Nyc Schools Closed Monday: Mamdani to Decide by Noon Sunday

Mayor Zohran Mamdani said he will decide by noon Sunday ET whether nyc schools closed monday as a massive nor’easter approaches, leaving families and school staff awaiting a final call ahead of a storm that forecasters say could bring heavy snow and damaging winds.

Nyc Schools Closed Monday decision

Mamdani told reporters at a Saturday news conference that he expects to make the closure decision by noon Sunday ET. He did not commit to forcing people indoors but said outreach to connect unhoused New Yorkers with shelters and warming options would begin at 4 p. m. Saturday ET. The timeline leaves parents and educators with a narrow window to prepare for either remote learning, a traditional snow day or continued in-person instruction.

Storm timeline and forecast

Weather briefings across Saturday showed the event stretching into Monday, with an official blizzard warning in effect from 6 a. m. Sunday ET to 6 p. m. Monday ET and the worst conditions expected overnight Sunday into Monday. Forecast details have shifted rapidly: earlier forecasts projected 18 to 24 inches for the city, while the mayor cited an expectation of 13 to 17 inches with a chance of up to 20 inches or more. Models cited high winds up to 60 mph and heavy precipitation, raising the prospect of hazardous travel and localized coastal flooding along Jamaica Bay, the Battery in Lower Manhattan and parts of Staten Island.

Logistics, services and school history

City officials have already canceled alternate side parking for Monday and warned that trash and recycling pickups are likely to be delayed by at least an additional day. Last month’s major snow event led officials to close schools for a remote learning day, with roughly 500, 000 public school students learning from home that day. Because the city has used scheduled days off throughout the school year and must meet a 180-day instructional requirement under state law, traditional snow days remain unlikely; virtual learning days have been used to satisfy the instructional mandate when weather disrupts in-person classes. Technical difficulties have accompanied past remote learning days, and school leaders have signaled those operational risks will be part of the calculus for any closure decision.

• Decision deadline: noon Sunday ET.
• Blizzard warning: 6 a. m. Sunday ET–6 p. m. Monday ET.
• Snow forecasts: ranges cited from 13–24 inches; winds up to 60 mph.

Officials noted freezing temperatures could make the Monday morning commute especially hazardous. The mayor also said there would be no encampment cleanups during the storm window and emphasized focusing city resources on bringing vulnerable residents indoors and providing warming options rather than infrastructure work.

With forecasts still shifting, the city's next move will hinge on how model guidance trends overnight and into Sunday. If projections hold at the higher end of the snowfall range, the balance of operational concerns—road safety, transit reliability, and sheltering needs—would increase pressure for a more expansive closure plan. If totals moderate, officials may opt to keep schools open or use remote learning selectively. Families should plan for both possibilities and monitor official city communications through Sunday morning for the final determination on whether nyc schools closed monday will be declared a remote learning day or a traditional day off.