Residents across Colorado woke up Tuesday morning to heavy snowfall, icy roads, and wind that made even short walks feel like a full workout. Despite the conditions, Holy Family High School announced that it would remain open, prompting many students and families to wonder what level of winter weather would actually qualify for a closure.
The storm began overnight, coating roads with a slick layer of ice and dropping several inches of snow before sunrise. Plows were active throughout the early morning, though many roads remained partially covered by the time students began their commute. Social media filled quickly with photos of snow-covered windshields and driveways, many of them accompanied by the same message: “Still no snow day.”
Students entering school reported slippery sidewalks and slow-moving traffic on nearby streets. Several noted that buses were running behind schedule due to the road conditions. Even so, administrators maintained that conditions remained “safe for travel,” a phrase that quickly became a running joke among students as they stomped snow off their shoes in the hallways.
Teachers also expressed frustration.
Several students speculated about what conditions would be enough to trigger a snow day. The joking theories ranged from “a full-on blizzard” to “the dean personally getting stuck in their driveway.”
Throughout the school day, the snow continues at a steady rate. Visibility remained low at times, and temperatures stayed cold enough for ice to persist on parking lots and shaded sidewalks. During dismissal, students moved carefully across the packed snow, many commenting that the conditions seemed worse than they had been that morning.
“It’s kind of impressive,” said Priya Lucas, glancing at a patch of ice on the walkway. “At this point I’m convinced school would only close if the building froze shut.”
“I’m not saying they need to cancel for a tiny flurry,” She added. “But when the roads look like this and we’re still sending kids in, it makes you wonder who exactly they’re trying to impress.”
For now, students are left with a lingering question:
If today didn’t qualify as a snow day, what will?
