A significant snowfall is forecast to fall on the region that includes Arkansas Tech University campuses in Russellville and Ozark, possibly beginning as early as the overnight hours on Sunday, Feb. 14, and into the morning hours on Monday, Feb. 15.
As of 9 a.m. on Friday, Feb. 12, meteorologists at KATV Channel 7 in Little Rock are forecasting 3-5 inches of snow in Russellville on Sunday, Feb. 14, and Monday, Feb. 15. The forecast for Ozark is 5-to-8 inches. These forecasts are likely to evolve and change over the weekend.
Members of the ATU community are encouraged to follow local media outlets and @NWSLittleRock on Twitter for more information as it becomes available.
ATU will be closely monitoring the weather situation over the weekend. If any adjustments to operations on Monday, Feb. 15, become necessary, they will be communicated on www.arkansastechnews.com, ATU e-mail, OneTech campus announcements, ATU social media accounts, local media outlets and through the ATU Alert text messaging system.
Should inclement weather affect the ATU campus in Russellville, Chambers Cafeteria will remain open to provide meals for residential students. Chambers Cafeteria is equipped with backup power in the event of a power outage. The Twitter account for ATU’s food service provider, Chartwells, is @ATUeats.
The ATU Office of Residence Life offers the following advice to on-campus students in advance of the possible winter storm:
(1) Make sure your cabinets are well-stocked with food items in case the weather conditions make the sidewalks too treacherous to pass. Although unlikely, to be best prepared, have foods that can be prepared with or without power.
(2) Make sure your mobile phones are fully charged should there be a power outage.
(3) Call your parents! Parents worry! Call them to let them know you are safe and keep them informed about the conditions. Parents of ATU students can also track www.arkansastechnews.com and ATU social media for updates.
(4) Loss of water is unlikely, but during storms it’s a good idea to have extra water on hand (fill containers and place in refrigerator).
(5) Have a flashlight and batteries on hand. Remember, candles are not permitted in ATU residence halls under any circumstances.
(6) Road condition updates are available through the Arkansas Highway and Transportation Department at www.idrivearkansas.com.
This article will be updated as circumstances warrant and new information becomes available.