Latest update:
Updated 11:45 a.m.
LANSING — Local school districts are considering canceling classes for Friday, but a final determination won't happen until later tonight.
Ingham County superintendents are planning on meeting at 8:00 p.m. Thursday to discuss cancellations. However, just because they discuss closing schools together, does not mean that all of the schools in the county will.
Each district has different needs. Some, like East Lansing Public Schools and Lansing School District, do not need to be as concerned about how clear rural or side roads are, because most of their students live on paved roads.
The storm might worsen as the day goes on, which is something superintendents need to consider, said Dori Leyko, superintendent of the East Lansing school district. Early releases can be challenging, because elementary students can't as easily take the bus home or be by themselves if an adult is not at home with them.
School closures should be announced by 10 p.m. Thursday, or by 6:00 a.m. Friday morning. Cancellation of evening activities should be announced by 1:00 p.m. Friday.
Schools typically send out emails, robocalls, and robotexts, and they encourage families to check the local news for updates.
Lansing weather: More snow, blustery winds on the way
Updated at 10:28 a.m.
LANSING — Think twice about traveling.
Because of snow and wind, there are slick roads to navigate and travel plans to reconsider.
If you're expecting to fly or ride a train, make sure to confirm there are no delays or cancellations before leaving your home.
But so far, there are no canceled flights at the Capital Region International Airport, where maintenance crews are working to keep runways and taxiways clear.
Airport spokesperson Katherine Japinga said cancellations are up to airlines.
“Airlines make the decisions on flight changes/delays/cancelations, not the airport,” she said, in an email. “Anyone traveling the next few days should check directly with their airline for the most up to date and accurate information regarding flights.”
The Amtrak train service out of East Lansing is showing an available route for Friday morning's train to Chicago but the route for Saturday has been cancelled. Check Service Alerts & Notices | Amtrak for live updates.
Snow storm
The Lansing area could see as much as a foot of snow Friday through Saturday and that forecast is already impacting many events and plans for area organizations.
"Heavy snow and strong winds are expected for portions of Michigan Friday into Saturday," the National Weather Service said in an online post. "Main concerns are wind gusts of 30-45 mph and heavy snow causing blowing and drifting snow, whiteout conditions, power outages, and hazardous travel conditions."
The NWS said Lansing has a 76% chance to see at least 6 inches of snow from 7 a.m. Friday to 1 p.m. Saturday. There is a 19% chance the area could see a foot of snow if the expected storm's track shifts southeast.
The forecasted storm has led to a shift in some of the Greater Lansing varsity basketball games originally slated to take place Friday. Among the games shifting are CAAC Red boys basketball matchups featuring Mason at Eastern and Haslett against St. Johns and Fowlerville at Williamston. All three contests are taking place 7 p.m. Thursday.
NWS Forecast
This is the NWS weather forecast through Saturday:
Thursday: "A 30 percent chance of snow showers, mainly before 10am. Cloudy, with a high near 36. South southeast wind 8 to 13 mph becoming west in the afternoon."
Friday: "Snow, mainly after 10am. The snow could be heavy at times. Areas of blowing snow after 1pm. High near 34. Breezy, with an east wind 13 to 22 mph, with gusts as high as 38 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100%. New snow accumulation of around 3 inches."
Saturday: "Snow. Patchy blowing snow. High near 27. Breezy, with a west wind 24 to 26 mph, with gusts as high as 41 mph. Chance of precipitation is 90%. New snow accumulation of around 2 inches."
This article originally appeared on Lansing State Journal: Friday, Saturday: More snow, blustery winds promise risky traffic
