Subramania Natrajan, a Kansas University employee who works at Murphy Hall, used an umbrella Thursday morning to ward off heavy snow as he shoveled the sidewalk.

Alan Kilday, 20, a Kansas University junior from Scotland, felt just like home Thursday morning as the snow covered his coat and head while he walked to classes.

The snow holiday continues Friday for Lawrence public schools.

Supt. Randy Weseman announced late this afternoon that classes for Lawrence public schools will be canceled on Friday. School officials will decide at 11 a.m. Friday whether to cancel Friday night’s high school sporting events.

Weseman’s announcement followed a day of cancellations at area public and private schools and preschools and at Kansas University’s Lawrence and Edwards campuses.

The area had received about two inches of snow by Thursday morning and at another four to five inches of snow throughout the day.

Julie Boyle, Lawrence school district’s public information officer, said there were three reasons for another snow day: the heavy snowfall, the district’s inability to adequately clear snow from school sidewalks and parking lots, and the danger of driving on rural roads in the district.

KU officials announced early this afternoon that all classes after 1:30 p.m. on the Lawrence and Edwards campuses have been canceled. Cancellations were also expected at the KU Medical Center campus, but officials there have yet to make an announcement. Some employees were allowed go home beginning at 2 p.m., at their supervisors’ discretion.

KU on Wheels bus service ended at 12:30 p.m. today, though officials said no students would be stranded on campus. Students needing a ride home from campus should call the Lawrence Bus Company at 842-0544 between 1:30 p.m. and 3:30 p.m.

KU libraries will close at 3 p.m., except Watson Library and Anschutz Library, which will close at 5 p.m.

Officials said they anticipated classes to resume Friday.

The Lawrence Public Library closed at 4 p.m. Thursday.

Weseman had said earlier Thursday he was leaning toward canceling Friday’s classes because of the parking lots and the danger of driving on rural roads.

“We’re not going to send buses on terrain where we can’t see the road,” Weseman said.

Julie Boyle, public information director for Lawrence Public Schools, said a decision was made about 5:20 a.m. to cancel classes for today.

“I think their concern was with the extended forecast, with with what’s on the ground now and with what we’re expected to get today that it might be hazardous to get kids home from school,” she said. “So they can stay home in their jammies.”

Several private schools and preschools in Lawrence that tie their schedules to Lawrence public schools have also decided to cancel classes for the day, including Lawrence Catholic Schools, Bishop Seabury Academy, Raintree Montessori School, Sunshine Montessori School and Veritas Christian School.

Several other schools districts in the area have also decided to cancel classes, including Baldwin, Eudora, DeSoto, Wellsville and Ottawa school districts.

Lawrence got between six and seven inches since the snow started falling Wednesday evening, said Ross Janssen, 6News meteorologist

“We’re really not expecting any more accumulating snows tonight or tomorrow,” Janssen said late Thursday afternoon. “There is a chance we’ll see some scattered snow flurries tonight and through the day tomorrow.”

Friday’s big problem from the weather will be blowing and drifting snow, with northwest winds expected to be 10 to 20 mph, he said. Friday’s high will be 24.

The temperature will begin dropping Friday, reaching a lot of 2 by Saturday morning.

“Saturday, we’ll see some sunshine returning, but the high will only reach 15. So it’s going to be pretty cold,” he said.

Snow total varied around Lawrence, he said. Reports came in from 6News Skyhawk weather watcher of six inches at Stull, west of Lawrence; seven inches in southwest Lawrence and five inches in southeast Lawrence, he said.

“It was a pretty impressive snowstorm for us and some much needed moisture for the old ground,” he said.

For morning coverage of the winter storm, return to this Web site for the latest cancellations. You can also call 856-SKY6 (7596).

Latest 6News forecast For updates on road conditions across the state from the Kansas Department of Transportation:¢ Call the Kansas road condition hot line at (800) 585-ROAD (7623).¢ Check the KDOT Web site, www.kanroad.org.