On Jan. 24, 2026, the winter weather storm Fern hit the Harrisonburg area. According to the National Weather Service, Harrisonburg got seven inches of snow and ice. Due to the damage caused by the weather, Eastern Mennonite University’s campus did not reopen until the following Thursday, Jan. 29.
The snow caused the parking lots to be slick and some sidewalks were left uncleared. “This was a really crazy blizzard, so there’s only so much you can do; but I don’t think that most of us, especially the commuters, were ready to come back yet,” said Milee White, a blind commuter student and president of the Disabled Student Alliance (DSA). “It’s something that’s really beautiful, but it makes it hard to get around. If you have a visual issue, it’s going to make it difficult to do anything when there’s ice.”
Like White, other students enjoyed seeing the snow. “I haven’t been able to see that much [snow] in a long time,” said senior Genesis Figueroa in an interview on Instagram. However, many parts of campus were still covered in snow or ice on the day of reopening. In regards to the condition of the stairways on campus, White said outside the Campus Center looked “like a mountain, like there’s no stairs.”
“I felt overall things went well considering this was a big storm,” said David Robey, General Manager/Director of Facilities, in an email. Robey trusted the decision of the dean to reopen. “We did unfortunately experience a sprinkler head malfunction in Hillside, which temporarily displaced many students until repairs were completed,” said Robey. It was also difficult for the facilities team to manage and clear the campus due to the amount of snowfall and cold temperatures leaving remaining precipitation to completely freeze. “Our team worked early mornings and into nights for several days,” said Robey.
Not only were facilities struggling to get through the snow, many students had trouble too. “Trying to get cars out of the snow was a lot of work and too complicated,” said Figueroa. Many students on the Royal Radar, the campus-wide group chat, requested shovels for days after the reopening.
While the aftermath of the blizzard is still presenting itself, the weather continues on. On Feb. 3, more snow approached the valley. “I wish it wouldn’t [snow because] it’s really cold and I have to walk to my classes,” says Figueroa.
When dealing with the aftermath of a snowstorm, the National Weather Service recommends staying inside, ensuring you have an adequate supply of food and water, and wearing layers if exiting your residence.
