After a winter storm hit southeastern Michigan with snow on January 12, leaving many area schools canceled that day, local school districts again called off classes on January 16 due to the weather and road conditions.

Late on Monday the 15th, Chelsea, Dexter and Saline school districts all announced classes were canceled for the next day Jan. 16, 2024.

On the Saline Area Schools Facebook page it said, “Due to the icy condition of back roads in our District, combined with very cold temperatures, Saline Area Schools will be closed Tuesday, January 16, 2024. We will post a decision about Tuesday’s after-school and evening activities by 12 p.m. on Tuesday.”

image courtesy of the Saline Area Schools Facebook page

The Chelsea School District webpage said the district would be closed on the 16th due to severe temperatures and challenging conditions on the rural roads while Dexter also cited the conditions on the road with the weather.

In another message to the district families and staff, Dexter Community Schools Superintendent Chris Timmis said if the wind chill dips to a sustained negative 20 to 25-degree range, “please be aware that we may need to cancel school. At that temperature, the risk to our students standing at bus stops or walking to school greatly outweighs the need to have students in school for the day.”

For Tuesday, the 16th, the National Weather Service had forecast for the Chelsea area as: “Snow showers likely, mainly before 8 a.m. Cloudy, then gradually becoming mostly sunny and cold, with a high near 8. Wind chill values as low as -14. West southwest wind 11 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 21 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70%. New snow accumulation of less than a half inch possible.”

A look at the local weather conditions early on Jan. 16, 2024.