so much fun that day, they still remember they are going to tell the kids they went to school in the snow...
Totally! They walked uphill- in the snow. Lol
Anonymous
12/04/2025 07:54
Subject: Closed on Friday or early closing?
I’m think a 2 hour delay, if anything.