CLAWSON, Mich. (WXYZ) — Metro Detroit is expected to be hit with a blast of arctic air early this week, which is leading many to wonder if schools will close.
Watch Jeffrey Lindblom's video report:
Watch Brittany Toolis' video report:
You can see the latest school closings information at the link here
Temperatures bottom out Tuesday morning with lows in the low to mid single digits. Winds will be out of the west 10-15 mph, causing wind chills to be -5° to -15°. Highs on Tuesday will be in the mid to upper teens, but feel more like 0° when factoring in the winds. Some lake effect snow showers are possible on Tuesday, with little to no additional accumulation.
See the forecast in the video below:
John Tafelski, Royal Oak's superintendent, coordinates with neighboring districts when temperatures become dangerously low.
"So in Royal Oak, I work a lot with Clawson, Birmingham, Bloomfield, Troy," Tafelski said.
The superintendent explained that county-wide conference calls begin when wind chills reach critical thresholds.
"Colder than -15 with the wind chill," Tafelski said.
Billy Schellenbarger, Clawson's superintendent and fellow Oakland County administrator, confirmed that discussions intensify as temperatures drop further.
"As you start to get into that -20, conversations intensify," Schellenbarger said.
School systems rely on National Weather Service forecasts to determine when cold weather requires closure consideration, typically in the negative 15-to-20-degree range.
This standard applies across many metro Detroit area schools.
Parents like Brittney Bambrough, who has four children in Clawson Public Schools, must prepare early when temperatures plummet.
"So, I have seventh grade, sixth grade, fourth grade and second grade," Bambrough said.
She starts her morning routine earlier during extreme cold.
"At least 10 minutes early. And then really bundle them up… scarfs hats, all that good stuff," Bambrough said.
School administrators must consider multiple factors beyond temperature readings, including whether students can safely have outdoor recess and how long children will be exposed to the elements.
"And certainly, the timing of everything is a huge factor," Schellenbarger said.
Districts face the challenge of balancing student safety with educational requirements.
"And so we have to be mindful of balancing keeping the kids safe and meeting the number of school days and hours we have to meet," Tafelski said.
Below are policies for winter weather at different school districts throughout metro Detroit, with guidelines for when school will be closed due to cold temperatures. We will continue to update this list as we learn more.
"On days when the temperature and/or wind chill are below -20ºF (20 below zero): Schools will be closed."
"Temperature and wind chill readings for walking students or those waiting at bus stops. Typically, we start talking about closing at wind chills of -20 or greater."
"To close school based on cold alone (rather than in conjunction with concerns about road conditions, bus issues or other safety considerations), the actual temperature combined with wind chill considerations would be greater (colder) than -20 to -25 degrees below zero. This figure is based on the range of temperature / wind chill that carries a higher risk of frostbite at the thirty minute threshold (for exposed skin.)"
"The district will cancel school if the forecasted, sustained wind chill is -20 degrees Fahrenheit or colder during the period of time that students will be waiting for a bus or walking to school."
"Temperature and wind chill (for safety of walkers and students at bus stops) We use a -20 wind chill for a sustained amount of time as a “cold weather closure” guide."
"To close school based on cold alone (rather than in conjunction with concerns about road conditions, bus issues or other safety considerations), the actual temperature combined with wind chill considerations are generally greater (colder) than -19 to -22 degrees below zero."
Plymouth-Canton Community Schools
"We use a -20 wind chill for a sustained amount of time as a 'cold weather closure' guide."
"On days when the temperature and/or wind chill are below 20ºF: Students will not have recess outside. On days when the temperature and/or wind chill are below -20ºF (20 below zero) schools will be closed, based on forecasts by the National Weather Service."
Wayne-Westland Community Schools
"Temperature and wind chill (We use a -20 wind chill for a sustained amount of time as a guide)."
