On Monday, Jan. 26, McLean students were happy to sleep in, for the snow piled heavily outside their windows. This quickly became their new schedule, as FCPS announced its closure everyday for the next week. 

“I’m used to the weather overestimating how much snow we’re going to get, so it was surprising when it kept falling,” sophomore Jordyn Nowinski said.

The winter storm, which came into effect on Sunday, Jan. 25, and continued into Monday morning, totaled at 16-18 inches of snow. Temperatures were steadily below freezing, causing concerns around Fairfax County about black ice and unsafe travel conditions for the student body and staff.

“I had to be super careful driving around,” junior Mia Jander said. “My car can drive well on ice and snow, but it was still scary.” 

After a week of cancelled classes and activities on school grounds, a two-hour delay was announced for Tuesday, Feb. 3, giving road staff extra time to clear the snow and defrost icy roads. Many students expressed mixed reactions, but most were frustrated with navigating the slippery sidewalks.

“It’s tough having to come back after being home a whole week,” freshman Saira Naik said. “This felt like a second winter break.”

This delay pushes the school day back, shortening class periods to fit into the reduced time. Students race to catch up on missed work, as the end of the second quarter continues to delay and set back grading periods.

“I wasn’t sure when we were going to come back to school, so I had to keep reviewing for my test just in case.” Nowinski said.

FCPS is speculating further delays this week, allowing road conditions to improve throughout the next few days. Temperatures are expected to rise, but students should stay updated on the announcements and weather alerts.

“I’ll keep watching out for updates, so I can be ready for whatever happens with the weather,” Nowinski said.