Rural school districts across West Michigan are preparing for potential closures Monday as temperatures plunge below freezing and back roads develop dangerous ice conditions following a weekend snowstorm that dumped up to 12 inches across the region.
Weekend storm creates challenging conditions
The heavy snowfall that moved through West Michigan on Saturday night left widespread accumulations between 6 and 12 inches throughout the area. While main roads have been cleared, many side streets and rural routes remain snow-covered or have developed icy patches as temperatures dropped Sunday evening.
Sunday afternoon brought a brief reprieve with above-freezing temperatures that helped improve road conditions temporarily. However, the improvement was short-lived as temperatures fell back below freezing, causing moisture on back roads to freeze over and create hazardous driving conditions for Monday morning commutes.
Southern counties lead closure announcements
Schools in St. Joseph County moved quickly Sunday evening to announce closures for Monday. The early decisions from southern districts have increased the likelihood of similar announcements spreading to neighboring areas.
Districts in Van Buren County are expected to follow suit, with at least some schools likely to close. The closure wave could extend to portions of three additional counties. 1) Calhoun County schools are weighing their options. 2) Kalamazoo County administrators are monitoring conditions. 3) Branch County districts are also considering closures…