School Closings And Delays in DC Area and Maryland as Winter Storm Forces Virtual Instruction
A winter storm that moved into the Washington area prompted widespread school closings and delays on Monday, February 23, disrupting commutes and campus operations across Maryland and the broader DC region. Gov. Wes Moore declared a State of Emergency through Monday and urged residents to avoid travel as officials warned of dangerous roads, power outages and falling trees.
State emergency, travel warnings and government leave
Gov. Wes Moore declared a State of Emergency through Monday and urged residents to avoid travel, warning of dangerous road conditions, possible power outages and falling trees. State government offices are operating on liberal leave while Baltimore officials activated the Emergency Operations Center to coordinate response efforts across agencies.
School Closings And Delays across Maryland, DC and Virginia for Monday, February 23
Monday, February 23 brought school closings and delays across the region. In Maryland, Baltimore City and Baltimore County public schools shifted to virtual learning with a two-hour delay Monday, and Anne Arundel County Public Schools moved to virtual instruction. Harford, Howard, Montgomery, Wicomico, Queen Anne’s, Caroline, Carroll, Cecil and Prince George’s county public schools were closed Monday, while Frederick County Public Schools ran on a two-hour delay and Talbot County Public Schools operated virtually.
Closures and schedule changes were also noted for the Washington, D. C., and Virginia areas, but specifics for school systems in DC and Virginia are unclear in the provided context.
Colleges and universities cancel classes or shift to virtual
Coppin State University and Towson University canceled all classes for Monday. The University of Maryland Eastern Shore, Morgan State University and Salisbury University closed their campuses and shifted instruction to virtual formats. Johns Hopkins University planned to open at 10 a. m. with reduced operations.
Power outages, warnings and regional storm watches
Power outages were reported across the state Sunday night, including in Baltimore City and Baltimore County; in total, a reported 1, 100 residences were without power Sunday night across the state, utility. Much of Central Maryland, including areas north and east of Baltimore, remained under a Winter Storm Warning with total snow accumulations of roughly 5 to 10 inches possible and locally higher amounts in parts of northeast Maryland. Northwest winds could gust between 35 and 45 mph, reducing visibility in blowing snow.
Parts of Maryland’s Eastern Shore were under Blizzard Warnings, where forecasters expected heavy snowfall, strong winds and near-zero visibility at times that could make travel very difficult or impossible. In Western Maryland, especially in higher elevations such as Garrett County, additional snowfall and strong winds were expected to persist into Monday, creating dangerous travel conditions and the potential for power outages. In the Baltimore area, snowfall was expected to be lighter than elsewhere, but even limited accumulation could create slick roads and dangerous conditions for the morning commute.
Fatalities, ongoing hazards and recent winter impacts
Calvert County authorities reported two deaths after a tree fell onto a truck during the storm. Officials warned that falling trees and power lines remain a significant risk as winds continue. Precipitation began Sunday as rain in the Baltimore region before changing to a mix of rain and snow overnight, the National Weather Service noted, and conditions deteriorated late Sunday into early Monday as colder air moved in.
January’s snowstorm dropped over 11 inches of snow at BWI, shutting down schools and complicating travel. Lingering snow and ice challenged Baltimore restaurateurs, and more recent melting revealed new potholes across the city. Matthew Hubbard contributed to the reporting on the storm.
