Winter Storm Announcements

January 22, 2026

 

Dear Students, Faculty and Staff,

The National Weather Service (NWS) has issued a winter storm watch for our area. A large storm that may produce ice, snow and low temperatures is expected to impact much of the central, southeastern and eastern coastal areas of the country. The current forecast for our region indicates that a rain/snow/sleet mix will begin late on Saturday afternoon and continue into Sunday evening. Forecasted precipitation amounts are up to 3” of snow and ½- to 1-inch of ice accumulation. It is likely that local road conditions will be poor, and power outages are expected, which will impact indoor lighting and heating. Temperatures for next week are expected to be colder than normal, so accumulated snow or ice may remain for several days.

The College’s senior leadership team has been monitoring the NWS reports, preparing campus and implementing a storm plan to address essential needs. Please note these important announcements:

• Classes are canceled Monday, January 26, and Tuesday, January 27. Given what we know about expected road conditions and power outages, we must err on the side of caution and cancel classes.
• Services may be compromised. If we lose power, we will not be able to heat buildings, including the residence halls. A generator powering Gladfelter will allow us to provide food, some heated space, and power for charging phones.
• Students are encouraged to leave campus after classes on Friday. The College will provide support for students who are unable to travel home or leave with a friend, but a power outage will create uncomfortable conditions in the residence halls, and services will be limited.

WWC community members should take the following actions:

Students, faculty, staff and parents:

• Register for the WWC Omnilert emergency notifications system at https://warren-wilson.omnilert.net/subscriber.php. (Click the “Sign Up” button at the top.) The College will use the system to send text updates and alert the community when email updates have been shared.
• Make sure you can charge your mobile phone via your car or battery packs even if you lose power.

Students

• If you are planning to leave the area ahead of the storm, we suggest leaving by Saturday morning.
• Those with pets should make plans to keep them safe in the expected conditions.
• Dorm residents, please close your windows to minimize building heat loss.
• If you are leaving, please let your RA know or send an email to housing@warren-wilson.edu
• Replace the batteries in any flashlights that you may have.

Employees

• Review the college’s inclement weather policy.
• Supervisors, please communicate with your employees about expectations for on-site versus remote work, and any anticipated essential functions on Monday or Tuesday. Please prepare work spaces that may be temporarily vacated during the storm.
• Faculty can expect a follow up communication from academic affairs with additional guidance regarding class cancellation and academic expectations.

We will continue to monitor the impact of the storm and will communicate on a daily basis, and as needed. Please be safe.

We are looking forward to reconvening classes after the storm.

Damián