SMU says it intends to hold classes and events in person as DFW prepares for its second winter storm in as many years. The university began preparing for the storm last week according to a SMU spokesperson.
“Every effort will be made to announce any changes by 6 a.m. for the workday and by 4 p.m. for evening events,” the SMU Aware site says. “If no University notification is sent or posted, operations are continuing as scheduled. Students, faculty and staff are expected to report to their classrooms or offices.”
On Tuesday afternoon, Dallas College canceled in-person classes and Dallas ISD canceled class Thursday and Friday because of the weather warnings. If conditions become more severe, SMU “recommends” that faculty move to Zoom rather than cancel class for the sake of academic continuity.
Despite SMU’s hopes for in-person learning on Thursday, some students have already received communication from their professors that their Thursday classes are canceled or moving online.
The National Weather Service (NWS) is placing DFW under a “Winter Storm Watch” from Wednesday to Thursday evening. The agency predicts the weather will “transition from rain to freezing rain to sleet and snow.”
This year’s freeze is predicted to be more localized to northeast Texas, shorter, less cold, and generally less disruptive to the power grid than February 2021’s winter storm. Still, the NWS warns that greater icing and sleet on roads this year will make driving more treacherous.
We are most concerned about the icing potential which is the worst to drive on and can cause power outages and tree breakage. But there's still uncertainty in the forecast. If it gets colder faster than expected, this would result in less ice and more sleet/snow. #dfwwx #ctxwx pic.twitter.com/dqpThOGK70
— NWS Fort Worth (@NWSFortWorth) February 1, 2022
For more information on how to prepare for and stay safe during a winter storm, visit the NWS website.
