Northern Virginia Schools Delay Openings Amid Freezing Temperatures

ARLINGTON, Va. — Several Northern Virginia school districts announced two-hour delays for Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2025, due to freezing temperatures and hazardous road conditions caused by lingering snow and ice.

Arlington Public Schools (APS) will open two hours late, with morning field trips canceled. The decision follows a cold weather advisory, with temperatures expected to drop to 8 degrees Fahrenheit and wind gusts reaching 15 mph by 8 a.m. Wednesday. APS officials notified families of the delay in an alert sent around 6:15 p.m. Tuesday.

“All APS schools will open two hours late tomorrow, Wed, Jan. 22, 2025,” the alert stated. “The Extended Day program will also open two hours late, and morning field trips are canceled.”

Other districts implementing delays include Fairfax County Public Schools, Loudoun County Public Schools, Alexandria City Public Schools, Culpeper County Public Schools, and Rappahannock Public Schools. Fauquier County Public Schools also announced a two-hour delay, while Prince William County Public Schools opted to close entirely due to the extreme cold.

APS emphasized that 12-month employees, custodial and maintenance staff, food service workers, and transportation personnel should report to work at their regularly scheduled times. Updates on pool operations and countywide services were directed to the APS and Arlington County websites.

The delays come as the region continues to grapple with the aftermath of recent winter weather, which has left roads icy and temperatures dangerously low. School officials urged families to monitor local news and district websites for further updates.