With the impact that last year’s winter storm had on some students and faculty across campus, many wonder what Friday’s forecast means for Belmont.
Almost one year after Belmont canceled in-person classes for nearly a week due to inclement weather, Belmont is in a similar situation as the chances of snow on Friday have gotten higher.
In an email to the students and faculty, Provost David Gregory said that classes would not be cancelled.
“We are aiming to have in person classes this Friday/Saturday, though we will continue to monitor the situation and switch to online classes if needed — please prepare now for both scenarios,” said Gregory.
While Belmont is aiming to continue classes, the Nashville Weather Service is projecting snow to begin to hit around midmorning on Friday.
“Snow looks like it’s going to start just after sunrise and really ramp up midmorning,” said Josh Barnwell, a meteorologist with the Nashville Weather Service. “We might get a little bit of sun on Sunday to help a little bit with the roads, but they are probably going to be pretty treacherous for a little while.”
With the high potential of a winter storm covering the campus in anywhere from 3 to 6 inches of snow, “Belmont follows specific procedures for announcing operational changes during periods of inclement winter weather,” said Julia Copeland, Belmont’s director of public relations.
Announcements pertaining to these changes of scheduling will be sent through email as the main form of communication.
Students around campus are getting nervous with less than 24 hours before the snow is supposed to begin to fall.
“It's happened to me multiple times where I freak out thinking I'm late, and then I just run without checking anything. Then I've gotten there and it's like, ‘oh, class is canceled,’” said Valentina Quintero, a sophomore commuter student. “It's not the best system. Especially if the weather is consistently saying it is going to be bad.”
Despite the apprehension around campus, the Office of Communications assures students that appropriate precautions will be taken to ensure the safety of all members of the Belmont community.
“Belmont’s Facilities Management team reports during winter weather and has a detailed snow and ice removal plan to prioritize safety,” said Copeland.
Regardless of the school's final decision, if ice is present on the roads, then Friday's activities should be stopped, Quintero said.
“If it's too dangerous on the road, I think I would honestly just email my professors and be like, I can't show up,” said Quintero.
And with Nashville infrastructure not made to typically handle snow, decisions need to be made quickly, Barnwell said.
“Friday morning, especially after 9 a.m., can get heavy quick. Roads around here do not take much more than half an inch or an inch to make things treacherous,” said Barnwell.
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This article was written by Zach Watkins