Early this afternoon, MN-DOT closed parts of I-35 (which runs from the Twin Cities down to Northfield and on south toward Iowa). Mid-afternoon, the University of Minnesota closed. And then, at 4:15 in the afternoon, 45 minutes before most departments close down, our college president sent out an email that began:
Dear Carleton Staff, Faculty, and Students,
We have been notified that winter weather conditions are deteriorating rapidly. As a result, the College has decided to officially close for the remainder of the day. Essential services will be maintained.At this point, the College plans to be open tomorrow (Friday, March 2). If conditions overnight warrant a closure, announcements will be made on KYMN, DKHL, KSTP, KARE 11, and WCCO by 7:30 a.m., if possible.
This is the first time the school has closed since I started working here, but I’m kind of disappointed that they waited this long to do it. And tomorrow’s forecast calls for all of 2 inches of snow, so work will carry on as normal.
Meanwhile, the view out of my window reveals very little visibility, though the picture looks clearer than the reality because most of the visibility problems are from the blowing snow, and the picture makes all the flakes stand still. (The scale here is about 3 or 4 car-lengths of trees ending at the road that runs past the apartments, if that helps. Also, it’s supposed to be broad, afternoon daylight.)
In all fairness, it hasn’t been really and truly horrible in this town. The worst of it is swirling all around us but missing us. Still…
[Update: The campus is closing, but the library is staying open for normal operating hours, which means until 1AM. I guess we’ve just been upgraded to “essential services.”]