Lafayette College reported around a foot of snow on Sunday afternoon, part of a nationwide storm blanketing more than 100 million people in heavy snow. Preliminary snowfall totals on campus would make Sunday’s storm the largest in five years.
Winter Storm Fern precipitated a snow emergency in Easton on Saturday, prompting an early return to campus for many Lafayette students, for whom the spring semester began on Monday. The college closed its administrative offices on Monday due to the weather, according to a campus-wide email.
The Lehigh Valley saw snowfall rates of 1-2 inches an hour, according to Paul Fitzsimmons, a lead meteorologist at the National Weather Service station in Mount Holly, New Jersey.
“The reports are coming in fast and furiously,” said Fitzsimmons, who recommended that people wear extra layers and avoid staying out in the snow for long periods of time.
“People are used to snow, but snow with these temperatures doesn’t really happen necessarily that often,” he continued. “Just use extra caution and bundle up.”
A measurement by The Lafayette reported 11 inches of snowfall at 4:30 p.m. Sunday near Farinon College Center, though a thin layer of last weekend’s snow was still on the ground when Sunday’s precipitation began. The National Weather Service reported 11.8 inches of snow at the Lehigh Valley International Airport after the storm on Sunday, as temperatures dipped below 10 degrees Fahrenheit throughout the day, with wind-chills below 0 degrees F.
At Lafayette, more than three dozen students enjoyed the snow on a windy hill behind Pardee Hall, with several expressing a lack of concern about the storm. Many brought skis and snowboards, using a bike ramp and a folding table as ski jumps.
“This is the best snow you can get,” said ski club member Avery Sichel ‘26, donning full snow gear.
Some coasted (some tumbled) down the hill on makeshift sleds, others hoisted larger snow tubes.
Two students, William Blair ‘26 and Robert Leiter ‘29, saved giant pieces of cardboard for weeks to build a sled for a snowstorm.
“It makes it down,” Blair said of the sled. “I see like 75% of the way.”
Simon Smith ‘26 used a residence hall mattress as his sled.
“I figured I can get some good air off that, go pretty fast,” Smith said. Later, he said the mattress “wasn’t that good,” and it would be used to heighten the makeshift folding table ramp at the bottom of the hill.
“You’re gonna have to let that air out,” said another sledder, eyeing the mattress.
“Most snow I’ve seen in like 10 years,” said Alex Payne ‘28, a baseball team member who went sledding with his teammates with a trash can lid. He said all of his classes on Monday were called off.
There have been no college-wide class cancellations as of Sunday afternoon; holding classes is up to the discretion of the professor. Provost Laura McGrane could not be reached for comment Sunday.
Throughout Easton, snow emergency routes blocked off parking spots on over a dozen streets; some cars were reportedly towed, according to downtown livestreams. Flights at Lehigh Valley International Airport were canceled on Sunday, as was Lafayette’s campus shuttle and regional LANTA bus service.
Benjamin White ‘27 and Selma O’Malley ‘26 contributed reporting.
This article was originally published on Jan. 25 and was updated online for print on Jan. 30.
