I'm a native Texan but have lived and taught school part-time in Montana since 2002. I well remember "weather days" back in Texas when I taught there. We'd frequently have a "weather day" holiday because of rain and occasionally as the result of an ice storm. Recently, I also received a snow call from our daughter who teaches at Matagorda Elementary School in Matagorda, Texas--literally within feet of the Gulf of Mexico. Snow flakes were sighted! Her school didn't cancel classes, but excitement filled the air for the few moments that the flakes fell.
Now, as I drive to work regularly in near-zero visibility, blizzard conditions, I have to laugh over those Texas weather days. Since I've been here, we've NEVER had school cancelled or even let out early because of weather. I thought for sure last November, when we we had several weeks of minus-30 and minus-40 temperatures with snow and high winds, school would be cancelled. But no, the buses ran and the kids and teachers drove, and we all made it to school day after day.
I drive about 40 miles one way to work, on an interstate but through the mountains, so my drive can be a bit hairy at times, especially when I have to leave before the snow plows get out our way. The photo below shows a typical drive home around 4:00 PM during the winter; that's a snow plow on the other side of the highway. You can't see them, but I am surrounded by mountains and have mountains ahead of me. At least I know where they are and how the road curves!
By the way, I never, ever tire of seeing snow fall. I love it! And another "by the way": I don't know how much longer I can afford to drive that 80-mile round trip five days a week because diesel just went through the roof here yesterday.
Carolyn