More inclement weather unlikely in coming weeks
Jack Willems
Issue date: 12/3/08 Section: News
The flurry of snow university students experienced Sunday afternoon is unlikely to be repeated for the remainder of the semester, a Ph. D. candidate in environmental mechanics said Monday.
Snowstorms probably will be less common this winter than they were last year because temperatures are likely to be warmer, said Dorian Burnett, a doctoral candidate at the UA. There may be more precipitation this year, though, he said.
This year, temperatures were lower than they normally would be because of a strong La Nina, an ocean-atmosphere phenomenon, Burnett said. After a cold year, temperatures typically rise in the next year, he said.
"Meteorologists like to say that it all evens out in the end," Burnett said.
In the short term, temperatures will increase after the snow flurry Sunday, and it is unlikely that it will snow again during finals week, Burnett said. A cold front will come through Northwest Arkansas, but it will not have much condensation to work with, Burnett said.
Still, it was not unusual for Arkansas to get snow this early in the season, he said.
"It is getting into that time of year where we are getting into our first winter blast," Burnett said.
The UA inclement weather policy, which can be found on the university Web site, is that the university will remain open despite inclement weather conditions, though it may close offices or classrooms if conditions are severe enough.
The decision to do so is made during a 5 a.m. conference call between the head of the Transit and Parking Department, the head of Facilities Management, the provost and the head of the UA Police Department, said Steve Voorhies, manager of UA Media Relations.
The decision is based on road conditions and other conditions concerning the safety of people commuting to campus, Voorhies said.
Aside from closing, the university also could delay opening for two hours, he said. The decision will be posted on the university Web site and a message will be sent through RazALERT.
Snowstorms probably will be less common this winter than they were last year because temperatures are likely to be warmer, said Dorian Burnett, a doctoral candidate at the UA. There may be more precipitation this year, though, he said.
This year, temperatures were lower than they normally would be because of a strong La Nina, an ocean-atmosphere phenomenon, Burnett said. After a cold year, temperatures typically rise in the next year, he said.
"Meteorologists like to say that it all evens out in the end," Burnett said.
In the short term, temperatures will increase after the snow flurry Sunday, and it is unlikely that it will snow again during finals week, Burnett said. A cold front will come through Northwest Arkansas, but it will not have much condensation to work with, Burnett said.
Still, it was not unusual for Arkansas to get snow this early in the season, he said.
"It is getting into that time of year where we are getting into our first winter blast," Burnett said.
The UA inclement weather policy, which can be found on the university Web site, is that the university will remain open despite inclement weather conditions, though it may close offices or classrooms if conditions are severe enough.
The decision to do so is made during a 5 a.m. conference call between the head of the Transit and Parking Department, the head of Facilities Management, the provost and the head of the UA Police Department, said Steve Voorhies, manager of UA Media Relations.
The decision is based on road conditions and other conditions concerning the safety of people commuting to campus, Voorhies said.
Aside from closing, the university also could delay opening for two hours, he said. The decision will be posted on the university Web site and a message will be sent through RazALERT.
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