Many school districts across Maryland and Northern Virginia either closed or opened late every day last week, something NBC4 meteorologist Chuck Bell warned about ahead of last weekend’s winter storm. Now, NBC4 meteorologist Amelia Draper is offering an updated look at the week ahead, asking the question many families are wondering: will schools open next week?
In Montgomery County, MCPS was closed all of last week after a winter storm dropped between 5 and 10 inches of snow across most areas, followed by a couple inches of sleet. Frigid temperatures in the days that followed have made cleanup efforts especially difficult, leaving hardened snow and ice in place across roads, sidewalks, and school properties. MCPS has shared that it is expecting a two hour delay for Monday, February 2, as conditions continue to be evaluated.
Draper says the forecast for the coming week brings a mix of good and bad news. The good news is that no additional snow is expected. A large system scraping the coast is forecast to remain far enough offshore to avoid bringing any winter weather to the region.
The bad news is that the cold is not going anywhere. Wind chills on Sunday are expected to hover near zero throughout the day, meaning the “snowcrete” left behind by last week’s storm will remain just as difficult to break up. “I’m wondering if schools are not only going to see delays into the early part of the week, but cancellations as well,” Draper said.
There is some optimism later in the forecast, as temperatures are expected to climb above freezing as the week goes on, which should help accelerate melting and improve conditions.
