MCPS closes schools Wednesday due to icy road conditions

County issues cold emergency alert following snowstorm

January 17, 2024 12:24 a.m.

This story, originally published on Jan. 16, 2024, at 7:24 p.m., was updated on Jan. 17, 2024, at 8 a.m. to add that MCPS will be closing schools Wednesday.

Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) announced around 7:40 a.m. that there will not just be a two-hour delay; schools will be closed Wednesday due to icy road conditions.

MCPS offices will open two hours after their normal start time. Morning Head Start and morning pre-kindergarten programs are canceled, according to a news release.

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Montgomery County announced a cold emergency alert at 3 p.m. Tuesday, effective until 9 a.m. Thursday. According to the county government website, a cold emergency alert is issued when “dangerously cold conditions are present, including, but not limited to, sub-zero temperatures and wind chill for which it will be dangerous to be outdoors for prolonged periods of time.”

The National Weather Service predicts a high of 28 degrees and a low of 16 degrees for the Bethesda area on Wednesday.

The county urges residents to stay indoors when possible and dress appropriately when spending time outside, especially those susceptible to hypothermia. 

According to a map from the National Weather Service, parts of Montgomery County received between 3.7 and 5.2 inches of snow Tuesday, leading to slick roads and a chance of ice developing overnight. 

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