Weather Procedures

Inclement Weather Delays, Cancellations, and Closings

Dealing with inclement weather: Several times each year Three Rivers Administrators must deal with forecasts of inclement weather and make decisions regarding whether or not to cancel or delay classes and other activities. The most significant considerations in these decisions are usually (1) the safety of all students and staff, and (2) the need to minimize disruption to scheduled classes and activities. If adverse travel conditions appear to exist in a large percentage of the communities served by Three Rivers, then the decision is usually to delay or cancel classes. However, with our widely diverse service area, there are numerous situations where unsafe conditions may only exist in a few limited locations. In this case, we will usually try to keep classes going as scheduled. In these conflicting conditions, it becomes very important that all students and staff consider their own personal safety and use their best judgment in making personal travel decisions. The College will recognize and try to be supportive of these types of personal decisions.

Communications regarding closings, cancellations, and delays: In the event a decision is made to cancel or delay classes or to close school completely, this decision will be communicated in the following ways:

Radio and Television Announcements will be made on the following stations:

  • TV Channel 3 – WFSB
  • TV Channel 30 – WVIT NBC Connecticut News 30
  • TV Channel 8/MYTV9
  • TV Channel – FOX CT/CT NOW
  • WTIC/WRCH/WZMX Radio – Hartford
  • WICH/WCTY/WNLC/WKNL Radio – Norwich/New London
  • WSUB/Q105 Radio – Groton/New London
  • WINY Radio – Putnam
  • WILI Radio – Willimantic
  • WBMW Radio – Ledyard

The College’s website will also have announcements regarding any delays, cancellations or closings. This information may be obtained by accessing the www.threerivers.edu home page.

The myCommnet Alert Notification System will also be used to deliver important information to students, faculty, and staff regarding weather-related class cancellations.  The system delivers both email messages, and text messages over cellular phones to those individuals who are registered.  To register, log on to your myCommnet account at http://my.commnet.edu/ and follow the link to myCommnet Alert.


Timing of announcements:
Except under rapidly changing conditions, information on the status of day classes will be available and published by 6:30 AM and by 3:00 PM for evening classes starting at 5:00 PM and later.

Instructor cancellation of classes: There may be instances when it will be necessary for an instructor to independently cancel classes such as for illness or personal inability to travel safely to the college. In these instances the instructors will attempt to provide notification to their students at least two hours in advance that classes will not be held. Notifications may be made by any one or combination of the following means. The selection will be made by the instructor and will be published to students in the course syllabus.

  • Voice message on instructors’ college phone extension.
  • E-mail to e-mail address provided by the student.
  • Notification on Blackboard.
  • Phone Tree set up for that specific course.


Cancellation of Off-Campus Classes and Activities:
In general, college classes and activities held off-campus follow the lead of the host facility. For example, if the Three Rivers Manufacturing Apprenticeship Center at Grasso Tech in Groton is closed due to inclement weather, then all TRCC classes scheduled at this location will usually be cancelled as well. Confirmation of these cancellations may be made by calling the office of the Dean of Academics (860-215-9004) prior to 4:00 PM on the day of classes.

Decisions regarding the cancellation of Nursing Clinical scheduled at various hospitals in the state will be made independently by the Director of Nursing or her designee depending on the circumstances of each individual class. These decisions will be communicated directly to the nursing students involved by the most appropriate means selected by the Nursing Department.

Please check to avoid confusion and embarrassment:

    When weather related closings or delays are necessary, there are always also many sources for potential confusion, for example:

  1. College operations and classes are not related in any way to the public school systems so it should not be a surprise that the college will be in full operation many times when these public schools are closed.
  2. In the midst of the hundreds of weather related announcements our radio and television stations make, information provided about Three Rivers is sometimes inaccurate or incomplete. A quick double check of the college main phone line or website or a call to an instructor, supervisor or classmate will save everyone a lot of time and potential difficulties in the long run.