Braced with warm boots and snow tires, students and staff at Grand Rapids Community College have been working hard to combat harsh weather as we venture further into the winter semester.
The frigid temperatures have left many wondering how this winter compares to previous years. According to Scott Thomas, meteorologist at the National Weather Service here in Grand Rapids, this season has been “more severe than the last few years in terms of total cold/snow to date. The last winter that is comparable in terms of total snow/duration of cold through late January is 2013 to 2014, though we have had other arctic air outbreaks/significant periods of lake effect snow since, such as in early 2019.”
Thomas went on to clarify why our recent pattern has been so cold.
“The polar jet stream keeps dipping south across the eastern United States,” Thomas said. “As it does so, arctic air spills into the mid-latitudes, like where we are here in Michigan. The strong dome of relatively warm air across the western U.S. has kept this pattern stagnant since mid January, with these intrusions of arctic air leading to episodes of hazardous cold at times.”
Essentially, this means that a jet stream is “scooping” cold air from the North Pole and some of it is being dumped in the Midwest. Then, as the chill becomes intensified by the Great Lakes, the air results in a brutally cold winter for Michiganders.
Given its distance from Lake Michigan, the Grand Rapids campus often evades the brunt of lake effect snow. However, for commuting students, or those attending the Lakeshore Campus in Holland, this could factor into daily drive times.
With students paying for courses and educators apprehensive about falling behind, GRCC’s decision to cancel classes is not made lightly. When asked about the recent string of snow days, G Herold, 25, praised the decision and offered potential safe alternatives for the school to consider.
“I think the first two days it was best to call off, it was safer that way. I honestly think it’s hard with Michigan winters ’cause for so long, it’s unsafe to drive,” said Herold, “I think that having an accessible hybrid option for Michigan winters would probably be the best and safest route so students don’t miss school, and they don’t have to commute.”
Since entering 2026, many schools in West Michigan have already exceeded their yearly snow day limit. When this happens, the institutions can apply for a waiver from the state and potentially be granted a few additional days-off, if circumstances warrant.
GRCC has yet to reach this limit, but with four snow days in the books already this year, it’s worth looking ahead to prepare accordingly.
“Looking ahead at the next few weeks, the pattern remains favorable for colder weather to continue across West Michigan at least into mid February,” wrote Thomas, “Given Lake Michigan is not completely frozen over, occasional lake effect snow showers, or lake enhancement of clipper systems, is likely to drive additional snow as we get clipped by colder air moving into the northeastern United States.”
With three months left in the semester, there is still a while to go. Staying on top of assignments, joining an online study group, or opting to work remotely when possible are all ways in which GRCC students can avoid falling behind when commuting gets tough. Many instructors offer online office hours, which provide an opportunity to get caught up on material and ask questions, without having to risk the roads
To stay up to date on the latest forecasts, visit the National Weather Service website.
Collegiate reporter Karalynn Davis contributed to this report.
