The Story
Weather in Williamsburg: What to expect
As incoming freshmen, we only got a couple of hours to experience the College if we were able to make it for a tour. Therefore, the Class of 2015 needs to be forewarned for what to expect from their future alma mater, especially in terms of the weather.
As I sit here and write this, it is 90+ degrees outside and raining. But not the kind of rain that’s soothing or relaxing-instead it’s gross, humid rain. To give you a visual, as I drove back to Jefferson Hall where I am staying this summer, I saw steam rising up from the concrete because the roads were so hot from the sun that the rain started evaporating as it fell.
I guess that’s a good introduction to the meteorological miracle that is Williamsburg weather. As the Class of 2015 matriculates this fall, it’s important that they know what to expect from Mother Nature here at the College. Basically, you can’t â€"expect†anything. The weather here is unpredictable. One moment, you are enjoying the sunlight and the picturesque, collegiate feel of the College in the Sunken Garden; the next moment, you are running for cover in the nearest dorm or academic building.
There are typically a few blessed days when we have the best weather you could ask for: Spring Blowout and midterm and exam weeks. Those days when you have to be inside to study a classmate’s notes for an 8 a.m. class you barely attended or when you have to read three books you put off for a class in a single day, be prepared for pretty weather. Be prepared to stare outside at perfect spring weather when you're in Swem Library, which is always 60 degrees. It will be around junior year when you finally start remembering to bring a sweater.
Last year, we basically got a lot of every season. In the fall, we had record snowfall and rainfall. I remember being in Lodge I as the water came flooding onto the floor. Everyone on campus can remember the ridiculous snow we had that cancelled every other school in the area except ours. One morning, one of my professors walked into class comically disheveled and obviously
upset from having to drive to work, talking under her breath. All we could make out was a single word: â€"ludicrousâ€.
But don’t get discouraged. As students, we need to cherish the gift of having all four seasons on campus. The College has survived and thrived through hundreds of years as the second-oldest college in America, and will continue to see us through the next four, three, two, or one year(s) of our academic careers.
As students return to the College in the fall, and as incoming freshmen arrive, turn to the DoG Street Journal’s summer featurette, Tribe Vibe, for interesting and fun reads as well as campus news! Remember: The DoG Street Journal is the only monthly and online newsmagazine on campus, and is a great way to share with family and friends just how great the College is!