Heavy snow, ice, near-zero temperatures, and power outages have forced widespread school closures and delays across the United States.
Severe winter weather has pummeled much of the country the past week, stretching from the Southern Plains through the Midwest and into the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic. Sub-zero temperatures and a polar vortex have kept cold air in place, particularly across the Eastern U.S., with cities like New York experiencing prolonged freezes not seen in years, the New York Post reports.
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Nearly 200 million Americans are under some form of winter cold warning at least through Feb. 1, and at least least 38 people have died across more than a dozen states due to storm-related conditions, according to Reuters. Ten of the deaths were in New York City, where the temperatures were the coldest they had been in eight years.
Forecasters are also watching for another possible winter storm to impact the eastern U.S. this weekend.
NYC Schools Go Remote
Due to significant snow totals, all New York City Public School buildings were closed Monday, with student instruction continuing remotely. With enough notice of the impending storm, city leaders were able to plan for the potential of a remote learning day.
“Over the past week, schools worked to confirm that students have the tools needed to participate in remote learning, and NYCPS coordinated with vendors to stress-test login systems across digital platforms and a range of scenarios,” the city wrote in a press release Sunday. “Schools are prepared to address technology issues if they arise.”
Mayor Zohran Mamdani said while 500,000 students were scheduled for school Monday as grades six through 12 were already observing a previously scheduled professional development day, the city school system saw 400,000 virtual log-ons, ABC reports.
United Federation of Teachers (UFT) President Michael Mulgrew praised Mamdani for his first snow day since becoming mayor.
“Mayor Mamdani gets an A for his first snow day. He led by example,” said Mulgrew. “I want to thank our students, educators, administrators, and families. We all came together to make the remote day as engaging and as smooth as possible. The one glitch seemed to be Google. They had the same notice as our students, parents, and teachers, so they need to do better.”
All schools reopened for in-person instruction Tuesday.
Greater Cincinnati Schools: City Under Cold Weather Advisory
Some schools in the Greater Cincinnati area remain closed due to a cold weather advisory in effect until noon on Jan. 28. Overnight lows near or below zero are expected the rest of the week, and the city saw a record-breaking level of snowfall on Sunday, according to the National Weather Service in Wilmington.
Cincinnati Public Schools announced Tuesday that it would be closed Wednesday due to snow and ice, marking the third day in a row the region’s largest district has closed, according to The Enquirer.
Other schools that announced closures for Wednesday include Boone County Schools, Middletown City Schools, Hamilton City Schools, and Covington Independent Public Schools. A full list of closures can be found here.
D.C.-Area Schools Offer Meals
In Washington, D.C., school closures and delays continued into Wednesday after a weekend storm brought snow and significant ice to the region.
Mayor Muriel Bowser announced D.C. Public Schools would remain closed Wednesday as the city continues to dig out from the storm. Government buildings reopened at 10 a.m. Wednesday.
Montgomery County Public Schools announced Tuesday that all campuses would remain closed Wednesday and Thursday. Emergency food distribution sites were set up at nine of its schools Wednesday, with meals available to children 18 and under and to people over 18 who have a disability, according to the district’s website.
MCPS officials said district families and staff can expect news about Friday’s status by 4 p.m. on Thursday.
“We are watching the weather and know that extreme cold temperatures will continue through the remainder of the week and that there may be additional snow over the weekend. We strongly recommend that families plan for the potential for an extended closure,” the district said. “We will update you about make-up days as soon as we have a fuller picture of the impact as a result of this week’s weather event.”
Other D.C.-area school districts announced emergency meal distribution sites, including Fairfax County Public Schools and Prince George’s County Public Schools.
North Texas School Districts Enter Third Snow Day
Many North Texas school districts, including Dallas ISD and Forth Worth ISD, remained closed Wednesday due to ongoing cold and icy conditions. A freezing fog advisory was also issued in North Texas through 11 a.m. CST on Wednesday.
Mansfield, Lewisville, Little Elm, and Denton ISDs also announced closures for Wednesday, WFAA reports. A complete list of closed North Texas schools, daycares, churches, and businesses can be found here.
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On Jan. 20, Texas Governor Greg Abbott activated state emergency response resources ahead of the winter weather threat. Two days later, he issued a disaster declaration for 134 counties. On Sunday, Abbott expanded the disaster declaration to include more than 200 counties.
Texas officials say the state has deployed more than 10,900 responders and more than 4,900 vehicles and pieces of equipment to help those affected by the storm.
Nashville Schools Closed Through Thursday
In Nashville, Tenn., an estimated 135,000 homes and businesses remain without power following a historic ice storm. The temperature was expected to drop to six degrees Fahrenheit by Wednesday morning with below-zero wind chills.
Metro Nashville Public Schools, Williamson County Schools, Clarksville-Montgomery County School System, and several other districts announced they would remain closed through Thursday, The Tennessean reports. Some districts also announced weeklong-closures, including Houston County Schools, Lewis County Schools, Macon County Schools, and Perry County Schools.
Memphis-based Fox 13 announced every public school district in its viewing area would be closed again Wednesday, noting 19 districts aren’t set to reopen until at least Monday, including six in Tennessee and 13 in North Mississippi.
