snoWatch: Wintry mixtape

What a way to start the semester! A chance to sleep in after staying up late to check out your new schedules on BILL and talk about how much homework you don't have. We left you all hanging last night (for the record, MCPS had no bold red banner up online, which totally threw us off). Then again, as MCPS students, we should have expected the unexpected.

As of this morning, The Weather Channel was still predicting a 100 percent chance of precipitation by 10 p.m., and with sleet falling and temperatures reaching the low twenties right now, let's hope tomorrow puts the "hail" in last week's "Hail to the Chief."

Predictions - where we make up fake numbers based on actual facts

Chance of delayed opening: 90 percent

There's snow on the ground (unless your mom made you shovel). It's 27 degrees out and raining. Rain freezes. Ice falls. Buses and small children slip. There's almost no way around a two-hour delay (side note: combine that with advisory and first day take two introductions, and you couldn't ask for shorter classes!).

Chance of closing: 55 percent

"Montgomery County is the magic kingdom," MCPS Superintendent Jerry Weast told Washingtonian last year. Sure, he was talking about helping students of all socioeconomic backgrounds achieve high academic goals, but the message can be applied generally. As in, remember the Full Week Off of 2003?

Isn't it a law of statistics that when something happens once, it's more likely to happen again? Your Blockbuster vids are late this week - can you really be counted on to have your next rentals in on time? Or does everyone have Netflix now? Answers: Yes, no and anyway...the point of this extended analogy is that if it could happen today, it can happen tomorrow. Total ice accumulation will be up to one quarter of an inch, according to Weather Underground. MoCo law multiples that by four (average snowfalls per year), giving us an inch of ice. For anyone who's taken a permit test out there...can you say "gentle braking?"

It's really on the edge here (like the new Flo Rida song - thoughts?). In honor of clean report cards and other fresh starts, we're going with an optimistic lean to the yes. It just wouldn't make sense to start the semester on an even day (how "odd!").

And finally, in the spirit of unbased predictions, a random fun fact: Weast doesn't have a Wikipedia page. Use your snow day to start one.

And now for some fun

We here at Silver Chips Online love snow as much as any Blazer, but there's one thing we love even more: cookies burning mixes for each other. Oh, and keeping you informed, but that's a close third. In honor of today's most excellent snowfall, here is the official SCO "Wintry Mix" - a selection of chilly tunes to get you in the mood for more snow and less school.

But for now, crank up the volume and turn on the stove for some hot cocoa and background music while you look out your window at the beautiful white scene in your yard.

1. White Winter Hymnal - Fleet Foxes
A great song from one of our fave new bands. The Foxes' sweet melodies and peaceful guitars will melt your worries right away (like those marshmallows in your hot cocoa).

2. Our Song - Taylor Swift
It may not have anything to do with the weather, but isn't winter about guilty pleasures? Swift's vocals will warm you up in this happy tune.

3. Sleeping In - Postal Service
You know that feeling when you wake up at 5 a.m., run downstairs to turn on the morning news (or, if you're lucky, flip open your phone to a half dozen texts) and discover MCPS is closing schools for the day due to inclement weather? Going back to bed is pretty sweet. Plan on sleeping in.

4. Refuge (When it's Cold Outside) - John Legend
The only thing better than a snow day? John Legend serenading you on a snow day.

5. 20 Years of Snow - Regina Spektor
Spektor's homeland Russia yields much more snow than Silver Spring, and her distinctive voice will make you shiver. If only we could have 20 years of snow days...

6. Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out - Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band
The song might not actually be about cold temperatures, but "Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out" will get you up and moving for increased blood circulation and a rise in body temperature. We know lots of things about science.

7. Eskimo - Damien Rice
"So I look to my eskimo friend"...Eskimo can be figurative, but the only igloos you'll find are the ones you build yourself. So get outside and enjoy the snow!

8. Fifteen Feet of Pure White Snow - Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds
Hey, we can dream. Cave, a skilled lyricist, delivers a freezing tale that will make icicles hang from your knees.

9. Snow Lion - Readymade FC with Feist
Feist's beautiful voice, combined with a harp's chilling melodies, makes "Snow Lion" a must for any wintry mix.

10. Snow Is Gone - Josh Ritter
Say it ain't snow! Unfortunately, the snow will be gone at some point. Let's hope it's actually spring before that happens. In the meantime, we may as well prepare ourselves with this hopeful tune from a skilled songwriter.

11. Wait for the Wintertime - Yeasayer
Oh, we've been waiting. Check out Yeasayer's unique experimental sound paired with a more traditional rock and roll beat on this track.

12. Winter Windows - Sea Wolf
There's nothing like a little accordion on a cold winter's day. Actually, we just made that up, but "Winter Windows" is a lovely song for any occasion.

13. Cold As Ice - Foreigner
An essential for any wintry mix or '80s playlist.

14. Shiver - Maroon 5
A self-explanatory title: what you'll be doing if you go outside without a jacket and Toe Warmers. Revisit Maroon 5's first album with this slippery tune.

15. Cold Day - Sonya Kitchell
It may be a depressing love song, but skip the first minute or so for the uplifting (to us, anyway) chorus: "It's a cold day in history / one of the coldest of all time." Hooray! Viva la freeza!