School Closings and Delays Declared Across Maryland for Monday, Feb. 23 After Winter Storm

Multiple Maryland school systems announced school closings and remote instruction or delayed openings for Monday, Feb. 23, after a winter storm dropped several inches of snow across the region. The decisions came as gusty winds and reduced visibility persisted, and forecasts indicated the storm would be exiting early Monday.

School Closings: confirmed actions, timelines and figures

Districts across the state finalized plans for Monday: at least 15 county and city public school systems issued closures or delays for Feb. 23. Baltimore City Public Schools, Baltimore County Public Schools and Anne Arundel County Public Schools are closed but will hold classes virtually Monday. Cecil County, Dorchester County and Kent County public schools likewise listed closures with virtual instruction planned. Calvert, Caroline, Charles, Harford, Howard and Montgomery county public schools were announced closed for the day without virtual-day notices in the compiled listings. Allegany, Carroll and Frederick county systems elected to open two hours late.

Forecasters had called for roughly 3 to 6 inches of snow across Maryland, with some guidance narrowing the band to about 3 to 5 inches in parts of the region. Wind gusts reached up to 40 mph in the Washington, D. C. area, producing reduced visibility and prompting concern about travel safety. Officials noted the storm was expected to exit early Monday, but steady snow could continue through Monday morning in some locations.

Context and escalation

The storm prompted an Alert Day declaration for parts of Maryland on Sunday as accumulating snow or a mix of rain and snow moved through the region. Weather teams tracked continuing snowfall into Monday morning and warned of strong winds and blowing snow that could create hazardous conditions. Winter storm warnings were scaled back in portions of the Baltimore metro area where accumulations were lower than originally expected, even as steady snow continued across Washington, D. C. and adjacent jurisdictions.

Local forecast operations, including the First Alert Weather Team at WJZ, kept advisories active overnight to monitor shifting totals and the timing of the storm’s exit. The combination of measurable accumulation, gusty winds and visibility reduction led school districts and some government services to cancel or alter operations for the start of the week.

Immediate impact

The primary effect is on instruction and transportation: thousands of students in the named districts will start their week remotely or on delayed schedules. Three large systems—Baltimore City, Baltimore County and Anne Arundel County—moved to virtual learning for the day, while several other counties closed entirely or announced late openings. Those changes also affect school-based services such as meal distribution and after-school programming where closures or virtual instruction are in place.

Beyond schools, the storm disrupted other public services and prompted cancellations; notices listed that some government offices would be closed. Travel conditions remained impaired in spots due to blowing snow and gusts near 40 mph, increasing the risk for morning commutes until roads and visibility improve.

Forward outlook and next steps

Authorities signaled the storm would be winding down early Monday, which sets a near-term milestone for restoring normal operations. Districts that switched to virtual instruction have scheduled that format for Monday; systems that delayed openings planned two-hour late starts for the same date. Officials and local weather teams will reassess conditions as the morning progresses to determine whether additional changes are necessary for the remainder of the day or the following school day.

What makes this notable is the mix of large urban districts adopting virtual learning while many suburban and rural systems opted for delayed or full closures, reflecting how a single storm produced varied impacts across transportation networks and school operations within the region.