Students and faculty across campus are preparing for a winter storm this weekend, where temperatures are predicted to get as low as 9 degrees Fahrenheit with high chances of rain and snow.
Temperatures will begin to drop on Friday with a high of 49 and a low of 18 with a 91% chance of rain, according to the Weather Channel. Saturday is predicted to be a high of 20, low of 9, with a 72% chance of snow, and on Sunday, the high is 22 with a low of 9 and 24% chance of snow. It will begin to warm up slightly on Monday with a high of 35.
In preparation for the storm, many activities have been canceled or postponed. Bid Day was originally scheduled for this Saturday, but has been postponed to next Friday. A Presidential Scholars and Preview Day was moved to Feb. 1-2, and the Brown Library will be closed on Saturday, according to an email sent to faculty and staff from Tamara Long, vice president of enrollment and student engagement.
Athletic events taking place this weekend were also rescheduled. The men’s basketball game on Saturday has been moved to Monday, track and field will no longer compete in their meet in Lubbock set for Friday, and women’s tennis has been postponed.
Ryan Richardson, the vice president for Student Life, said the University is approaching this weekend with a “hope for the best, prepare for the worst” strategy, the same way it did for winter storm Uri in 2021.
During the “snowmageddon” storm, the Texas power grid was overrun, and many people lost power, but the university’s power kept going. Richardson said the school provided a warming center in the Hunter Welcome Center for off-campus students and employees to have a warm place to stay.
This year, the university is already planning to open up the welcome center.
“Hunter Welcome Center– we have equipped it,” Richardson said. “The heat will be on, it will be warmed. There’ll be spaces for people to go, even overnight, if necessary.”
Matthew Fox, lieutenant of operations for ACUPD, said they feel prepared for the storm and will be available if people need help.
“Whether the weather gets bad or not, whether it’s cold or snow and anything like that. We’re able to provide 24/7 coverage of the university,” Fox said. “We’re able to help out if a student needs help. There’s not really going to be a change in the ACU PD functions during this time.”
To help students on campus, the police are prepared to put out salt or sand in more populated walking areas.
The plan also includes keeping the recreation center open, Richardson said, although its operating hours could change depending on who is available to work.
Jason Ellis, ACUPD police chief, said his biggest piece of advice was for students to stay home and not try driving on the icy roads.
“Our number one concern is that if the roads do get icy like we think they’re gonna get. We’d rather people not get out and ride around,” he said. “ If there’s something they absolutely need, we can help them out. We can get them to places on campus with our UTVs or Four Wheel Drive trucks. So my biggest concern with students is that they’re not getting out and driving around.”
At this time, no decision has been made about whether or not there will be school on Monday, Richardson said. However, a group of administrators will discuss it on Sunday, once they know more.
Richardson said that students can look for updates from campus on the Student Life Instagram at @acu_studentlife or keep an eye out for text alerts from the university.
