Lake effect snow is created when super cold air moves across the Great Lakes and picks up extra moisture and warmth from warmer lakes. Lake Erie is typically the only Great Lake that freezes over completely by the end of winter, but when there is open water added warmth and moisture make up of shallow convection or snow showers resulting in lake effect snow. 

Recently, you might have gotten many warnings on your phone or local news channels that we would be having lake effect snow in Erie County. This year, Corry has barely gotten any snow, and that is rare because most of the time there is snow on the ground for five months out of the year. Unfortunately, there wasn’t even snow on Christmas, but after weeks of not seeing barely any snowfall Corry has been struck by snowfall. How are the students at Corry Middle High School being affected, though?

 It’s safe to say that the majority of the students and staff at Corry Middle High School were hoping for some sort of delay. Surprisingly though Corry has not seen one yet. Even though the roads are slippery and its 9 degrees outside students are still up and running. This is concerning because many students walk to school from a far enough distance. Another issue if there were a delay or early dismissal is the district would have to make the choice of leaving some children home alone or keeping them there. Leaving a young child home alone could almost be as dangerous and worrying as slippery roads. 

On top of the worry of the snow, the COVID numbers are doubling now at 21 cases in the high school. If this extremely chilly weather keeps up making kids sick this could potentially shut the school down for who knows how long. This cold weather is allowing the virus to spread due to not being able to take kids outside and having us cooped up in one room partially due to weather conditions. 

Hopefully soon we will see less intense snow and more warm weather. Let’s hope to see this for the kids that walk to school but also for the false hope of a two-hour delay because most likely there won’t be one. Remember to drive slow, salt your porch steps, and stay warm.