snoWatch: Let's boycott the calendar!

In another epic battle against the snow and ice, Montgomery County quickly cleared the main roads shortly after today's snow subsided. And the school system is fighting another battle between hazard and learning, especially since we've been improving so much by county standards. So we musn't slack, should we?

Sorry folks, Eve must be stranded somewhere that sounds like it's from the Wizard of Oz (Kallama-what?) and Merlyn is plotting to take over the world, so it's up to me, Payal the humorless Other, to give you the feed on weather today and tell you guys about what you really want to know: what's in this weather for us.

6:00 p.m.We'd all like to say that Montgomery County is fighting a losing battle with the weather, despite the already cleared roads. There should be a wintry mix of rain and snow tonight, which can pack down the snow. The temperature is currently slightly above freezing, but a few degrees lower is enough to cause the rain to freeze over.

Chance of two-hour delay: 90%
With this much snow, there has to be some dent in the hours we spend at school – the roads will simply be too dangerous to drive on. Beware though –MCPS seems to be in the mood again for some late cancellations. Remember when you were walking bleary-eyed into school at 7 a.m. two weeks ago and then found out that there was a two-hour delay?

Today, at 12:31 p.m., MCPS cancelled all school and community activities after 1 p.m. Close shave, isn't it? So just be on the lookout. Especially since the MCPS web site has ceased working properly in the vile effort to delay the announcement as much as possible...looks like indecision can hold on for just a little longer. Unless a Magnet kid figures out how to hack into the system and call school off.

Chance of cancellation: 50%
Face it: if we get a day off, MCPS will give it to us grudgingly. We haven't been in school enough for the past two weeks, with snow days, half-days, and holidays. Hey, maybe we won't get those interims (it got lost in the snow! or we haven't had enough school to actually have grades...). The snow should refreeze, but we'll have to see how much damage the night can do to the roads. The county already cleaned up the snow with a vengeance, so we won't be dealing with much anyway, except for on our walks to the portables.

So as "The Inconvenient Truth" wins its Oscar, we'll all be asking, "What's up with this weather, Al Gore?" I was more scared about global warming two weeks ago. Let's just boycott the calendar and declare it December 23 – it sure looks like the Gregorian calendar is off. See ya after winter break!