‘Snow Day’ Forecast: Questionable Chance for School Bus Cancellations on Thursday in Southern Ontario
/
NOTE: YOU CAN CLICK ON THE MAP TO OPEN A ZOOMABLE IMAGE
With Southern Ontario bracing for its first widespread snowfall event of the month, many might anticipate the return of school bus cancellations across various parts of the region. Unfortunately, for those hoping for a 'snow day' due to this system, the timing of the snowfall may dampen such expectations.
Snow is forecasted to start around late Thursday morning or early afternoon, with heavier snowfall intensifying across our region throughout the afternoon. This is expected to significantly affect the afternoon bus service.
The pivotal question remains whether school boards will preemptively cancel morning school buses based on the forecast. Currently, Environment Canada has issued weather advisories, which may not be sufficient for most school boards to consider bus cancellations. However, there is a mention of the potential for these advisories to be upgraded to snowfall warnings. Should this upgrade occur by morning, it would substantially increase the likelihood of cancellations in the affected areas.
This forecast primarily concerns school boards known for their proactive approach to bus cancellations, including Parry Sound, Bruce Peninsula, Muskoka, Haliburton, and Tri-board. We have given these regions a 25 to 50% chance of experiencing a snow day, coinciding with some of the highest anticipated snowfall totals.
Beyond these areas, the chance of a snow day drops to 5 to 10% across the rest of Central and Eastern Ontario, extending into Southwestern Ontario. While cancellations across these school boards seem unlikely, it cannot be entirely dismissed that a few might decide to cancel based on the forecast.
For the Golden Horseshoe, including urban school boards in the Greater Toronto & Hamilton Area, the expectation of cancellations is minimal, with predicted total snowfall accumulation between 5-10cm. Consequently, we have estimated a less than 5% chance of a snow day for these regions.
Disclaimer: Instant Weather has zero authority when it comes to bus and school closures. It is completely up to the school boards, bus companies, local authorities, and parents to decide what is best for their children. This is our best guess based on our forecast.
