2-hour delays turned into full snow days in Mass. after bus drivers couldn’t make it to work

What began as a two-hour delay turned into a full day off for students in several Massachusetts communities Tuesday, with multiple schools closing after officials said there were not enough bus drivers.

A major snowstorm brought more than 20 inches of snow to multiple Massachusetts cities and towns Sunday and Monday. Schools closed Monday. And while some made the decision Monday night to remain closed on Tuesday, many tried to reopen for classes.

• Read more: School closings, delays in Massachusetts for Tuesday, Jan. 27

But by Tuesday morning, some schools were having to completely close for the day.

Northampton Public Schools told parents Tuesday "there were not enough bus drivers to cover the bus routes."

"The recent storm has made travel difficult, preventing many of our bus drivers from reaching the bus lot and we are unable to safely cover all bus routes," the school district wrote.

Similarly, Amherst Regional Public Schools said there were "transportation coverage challenges and road safety concerns," which is why the 2-hour delay got changed at nearly 7 a.m. Tuesday. And Easthampton Public Schools had an "insufficient number of available bus drivers."

"We know this impacts family schedules, and we truly appreciate your patience and understanding. The safety of our students must come first, and we are actively working with our transportation partners to address this issue," Easthampton Public Schools wrote on Facebook.

For Sandwich Public Schools, some of the buses weren't able to start. Plus, there were still icy conditions on the roads, leading the school district to close for the day, according to an update at 8:27 a.m.

And the cold weather and snow aren't going anywhere.

The entire state will see negative wind chills each day this week as arctic air moves through the region, according to the National Weather Service.

High temperatures will reach the high teens to low 20s across Massachusetts on Tuesday, according to the National Weather Service, with sun early and gathering clouds through the afternoon. And that general forecast should hold through Friday, meaning the accumulated snow is going to be with us for a while.

More weather

• Final snowfall totals from massive winter storm released, and 1 Mass. town hit 27 inches

• Is another snow storm bringing a 'bomb cyclone' to Mass.? Here's what we know

• Mass. weather: Arctic air brings sub-zero temps

• Logan Airport: Is your Tuesday flight out of Boston canceled?

• Look for snow showers in 8 Massachusetts counties until Monday night

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