Schools prepare for more snow, extended closures possible

MARIPOSA COUNTY, Calif. (KFSN) -- As snow levels remain low, some North Valley schools canceled classes for a rare snow day in the Central Valley.

School officials say they'll be monitoring the forecast over the weekend before deciding to re-open campuses come Monday.

Thursday morning, snow levels dropped as low as 1,000 feet in Mariposa County and surrounding areas, leading to a snow day for many.

"We have faculty and staff that live up in Oakhurst obviously it's a short commute for them, but we also have students who may live in the Oakhurst area and may travel down to our Madera campus or maybe they go Reedley College or maybe they go down to Clovis community college," said Cory Burkarth, Director of Marketing and Communicaiton for Madera Community College.

Snow levels are expected to rise to around 3,000 feet heading into Friday morning, over the weekend lower elevations will see light showers, but the chance of low elevation snow will return early next week.

That is something school officials are keeping a close eye on.

"At the lower elevations that area hasn't gotten a lot of snow over the last couple of years and so we are used to weather closures up there, but maybe not sometimes with the heavy forecast that we're expecting right now," added Burkarth

Locals in Oakhurst who were embracing the snow shared some tips for first-time snow goers.

"Be careful, but go sledding, go wherever up Sky Ranch or up towards Yosemite and find some hills and go sledding because it's fun," said Daniel Oliva, Oakhurst resident.

And for those first-timers, the snow didn't disappoint.

"When you see snow it's a feeling that's very good. Nature is beautiful, I see it for the first time, it feels good, it feels fresh," said Amandeep Singh, Oakhurst resident.

All fun aside, as the storm intensifies, locals are bracing for more snow and stocking up on gas to keep their generators working.

"People living here, they are worried about snow, they are getting their gallons ready, gas. They are saying snow going up to here," added Singh.

Snow levels are expected to fluctuate over the weekend just below 3000 feet or so and the Winter Storm Warning for Madera County will remain in effect till 4 p.m. on Saturday.

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