Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) announced Wednesday afternoon that all schools and offices will open on time Thursday after a winter storm dropped 4 to 6 inches of snow on the county.
“Thanks to the outstanding efforts of our facilities and operations teams, school buildings, sidewalks, and parking lots have been cleared and treated to ensure a safe return,” MCPS announced at about 1:20 p.m. in a community message.
MCPS closed schools Wednesday after weather forecasts showed the county could receive up to 6 inches. The National Weather Service office for the Baltimore/Washington, D.C., region had issued a winter storm warning for Tuesday afternoon into Wednesday morning for the county and other parts of the D.C. area. The warning ended 7 a.m. Wednesday.
According to snowfall reports as of 8 a.m. Wednesday from the National Weather Service, 6 inches of snow had been reported in Takoma Park and the Four Corners neighborhood of Silver Spring, 5.2 inches in Clarksburg, 5 inches in Gaithersburg, 4.9 inches in Rockville, 4.5 inches in Olney and 4.3 inches in Silver Spring.
The storm caused a slew of vehicle collisions across the county Tuesday evening as well as downed power lines that led to closures of major roadways, according to Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Service (MCFRS) spokesperson Pete Piringer.
On Thursday, all MCPS offices and child care programs will be open. The district noted in its Wednesday announcement that weather forecasts called for above-freezing temperatures and rain.
“It will be a wet commute, but we do not expect ice and snow to have an impact on travel to school on Thursday,” the community message said.
According to the National Weather Service, rain is expected Wednesday night along with a low temperature of 33 degrees, and a high of 52 degrees Thursday.
Wednesday was the fourth snow day of the school year for MCPS. The district has already extended the school year by one day after closing schools for three days due to inclement weather this winter. With the fourth closure, additional calendar adjustments may be required. According to the 2024-2025 school calendar, the district set aside two inclement weather days, both of which were used.
MCPS schools stayed open Tuesday until their regular dismissal times while other districts, including Prince George’s County, announced early dismissals due to the storm. However, school and community-use activities on Tuesday afternoon and evening were canceled.
Bethesda Today reporter Elia Griffin contributed to this report
