Forecasts of two feet of snow and howling winds for Washington, D.C., prompted several associations to cancel their fly-ins and legislative conferences scheduled for early next week.

The Association for Corporate Growth, however, is banking on the storm being over by the time its Leadership Week events start on Monday. CEO Gary LaBranche and two other staffers planned to fly from Chicago to Washington this morning ahead of the storm, and ride out the blizzard at the Park Hyatt near Georgetown. Another staffer flew out Thursday night.

"If anybody's reading this message, please send wine," LaBranche joked.

For groups with conferences starting over the weekend, the decision to cancel was obvious. Even the area's public transportation system has already announced it will be shut down Saturday and Sunday.

• The National Conference on Public Employee Retirement Systems said the difficult decision was made based "in the interest of our members' safety and comfort." People registered for the Healthcare Symposium and Legislative Conference will have the option of a full refund or applying the fees toward the 2017 program.

• The National School Boards Association has rescheduled its Equity Symposium for June 11 and its Advocacy Institute for June 12-14. Attendees will be automatically registered for the new dates, but may request a refund.

• ASCD (formerly the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development) canceled its Leadership Institute for Legislative Advocacy. Registrants will get a full refund, but were reminded to contact the Key Bridge Marriott to cancel their hotel reservations. The group said it was working on options to provide registrants with the conference content.

LaBranche said about 350 people had been expected for some or all of the week's events. The hardest hit will likely be the chapter leadership meeting and evening fundraising reception planned for Monday. A policy summit and Capitol Hill visits are Tuesday. ACG's board of directors meets Wednesday. One event will be postponted: A Thursday briefing planned for the Congressional Caucus for Middle Market Growth.

LaBranche said leadership weeks in previous years have been threatened by weather, but no snow actually accumulated on the ground in Washington.

"It appears our luck has run out, and we will do our best to soldier through," LaBranche said.

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