(Compiled and edited by Dylan Sherman and Carter Burch)
When Community School of Davidson (CSD) students woke on Saturday, January 31, 2026, and saw nothing but the heavy snowfall brought on by winter storm Gianna, most began anticipating at least a few days of virtual assignments. With roads covered in inches of snow and below freezing temperatures predicted for the next few days, getting to school was almost impossible.
The Charlotte Douglas International Airport recorded a whopping 11 inches of snow over the weekend, the largest total since February of 2004.
The small town of Davidson, NC, looked straight out of a winter Hallmark movie.
Even on the coast, there was quite a large snow buildup.
Shoveling the snow was among the toughest it has been in years and was strenuous work. Clearing it involved shoveling heavy piles from driveways, breaking up compacted snow throughout the day. Area towns also had town plows out in force while urging residents to stay off roadways.
Senior, Kate Forbes (‘26), was among the few who prepared.
“I was able to get a lot of work done before the competition, and I also went sledding,” Kate Forbes said.
Many on the road faced record levels of ice and black ice. These were conditions many new drivers had never experienced along with several surprising inches of snow.
Freshman, Carter Burch (‘29), noticed not only the volume of snow but also its texture, calling it nice and fluffy, good for building snowmen, and having snowball fights. Taking a step in the snow felt like quicksand.
Senior, Mario Hardy (‘26), woke up surprised at the amount of snow that had fallen, saying the Charlotte area rarely gets that amount.
Conditions dictated CSD shifting to remote learning for two days followed by two additional days of delayed openings.
The ability to have virtual school instead of snow days has its benefits and drawbacks. Schools don’t need to schedule make-up days to ensure the required number of school days are met for each school year. However, students lose the traditional excitement of getting a break from school and being able to freely enjoy the rare snow instead of working on assignments like usual.
Once the weekend was over, though, it was back to (virtual) school. Some students missed being in person, finding that virtual school has its drawbacks.
“I like it in person better because I get to see my friends and ask teachers questions in class,” Riley Prowler (‘27) said. “Also, virtual school feels like an office job and I hate it.”
However, it’s actually beneficial that these days were designated as remote learning days. If they had been full days off, the school would have had fewer remaining days to allocate for future closures.
The second winter storm of 2026 was a historic one, exceeding the expectations of many. It will go down as a storm that the people who experienced it will never forget.
