A huge winter storm is sweeping across North America, leaving snow, ice, and widespread damage in its wake. The actual snowstorm began on January 22, 2026. The storm has moved from Northern Mexico all the way to Canada. This has made it one of the most expensive and chaotic snowstorms people have seen in a long time. Snowfall has been extremely heavy across the South and Midwest, the Northeast, and here in Lake Placid, New York. In many communities across the Northeast, forecasts predict more than a foot of snow, dangerous subzero temperatures, and unsafe ice accumulation before the snowstorm reaches the East Coast.
Unfortunately, the snowstorm has taken many lives along its way. By the evening of January 27, this storm had caused at least 60 deaths in the United States, as announced by USA Today. It was also announced in the report that among the deaths, 3 brothers aged 6, 8, and 9 died after they fell through the ice on a pond. The family was peacefully playing on the ice until the youngest brother fell in. The other two brothers then tried to save his life.
The Storm has also caused runs on grocery stores from Texas to Mississippi to Washington, D.C., leaving shelves bare and inventories depleted.
Photo from: Fox Baltimore News
Although here in Lake Placid, New York, there have been no reported deaths, the storm’s effects have still been major. The snow has continued to pile up, burying sidewalks and rooftops both within Northwood School and throughout Lake Placid. The snow has transformed this beautiful town into a snow globe.
As someone from Melbourne, Australia, this experience feels like something I would never have imagined, given that the last time there was snow in the City of Melbourne was 1986. Walking past the Berg Dorm and throughout the school felt unique to me, especially seeing the amount of snow on the rooftops and the pathways to my classes. I would imagine this would be similar for some other Northwood students from countries like Ghana, Brazil, and others.
Bergamini Dorm at Northwood School. Photo by Josh Baker ‘28
Overall, the Lake Placid community and other communities across the country have responded well. There have been many videos online showing neighbors offering to help shovel each other’s driveways, bringing people closer. The storm has been a lot more than just dangerous weather. It carries experiences that people will remember for a lifetime.
