After a largely snowless winter last year, Lexington was treated to two storms as the community left the winter holiday behind them.
For Lexington and Rockbridge County, as well as the Washington and Lee University campus, the snow was both fun and inconvenient.
The university’s formal recruitment for fraternities and sororities began on Jan. 5, the first day of snow.
“I like the snow,” said Thomas Palmer, ’28. “But the formal rush on day one was made more difficult by the storm. It was inconvenient when it hit because we had to walk from house to house in the middle of the snow and ice.”
However, others say it invoked nostalgia.
“It reminded me a little bit of home when I saw the snow here,” said KJ Miller, ’28. “Me and my friends would go sledding before the ground became too icy.”
Over the past two years, Lexington has not received much snow.
“My freshman year there was similar levels of snow, but since then we haven’t gotten a lot,” said Josh Brown, ’25. He said snowball fights are his favorite activity to do in snowy weather.
The first of the two storms, which hit Virginia on Jan. 5 and 6, left Rockbridge County with an average of three to four inches of snow, according to the National Weather Service. The Virginia Department of Transportation warned travelers to avoid driving on Jan. 5.
For the Lexington and Rockbridge communities, the storms pushed back students’ return to school.
Lexington City Schools closed on Jan. 6 and 7 before operating on a two-hour delay schedule for the rest of the week, according to the Lexington City Schools Facebook page.
Rockbridge County Public Schools had originally planned to come back from their winter break on Jan 6, but were forced to close for the entire week due to the impact of snow and ice.
According to the Weather Channel, the daily highs for temperatures did not rise above 32 degrees on any weekday after the first storm, leading to the quick formation of ice that was unable to melt.
When the second of the winter storms hit on Jan. 10, Rockbridge County Public Schools were forced to further delay their return due to safety concerns about possible ice on the road. The district started two hours late on Monday, Jan. 13.
The Virginia Department of Transportation issued further warnings to motorists during the second storm, asking them to stay off the roads while crews worked 12-hour shifts to rid the ice from roads across the commonwealth. Some areas received as much as five inches of snow.
As Washington and Lee moves farther into the winter semester, students should be prepared for more winter weather but not necessarily expect it.
In the Pacific Ocean, natural changes in the climate pattern known as El Niño and La Niña — lead to a temporary increase or decrease from the average ocean temperature. The effects from the changes can reach worldwide and can contribute to changing temperatures and wind patterns.
From 2023 to 2024, an El Niño weather pattern led to higher than average global temperatures, but according to ABC 8 News, a weak La Niña has temporarily replaced it. Estimates of its length have the event lasting through the spring of 2025.
Most southern states have warmer and drier weather during La Niña events, and according to Climate.gov, the Southern Appalachian mountains are more likely to see rainfall than snow.
However, the average temperature being far below last year’s could explain why Lexington has already seen two snow storms, with the potential for more on the horizon.
According to records from The Weather Channel, the average temperature during January in 2024 was 47 degrees. In 2025, if forecasts remain accurate, the average temperature in January will be 37 degrees.
Whether it be snowball fights or sledding, students should take advantage of the snowy conditions while they last, especially those who have not been able to experience it in recent years.