Heavy snowfall and travel disruptions expected Sunday, students permitted to move in early

Princeton is likely to see about a foot of snowfall from 1 a.m. on Sunday through 1 p.m. on Monday. The National Weather Service has issued a winter storm watch for that period, expecting “hazardous weather conditions,” including heavy snowfall, ice, and dangerously cold temperatures.

In a Thursday message to undergraduate students, the University shared that dorms had been reopened that day, allowing students to return before the storm hits the region. Frist Food Gallery will be open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Friday to accommodate early arrivals, with normal dining hall hours resuming on Saturday.

The National Weather Service Mount Holly location of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration posted on X that it has “high confidence for most of the area (70-90%) seeing MAJOR impacts from the upcoming winter storm.”

“Snow-covered roads and reduced visibility WILL cause widespread travel disruptions,” the post added.

A cold weather advisory has also been issued for 10 p.m. on Friday to 10 a.m. on Saturday, with temperatures reaching as low as 7 degrees Fahrenheit.

The storm is expected to affect much of the eastern United States. Airlines have accordingly issued travel waivers and warnings for many flights arriving on Sunday at Newark Liberty International Airport, John F. Kennedy International Airport, LaGuardia Airport, and Philadelphia International Airport.

While most flight cancellations won’t be announced until closer to Sunday, The Weather Channel predicts that the storm is “likely to trigger significant flight delays and cancellations, especially Sunday and possibly early Monday at the major East Coast hubs.”

Amtrak has alerted travelers of modified service on several long-distance routes across the country. Although Northeast Corridor trains have not yet been affected, heavy snow and ice could cause delays and service disruptions. At the time of publication, there are no service changes or severe weather updates posted on NJ Transit’s site.

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Although the storm is set to hit just before the semester begins on Monday, the University does not expect to make an announcement regarding class cancellations before Sunday.

“Even if classes are not formally cancelled, individual faculty may choose to hold class meetings on Zoom or to make up a cancelled class later in the semester,” the University message stated. Additionally, the University advises students “whose return to campus is disrupted by the coming storm” to directly contact their instructors to arrange making up missed work.

“Faculty will communicate any changes to their scheduled meeting plans directly to the students enrolled in their courses,” the message said.

In anticipation of travel disruptions, some students have changed their return plans. Ashley Pascual ’29 was originally going to fly from Los Angeles International Airport to Newark on Sunday, but decided to book an earlier flight.

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“I didn’t want to get stuck at the airport or miss classes,” Pascual said to The Daily Princetonian. After spending an extra $150 on a new flight, she is scheduled to arrive in Newark on Saturday afternoon.

Claire Beeli ’28 faced a similar dilemma after being notified about the inclement weather by Cosmo Bleu Salon on Nassau Street, where she had an appointment for Sunday. She had a red-eye flight booked for Saturday night from Los Angeles to Newark, but will now be flying out Friday night.

However, she said these disruptions had a silver lining, including some extra time to move back into her dorm and prepare for the start of classes on Monday.

“If there were a snow day, that’d be very exciting for me, as someone who’s never experienced one, and I think probably a lot of Princeton students have never experienced such a thing,” Beeli added.

The ‘Prince’ has not reported any across-the-board class cancellations since 2010, when Mercer County was coated with 17 inches of snow. Estimates for this snowfall range from 8 inches to 18 inches, according to a review conducted by the ‘Prince.’

According to the University’s FAQs for Severe Weather Delays and Closings, in the event of severe weather, the campus can be closed to nonessential personnel, with classes and many services still operating as normal. In this case, essential personnel, which can include staff in Public Safety, Facilities, Campus Dining, and University Health Services, are still expected to report to work.

The FAQs state that the University “will do its best to keep residential dining halls and Frist Campus Center open when campus is closed to non-essential personnel. If classes are in session, the University will do its best to keep Firestone Library open, although services may be limited.”

According to previous reporting by the ‘Prince,’ the University has more than 50 pieces of snow removal equipment, including trucks and utility vehicles with plows and other snow removal devices.

Beyond the Orange Bubble, the Princeton Public School System is gearing up for a possible cancellation of class on Monday. In a statement to the ‘Prince,’ Superintendent Dr. Michael LaSusa said, “We are monitoring this storm, and certainly it looks possible that we may not be able to have school on Monday, but we will wait until Sunday to make that determination.”

In the case of cancellations or delays, the school district will notify families via phone or text and post updates on the official district site.

Additionally, the Municipality of Princeton has already decided to move the bi-weekly Princeton council meeting from Monday to Tuesday. In a statement to the ‘Prince,’ Craig Dinwoodie, Director of Communications for the municipality, said that the municipality “will be sending out periodic Nixle alerts of changes.”

“However, all updates related to closures, street parking, etc. will be reflected in our website alert: https://www.princetonnj.gov/weather,” Dinwoodie added.

Further updates related to University operations affected by the storm will be posted to the University Emergency Management website and sent to the community via TigerAlert.

Nico David-Fox is a head News editor for the ‘Prince.’ He is from Washington, D.C., and often covers academics and the Undergraduate Student Government. He can be reached at nd0968[at]princeton.edu or news[at]dailyprincetonian.com.

Luke Grippo is a head News editor for the ‘Prince.’ He is from South Jersey and typically covers high-profile interviews and University and town politics. He can be reached at lg5452[at]princeton.edu or news[at]dailyprincetonian.com.

Please send any corrections to corrections[at]dailyprincetonian.com.