---
title: The Prince of Snow Day ‘Pencil Predictions’
date: 2025-02-24T05:30:00-05:00
author: University of Maryland
canonical_url: "https://today.umd.edu/the-prince-of-snow-day-pencil-predictions"
section: Articles
---
# The Prince of Snow Day ‘Pencil Predictions’

*February 24, 2025* — by [Karen Shih ’09](/author/karen-shih)


> Alum Behind County’s Hyperlocal News Site Sees Flurry of Interest This Wild Winter

*Mocoshow collage 1920x1080 — P.E. teacher-turned-local news blogger Alex Tsironis '07 is the man behind the popular MoCoSnow 'pencil predictions' for winter weather delays and closures in Montgomery County.*

Alex Tsironis ’07 isn’t a meteorologist. The most the former P.E. teacher will admit to is being a “[social mediarologist](https://x.com/TheMoCoSnow/)” who happens to love checking National Weather Service bulletins.

But it doesn’t matter to the tens of thousands of people who follow the “pencil predictions” he shares via his MoCoSnow social accounts, an outpost of his hyperlocal news site, “[The MoCo Show](https://mocoshow.com/),” covering the state’s most populous county.

“I never forgot the feeling of joy when I would see Montgomery County scroll by on those TV news tickers” announcing a snow day, he said. For the last decade and a half, he’s brought that excitement to a new generation of kids, using one to five pencils to depict the likelihood of school delays and closings—over and over again during this extra-cold, extra-snowy winter.


*MoCo Snow Rating System: Five pencils: It's almost certainly safe to stay up late, because there will probably be no school tomorrow. Four pencils: 75% chance you'll be out of school tomorrow, but almost certain there will at least be a delay. Three pencils: 50% chance you'll have the whole day off, and very good chance of at least a delay. Two pencils: There is a 50% chance of a delay. One pencil: Really good chance you will be in school on time. Do not count on a delay or closing. — MoCoSnow's pencil prediction guide*


*Alex Tsironis talks into microphone — Tsironis recording 'The MoCo Show' podcast*




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**Tags:** [Alumni](https://today.umd.edu/topic/alumni), [Social Media](https://today.umd.edu/topic/social-media)


**Units:** [College of Education](https://today.umd.edu/topic/college-education)