Not every on-campus Andrews University student may have experienced a white Christmas, but they all experienced a snowy holiday weekend following the first week of the semester. While Berrien Springs did experience some snow earlier in the school year, the snow had never stuck around for long. However, those who were disappointed by the earlier lack of snow certainly saw their hopes fulfilled when it started snowing on Friday and continued intermittently until Sunday morning, leaving a blanket of powdery, white snow. A winter storm warning from the National Weather Service was in effect from Friday morning to Saturday evening. Some areas of Michigan experienced widespread power outages, and an email from Plant Services - sent on Friday, January 12 - stated that Michigan Gas Utilities was requiring a High Flow Constraint leading to cooler building temperatures from reduced gas usage. Many churches canceled or moved services online due to the harsh weather conditions.
While the storm experienced by Berrien Springs never developed enough to upgrade to a blizzard warning, some people might disagree with the categorization as the system brought not only snow but also extreme cold. Sunday evening, a wind chill warning was put into effect until noon Monday. Meanwhile, a winter weather advisory was also released by the National Weather Service and lasted until Monday at 1 PM. During this time period, temperatures reached subzero, even dropping as low as -9℉ (-22.8℃) with a wind chill of -25℉ (-31.7℃).
Still, the low temperatures were not enough to keep all students trapped indoors. While many people huddled in their dormitories or off-campus homes, some students braved the cold to have fun at Tubing Hill. Students could be seen having adventures on Saturday, Sunday, and Monday, zooming down the hill on tubes, sleds, or even snowboards. Christen Li (senior, anthropology & global studies) shared her experience participating in winter activities at Tubing Hill: “I love having all this snow! Well, I don't love the freezing cold all that much, but whenever I walk to class and look at the snow, I just smile because I feel that it's such a privilege to get to see the world in this beautiful way. (And of course, it's special for me because I'm not used to having a lot of snow). It must also be mentioned that I got to go sledding for the first time, and it was absolutely incredible!! 10/10 would recommend, and bring your bestie with you like I did.”
The extremely low temperatures continued into Tuesday and Wednesday. Despite this, after Martin Luther King Jr. Day school resumed like normal, meaning students and teachers had to brave the cold to arrive at their classes. While a few teachers taught lessons via Zoom or canceled them altogether, Andrews University did not cancel classes, so most students were left to trudge to class in winter gear.
The winter weather sure isn’t over (at the time of writing this article) with a winter storm warning remaining in effect for southwest Michigan and northern Indiana from 10 PM Thursday through 7 AM Saturday, January 20. The National Weather Service claims most areas under the watch could receive six to twelve inches of snow with the potential for twelve to eighteen inches in southwest Berrien Country. The cold season is definitely upon us. Stay safe and be prepared!
The Student Movement is the official student newspaper of Andrews University. Opinions expressed in the Student Movement are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the editors, Andrews University or the Seventh-day Adventist church.