Weather-related cancellation
Certain institutions, such as schools, are likely to close when bad weather, such as snow, flooding, air pollution, tropical cyclones, or extreme heat, causes power outages, or otherwise impedes public safety or makes opening the facility impossible or more difficult.
While some regions may close or delay schools when there is any question of safety, others located in areas where bad weather is a regular occurrence may remain open, as local people may be accustomed to travelling under such conditions.
Operations considered essential include health care, emergency services, and retail of basic necessities.
Various types of severe weather can damage structures temporarily or render them permanently useless, cause power outages, or prevent heat or air conditioning from working.
Similar measures occur in response to flooding, tornado watches, and severe weather (storms, hurricanes, dense fog, heavy snow, etc.).
In some cases, only one school or business in a town may close, due to localized issues such as a water main break or a lack of heat or air conditioning.
Weather induced cancellations or delays can also happen in more temperate southern regions, which are traditionally less prepared to handle such situations.
In areas less accustomed to snow—such as Atlanta, Dallas, Memphis, or Chattanooga—even small snowfalls of an inch or two may render roads unsafe, while in some large northern metropolitan areas, effectively mobilized plow and road salt crews can clear 10 or more inches of overnight snow and ice accumulation before the morning commute.
In Southern England, however, significant snowfall is a less frequent event, rarely lasting for more than a few days across low-lying areas.
During a typhoon, DepEd said that in-person, online classes and work from Kindergarten to Grades 12 and Alternative Learning System (ALS) in all levels are “automatically cancelled” in public schools situated in Local Government Units (LGUs) issued with Tropical Cyclone Wind Signals (TCWS) 1, 2, 3,4, or 5 by the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA).
1 was in effect, preschool and kindergarten classes in the affected areas shall be automatically cancelled or suspended, when Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal (TCWS) No.
2 was in effect, preschool, kindergarten, elementary and secondary classes in the affected areas shall be automatically cancelled or suspended and when Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal (TCWS) No.
3 or above was in effect, classes in all educational levels (including colleges and universities) in the affected areas shall be automatically cancelled or suspended.
In an absence of a typhoon signal warning and during floods, the executive of a local government units (LGUs) in their own capacity as chairpersons of the local disaster risk and management councils throughout the Philippines could declare a suspension of classes and government office work depending on the situation in their area of responsibility.
Many supermarkets, convenience stores, and gas stations try to remain open to meet public need and the opportunity for increased business.
Although bad weather generally has little effect on an underground subway system in a major metropolitan area, electricity outages and flooding may disrupt services.
[12] Increased demand may result from employers and schools clearing out in anticipation of a tropical cyclone, hurricane, or other severe weather system as people turn to the subway when other modes of transport are threatened.
