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Snow days at Carolina

In honor of winter weather finding Chapel Hill for the third time in 2025, The Well decided to take a look back at past snow days at Carolina. We found repeated traditions and commonalities, sometimes spanning decades.

Keep scrolling to look at snow day traditions from past years.

Two-photo collage: Left image, form 1982, shows a man using skis to move down Franklin Street. Right image, from 2001, shows a man using skis to move down Cameron Avenue.

Grab your skis

It can be hard to move around campus when frozen precipitation covers the ground. But some Tar Heels break out their skis when needed, like Tom Arnel in 2001 to get to his job at Davis Library.

Photo credits: (left) Yackety Yack and (right) Dan Sears/UNC-Chapel Hill

Two-photo collage: Left image shows a snowball fight at UNC-Chapel Hill in the early 20th century. Right image shows a snowball fight at Kenan Stadium in 2018.

Snowballs flying

Whether it’s the early 20th century or modern times, you can count on a snowball fight breaking out.

Photo credits: (left) North Carolina Collection and (right) and Jon Gardiner/UNC-Chapel Hill

Three-photo collage: Far left image, from 1969, shows a young child atop a large pile of snow in between the pillars of the Old Well. Center image, from 2009, shows a student posing for a photo in front of the Old Well in snow. Far right image, from 2018, shows a student in a Carolina Blue cap and gown laying on a sled near the Old Well.

A snowy well

The Old Well is always a popular place for photos, especially during snowfall. When several inches of snow fell in December 2018, Emma Gillett ’18 took advantage with some impromptu graduation photos.

Photo credits: (left) North Carolina Collection, (center) Dan Sears/UNC-Chapel Hill and (right) Jon Gardiner/UNC-Chapel Hill

Three-photo collage with photos of the Morehead-Patterson Bell Tower in snowy conditions in 1955, 2009 and 2018.

Snow bell

Like the Old Well, the Morehead-Patterson Bell Tower is another campus icon that remains beautiful when winter weather rolls through.

Photo credits: (left) North Carolina Collection, (center) Dan Sears/UNC-Chapel Hill and Jon Gardiner/UNC-Chapel Hill.

Four-photo collage: Top left image, from 2000, shows UNC-Chapel Hill students building a snowman in the Pit. Top right image, from 2014, shows a snowman with a UNC hat and scarf. Bottom left image, from 2015, shows three students putting the finishing touches on a snowman. And bottom right image, from 2022, shows two students bending down and piling together snow to start a snowman.

Tar Heel snowmen

Whether there’s 20 inches of snow (like in 2000) on the ground or just an inch (2022), Tar Heels will find a way to build a snowman.

Photo credits: (Top left, top right, bottom left) Dan Sears/UNC-Chapel Hill and (bottom right) Johnny Andrews/UNC-Chapel Hill

Two-photo collage: Left image, from 2018, shows a student sledding down the steps of Wilson Library at UNC-Chapel Hill on an inflatable unicorn. Right image, from 2025, shows a student dragging another student around Polk Place on a sled.

Going sledding

Some ride solo on an inflatable unicorn. Others get a helping hand from a friend.

Photo credits:(left) Jon Gardiner/UNC-Chapel Hill and (right) Johnny Andrews/UNC-Chapel Hill.

Four-photo collage: Top left image, from 2000, shows a construction vehicle picking up and dumping snow. Top right photo, from 2007, shows three University employees spreading salt around around the steps of a building on the snowy campus of UNC-Chapel Hill; Bottom left image, from 2015, shows a snow plow driving along snow-covered pathway; and bottom right image, from 2025, shows a University employee shoveling snow of the steps of the Old Well.

Keeping campus safe

Winter weather can be a lot of fun — but it can also be dangerous. One constant through the years is University employees making sure Tar Heels remain safe.

Photo credits: (top left) Dan Sears/UNC-Chapel Hill, (top right) Justin Smith/UNC-Chapel Hill, Dan Sears/UNC-Chapel Hill (bottom left) and (bottom right) Jon Gardiner/UNC-Chapel Hill

Three-photo collage: Far left image, from 2003, shows a student taking a photo of snow with a film camera. Center image, from 2010, shows a student taking a picture of snow with a digital camera. Far right image, from 2022, shows students taking a selfie on a phone camera.

Capturing winter scenes

Cameras have evolved, but the desire to capture the treat of a winter scene on campus has remained.

Photo credits: (left and center) Dan Sears/UNC-Chapel Hill and (right) Johnny Andrews/UNC-Chapel Hill

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