Snow Changes MoCo School Plans For Feb. 12

MONTGOMERY COUNTY, MD — With 6 inches or more of snow expected overnight, all Montgomery County Public Schools and offices will be under a Code Red closure on Wednesday, Feb. 12.

District officials announced Wednesday's cancellation at 6 p.m. Tuesday, noting that an expected heavy snowfall in the county would make roads and sidewalks inaccessible.

• Related: ‘Rapidly Deteriorating’ MD Weather: Heavy Snowfall Prompts NWS Warning

The notice said:

"Snow has begun falling, and we are closely monitoring its impact on our schools across the district. With forecasts predicting up to six inches of accumulation by early tomorrow morning, roads, sidewalks, and school campuses will not be safe or accessible for an on-time or delayed opening on Wednesday. However, our teams will be hard at work.

"Overnight and into the morning, MCPS operations crews will begin clearing snow from buses and depots while plowing, shoveling, and treating school parking lots and sidewalks. Meanwhile, our county partners will be working diligently to prepare highways and neighborhood streets to ensure safer travel conditions.

"This work will likely take throughout the day on Wednesday as we have 211 schools, seven bus depots and other facilities that will all need to be readied for students, staff and visitors."

• All schools and offices will be closed.
• Emergency personnel should report on time.
• All activities, field trips, and programs in schools and on school grounds will be canceled, including athletic practices and events.
• Childcare programs and community use activities are also canceled.

Important Reminder: An empty parking lot means we can plow and treat school parking lots and reopen faster. We encourage anyone with a vehicle in a school parking lot to remove it as soon as possible.

Making decisions about weather-related closures are driven by the safety of students, staff, and visitors to our schools, the district said. The ability to transport students, staff’s ability to get to work, and school campus conditions after a weather event are all factors in weather-related closures.

Conditions in one part of the county may be perfectly fine and drastic in another — the staff required to open your child’s school may be inhibited from getting to work because of conditions different than the ones in your neighborhood. Thank you for your understanding and support as we navigate inclement winter weather in Montgomery County’s 500 square miles, school officials said.

How does MCPS make weather-related operating status decisions?

Officials consider:

• The safety of students, staff, and families
• Current and extended weather forecast
• Road and traffic conditions

Closures and Delayed Opening:

• National Weather Service forecast
• Coordination of School System and County Response
• Evening Decision - made and announced by 7 pm
• If necessary, updates and forecast from National Weather Service by 4:30 am
• Coordination of School System and County Response
• Morning Decision - made and announced by 5 am (Unless there is an emergency that necessitates a later notification time.)

Early Release

• National Weather Service forecast
• Coordination of School System and County Response
• Early Release Decision - made and announced by 10:30 am if weather is expected to impact afternoon transportation (Unless there is an emergency that necessitates a later notification time.)
• If weather is not expected to impact afternoon transportation, but may impact evening activities, a decision and announcement will be made as early as possible in the afternoon. (Unless there is an emergency that necessitates a later notification time.)

How residents can receive MCPS Emergency Information and any changes to the Operating Status Color Codes:

• MCPS Web: Home Page
• Sign up for Alert MCPS
• Social Media (X, Facebook, Instagram)
• Ask MCPS (240)740-3000
• Your MCPS School Home Page