Jan. 27-28 snowstorm news and updates

updated 7:37 a.m. Jan. 28

Bates College administrative offices will be closed on Wednesday, Jan. 28, 2015, due to the continuing effects of the snowstorm that unofficially has dropped more than 2 feet of snow in the area as of Tuesday afternoon.

Only those employees designated in advance as essential should report for work.

The Den and catering are closed on Wednesday.

The Jan. 28 Zerby Lecture by John Thatamanil, Church Upstairs, Yoga Downstairs: The Challenges and Promise of Multiple Religious Participation, has been rescheduled for 7:30 p.m., March 11, in the Benjamin Mays Center.

Offices were closed on Tuesday, Jan. 27, 2015, due to the storm.

Classes

Classes are held unless specifically canceled by the instructor. Students should check e-mail and/or Lyceum to determine if individual classes have been canceled.

Dining Services

Commons will serve meals as scheduled.

The Den and catering are closed on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Ladd Library

The library remains open unless otherwise announced.

Parking ban

Lewiston has issued a parking ban from 8 a.m. Tuesday through noon Wednesday. Vehicle owners parking on any Lewiston street when a ban is declared will be fined $30 and towed at their expense.

General storm information (updated 2 p.m. Monday)

The National Weather Service office in Gray, Maine, posted an unofficial snowfall total of 27 inches for Lewiston.

The blizzard warning for Lewiston will be lifted by 4 a.m. Wednesday. The forecast for Wednesday is cloudy to partly sunny with highs in the low 20s and winds from the northwest at 10 to 15 mph.

A blizzard warning, primarily defined by high winds, is prompted by the forecast of “sustained or frequent winds of 35 mph or higher with considerable falling and/or blowing snow that frequently reduces visibility to 1/4 of a mile or less. These conditions are expected to prevail for a minimum of three hours.”

Winds, electricity and safety

Fire safety: If electricity fails due to high winds, candles should never be lit in a campus building. Any source of open flame or ignition is prohibited in student residences. Flammable materials such as gasoline, camp stove fuel, paint solvents, propane, butane, charcoal lighter fluid or other highly flammable material may not be stored or used in student residences.

If electricity fails, the system that transmits information to the Central Fire Station may not fully function for several hours, but local alarms and detectors will continue to function. If a fire alarm sounds, students should leave their building and call 9-1-1, then call Security and Campus Safety at 207-786-6111.

Personal safety: During times of high winds, stay clear of tall trees, and stay away from any downed wires. Do not drive unless absolutely necessary. Be mindful of snowplows on city streets.

Campus safety: The electronic card access system has a backup battery system and should continue to function even if the power goes out.

Charging up: You should fully charge your electronic devices today.

Electricity supply: Buildings with backup generator power include Commons, the Residential Village, 280 College St., Pettengill and Security. However, even these buildings will have a limited electricity supply. Elsewhere, the electricity outages, if they occur, will likely vary in different locations on and off-campus.

Heat and hot water: If the electricity goes out for an extended period of time, hot water will not be available in the college’s wood-frame residences on Wood, Frye and College streets. Heat will also be out, so it’s important to keep windows closed.