A snowy start to the spring semester has transformed Drew University into a winter wonderland. The first storm hit campus on Sun., Jan. 31 and snowed nearly nonstop until Tues., Feb. 2, blasting the Forest with approximately 20 inches of accumulation, one of the higher totals statewide. Where this once would have meant cancelled classes, to the chagrin of many students, snow days are now a thing of the past thanks to the transition to mostly virtual learning due to COVID-19 — even in-person classes were held entirely online. A round of flurries on Thurs., Feb. 4 kept the snow fresh, and the following weekend brought another significant storm — on Sun., Feb. 7 it snowed approximately six more inches. Since then, there have been some flurries and light snow showers, and the forecasts show more inclement weather in the coming weeks.
The National Weather Service offices in Mount Holly and New York City have forecast the potential for an ice storm on Saturday night into Sunday, and warn that what may seem like light precipitation can quickly make travel dangerous if temperatures are cold enough. This transition to ice doesn’t signal the end of winter yet, however — more snow is projected to arrive throughout next week. But just because snow days no longer exist, that doesn’t mean students can’t enjoy the wintry weather — after all, as Emma Marie MacAfee (‘21) notes, “snowball fights are socially distanced.”
