U. gears up for 'Storm of 1994'

Solemn-faced television meteorologists have called the snowfall expected for Wednesday "The Storm of 1994." But it might turn out to be nothing more than "a little snow flurry," a National Weather forecaster assistant said last night. "A few inches [will fall on Philadelphia], at the very most," he said. Officials at the University are not taking any chances, though, after the unpredictable course of the weather this semester. Physical Plant Director of Maintenance and Utilities Louis Visco said last night that the brushes on all of the snow sweepers have been changed, and all of the snowplows have been repaired in preparation for the storm. "We've been preparing to bring out the [Physical Plant] troops," he said. "We have salt on hand -- everything's ready." Executive Vice President Janet Hale said the University will be "as prepared as we can be" for Wednesday's snow. She said, however, that she would not be able to say whether the University would shut down for a fourth time this semester until "the snow actually hits the ground." All of the television hype about the "Storm of 1994" has made some students planning to travel over the upcoming spring break anxious. Wharton sophomore Brandon Levin said he is "quite worried" about flying through the supposed heavy snow to his home in Los Angeles later this week. "I've never taken off in a plane when it is snowing," he said. "It's my greatest fear." While Levin called travelling by airplane his "least favorite pastime," he said he would not reconsider flying home for Spring Break. "I've had enough of this below-freezing weather for one lifetime," he said. "I want to get home and just bask in the sun." Engineering sophomore Arthur Cho, who hails from Alaska, said he is worried that his flight to Dallas will be delayed because "the city is totally unprepared for snow storms." "Last time, they ran out of salt," he said. "It's kind of a joke." Engineering freshman Juan Diaz, who plans to travel to his home in Florida at the end of the week, echoed Cho's sentiments. "The airport tends to be closed for just any good reason," he said. Diaz said his flight from Florida to the University was delayed for "eight or 10 hours" because it was snowing when he tried to return from winter break. "They hadn't even cleared the runways [in Philadelphia]," he said. Cho said that although there is more snow in Alaska, he has experienced less flight delays at the Anchorage airport because "we're used to it." "I don't like the inconsistency of [Philadelphia] weather," he added. But Engineering sophomore Penh Biedler, who has tickets for a flight to to his hometown of Tucson, Ariz., is not concerned. "I haven't heard of any potential danger," he said. He added, though, that he did not know of the warnings for the "Storm of 1994" issued by television meteorologists this week. "I haven't watched TV lately," Biedler said.