Early week storms create challenges

Tyler McNeil

Creative Editor

“I live only five minutes away and I saw three cars that couldn’t even make it. When cars are completely halted on the road, that should be a sign that classes should be cancelled,” said Jay Arnold, criminal justice major about Monday’s storm.

Plowed snow nearly reached the Rt. 4 signal button on the Hudson Valley side of Vandenburgh Ave, symbolic of the aftermath of two storms that left the campus buried in over a foot of snow.

Classes were cancelled for Winter storm Marcus after 2 p.m on Feb. 9 at 9:44 a.m. “I live in Hoosick Falls which is 40 minutes away from here and I was probably the only one’s one the road. Every school around me was closed,” said Tyler Brewer, radiology student.

The decision to close the college last week was made at 10:52 p.m. on Feb. 1. About 250 classes were cancelled on Feb. 2 as a result of the campus closing.

“It caught all of us off guard. There’s always the part of me hoping for a snow day and the part of me that’s hoping to get something done,” said Matt Peer, theatre arts student said about the Feb. 2 storm.

In Albany, 11.4 inches of snow last Tuesday broke the 1892 record of 5.5 inches of snowfall accumulation for Feb. 2. The greatest snowfall during February recorded in the history of the Hudson Valley campus occurred in 1962 with 29 inches. The most recent storm in February to make Hudson Valley records was in 2011 with 26 inches total, ranking number three in snowfall accumulation.

Over a million square feet of parking space was covered in snow twice over the course of a week. Snow removal for pathways and parking space across campus began as early as 3 a.m. on Feb. 9.

“The parking lot was pretty clear for the first time in awhile. It was a welcoming sight,” said Sarah Lounsbury, biology major about coming back to school on Feb. 3.

The City of Troy issued the first snow emergency of 2015 with a new snow removal plan declared by Mayor Lou Rosamilia on Feb. 3. Parking was prohibited on the odd-numbered side of designated snow emergency streets for 24 hours in the City of Troy starting at 8 a.m. Tuesday. 61 vehicles were ticketed for $35 and towed for $75 in Troy during the storm.

Long-range forecasts predict that a cycle of spontaneous snow showers and highs in the upper teens will continue into this week.