DC is incompetent with snow although they get good snow storms most years. In the past, the city has failed to plow residential streets for a week or more after a snow. So after the first day, you have a nice sheet of ice.

The suburbs do better. And further out, people know they have to get to the main road by the own device.

From a midwestern point of view, it makes perfect sense. As I said, I'm not familiar with DC weather patterns. If you can reasonably expect the snow to have been melted by 10 and the congestion to have cleared, then yes, it makes more sense to just open at 10. If they drive anything like people in the south during snow, though, the delays caused by accidents are still a very valid problem throughout the morning.

I know it sounds odd but seem practically reasonable. The key is “no more”. With the added frustration from the added congestion and measurable weather, why not decrease tension by giving people extra time in case they run into trouble? Work productivity will suffer but it usually does in bad weather anyway.

Bad enough that after taking the train in with the outgoing not starting for hours, they shutdown the building and force everybody out a hour or so later. Fortunately, the commuter train systems have come to expect this foolishness and start a train out early but it is usually stuffed.

All in all the federal statement is backside covering. Fewer complaints about not considering the commuters from WV and outlying suburbs and fewer complaints about closing down for no reason.

It is fortunate that the new admin didn't screw up the decision. It usually takes a couple of storms for new GAO appointees to realize they got to get up at 4 am to make weather calls. Responsibility is a bitch. But the new admin might explain why the announcement was a catch-all and future ones will be more focused due to experience.

Congestion is an even bigger problem when driving conditions are bad. So the last thing you'd want to do is cancel flex time and have everybody due at 10.

But if the roads are clear enough to drive that early, just operate under normal hours!

If you're usually due at 6 and can't make it by 8, think about taking the whole day off. If you came in at 10 you'd only be working a 4 hour day anyway. Go shovel some old ladies' sidewalks instead.

Perfect sense, really. But I guess it's more fun to bash the bureaucracy.