Snow Startles Students

Although yesterday's early-morning snowstorm caught Harvard off-guard and forced the cancellation of the men's varsity soccer game against Yale (see story, page 12), students suffered little more than discomfort.

In the rest of Massachusetts, however, the storm from Canada left two people dead in Berkshire Country, closed schools, shut down Logan International Airport for the morning, and clogged commuter traffic, the Associated Press reported.

More snow is predicted for tonight.

The unseasonably early three-inch snowfall surprised many Harvard students. "I couldn't figure out why I couldn't see out my window. I was really shocked," said Kristin M. Waldmann '90.

For Cambridge public works officials, the storm was a routine matter.

"We had a few tough hours as everyone did, but the normal procedures take time," said William P. Ryan, Cambridge assistant commissioner for public works.

The city budgets $175,000 per year to clear streets and public facilities of snow and ice, said John E. Flynn, Cambridge budget analyst. Yesterday's storm probably didn't cost much because it ended early in the day, so workers did not have be paid overtime, Flynn said.

Cambridge workers were on the streets manning salt scrapers by 3:40 a.m., and snowplows by 7 a.m.