Snowstorms powder Liberty

Liberty resembled a winter wonderland twice in one week, snow expected Friday

Snow-bowl — Liberty students gathered for a cold game of football following the snowstorm Friday, Jan. 25. Photo credit: Ruth Bibby

The first snowfall of the winter season brought much excitement and buzz on Liberty University’s campus, Thursday, Jan. 17. Around 5 p.m., roughly 3-5 inches of white bliss blanketed the roads in 30 minutes, bringing frustration and inconvenience for students and faculty needing to get home.

“It took me around 30 minutes to get from campus to my apartment on Timberlake Road, which normally takes 10 minutes,” Liberty junior Chelsey Johnson said. “I witnessed several accidents, which made me that much more nervous and anxious about getting home safely.”

Classes were delayed, and the university opened Friday morning at 11:25 a.m.

The following week, Lynchburg was hit again, but with a lighter snowfall.

Around 11 a.m. Friday, Jan. 25, light snow started to drift onto campus, but it was not heavy enough to cancel morning classes. As students watched the snow cover the campus grounds, the Liberty facilities crew was quick to salt the pathways to prevent students from slipping. The roads, both on campus and off, were already filling with cautious drivers trying to avoid accidents.

Victoria Petrocelli, Liberty senior and Visitors Center employee, was in the middle of a Friendly Friday tour when it started snowing.

“It was a perfect day for guests to be on our campus,” Petrocelli said. “It was fun to watch the snow fall in the courtyard, and it just enhanced the beauty of our campus in the winter season.”

The recent snowstorms, Iago and Khan, swept through the South, Midwest and Mid-Atlantic regions of the U.S. Southern Kentucky, eastern Tennessee, northern South Carolina and North Carolina have experienced significant icing from the storm.

According to the Weather Channel website, up to two inches of snow has been reported in several locations across the state as of Friday afternoon.

Although these snowstorms have brought freezing temperatures and rough road conditions, Lynchburg is expected to see more sunshine and warmer temperatures within the next few days, followed by possible snow on Friday, according to the Weather Channel.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *