Comparatively, Walla Walla’s weather is generally mild, but in recent years it has earned the label of “fickle” and tended more to oscillate between the extremes of hot and cold. In the early fall and late spring, the weather is ideal, but in the summer it can get very hot, and of all the dorms, only Prentiss has air conditioning. At these times, it is rare to find a student inside, and many will have abandoned their schoolwork in favor of a soccer match or Ultimate Frisbee game on Ankeny. Because of this, it gets pretty difficult to concentrate from around mid- to late-April through the remainder of the year. But Whitman students are pretty used to prioritizing academics, so most are able to conserve enough motivation to get their work done, despite the distraction of the sunny, gorgeous weather.
Be prepared to feel the mood of campus change with the weather—particularly if it’s for the worse. When it’s rainy, overcast, and foggy, students aren’t out and about as much, so the campus feels quieter. In the winter, snowstorms can make it difficult for students to get to and from campus during breaks or do anything but trudge from classes to dorms to the library. Nonetheless, students tend to make the best of it, as evidenced by the giant snowmen that crop up around campus every year.
Overall, Whitman has pretty traditional seasons with its hot summers, rainy autumns and springs, and snowy winters. This seems to suit the students just fine, as many are from the Pacific Northwest and are accustomed to this sort of weather. However, it can be a bit of an adjustment for first-years if this is not your type of climate.