Correction: In a previous version of this article, the number of times SU has canceled classes for snow was misstated. Classes have been canceled for snow more than two times. The Daily Orange regrets this error.

On Tuesday, students braced for word from Syracuse University officials that classes would be canceled the following day. A university-wide email teased to the possibility of canceling classes, but when Wednesday morning arrived, students were met with no announcement and a surge of disappointment.

But that afternoon, at around 1:40 p.m., students’ calls for a snow day were answered as the university announced it would be canceling all classes scheduled after 2:15 p.m.

“Given the changing weather patterns forecasted compared to what was known this morning, it was in the interest of the university to cancel classes for the remainder of the day,” said Kevin Quinn, senior vice president for public affairs at SU.

All State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry classes continued as scheduled, said Ragan Squier, SUNY-ESF’s president’s secretary.

Despite the heavy snowfall and cancellation of classes, the rest of the university stayed open, and there was no indication that it would affect Thursday classes. An Orange Alert was also sent out at 2 p.m. notifying the campus of the cancellations.

SU students spent the rest of the day off in various ways. Some took a leap of faith and sled down the Crouse College hill, using dining hall trays, sleds or nothing at all. Others made snow angels and snowmen, adorned with SU apparel.

The National Weather Service released another alert today, saying that the Winter Storm Warning would remain in effect until 7 p.m. The alert said there would be an additional four to eight inches of snow, and totals would amount to eight to 12 inches.

Even though much of the roads were covered with snow, campus transportation continued to run on schedule.

Scot Vanderpool, the manager of operations at Parking and Transit Services, said the buses for Main Campus, South Campus and to the Warehouse would run regular services, though there would be eight to 10 minute delays, and he advised that people plan ahead and get on early.

According to Parking and Transit Services’s website, The Car Limo Nob Hill shuttle buses were operating on a snow emergency route. Shuttle and Car Limo shuttles were operating as usual.

In December 2013, the Weather Channel listed Syracuse with the highest yearly snow totals at 115.4 inches. But in 1993, the year that classes were canceled for an entire day for snow, snow totals reached 192.1 inches.

Regardless of the severity of the storm, Syracuse still remains one of the nation’s snowiest cities — Accuweather.com ranked SU as the second-snowiest college campus in the U.S., tied with State University of New York-Oswego in January.

Published on February 6, 2014 at 1:12 am

Contact Ellen: ekmeyers@syr.edu | @ellenkmeyers