Winter 2020 brings expectations of snow, virtual days


This year has contained a lot of what some could say is the beginning of the end of the world, from the Pentagon releasing videos of a U.F.O., to wildfires, and what everyone is so familiar with-a global pandemic called Covid-19. This year has been a little crazy at times, even it’s weather patterns. Siberia experiencing extreme heat at 100.4 Fahrenheit and the east, midwest, and south having record breaking cold snaps on Mother’s Day weekend are just a few of the peculiar weather patterns this year. With everything considered, what are we to expect heading into winter? 

Coach Matt Dixon, Graham High’s very own weather guru, is looking for winter 2020 to start off fairly mild then transition into a good amount of snowfall. “La Niña is really going to come into play later this winter,” said Dixon. “We have a good chance of getting a good amount of snowfall in January and February.”

La Niña, according to National Geographic, is a climate pattern that describes the cooling of surface ocean waters along the tropical west coast of South America in the Pacific Ocean. La Niña is caused by a build-up of water that is cooler than it normally is in the tropical Pacific Ocean. Unusually strong, eastward moving trade winds and ocean currents bring this cold water to the surface, this process is known as “upwelling.” 

With winter approaching quickly, snow days and delays will soon be an issue for schools.  Last year, there were 11 snow days and 12 2-hour delays, but how will snow days be handled this year?  “I think whenever we have a snow day, they’ll make it a virtual learning day, so technically it won’t count as a ‘snow day.’”  Presley Riffe (11) said.  Riley Stallard (10) thinks “they’re going to switch everyone to online, and [students] will still do schoolwork on snow days.”

Coach Matt Dixon said, “[Students and teachers] will probably use Google Classroom on a snow day, if we were still to have them. Classroom also will help to combat having snow days and overall makeup days at the end of the year.” With Google Classroom, students can still turn in their assignments on time without having to hand it in in-person. 

**At the time of publication, TCPS has experienced three weather related changes to the school schedule.  One day was turned into a remote learning day.  Two days were simply snow days with no expectation for students to complete assignments on those days.