With winter weather currently blanketing the D.C. region, Fairfax County Public Schools has declared tomorrow (Wednesday) a snow day.
All schools and offices will be closed tomorrow, and activities on school grounds have been canceled. Students were dismissed three hours early today (Tuesday) in anticipation of snow starting to fall this afternoon into the evening.
Here is the full FCPS message:
Fairfax County public schools and central offices will be closed tomorrow, Wednesday, February 12, 2025.
The following activities in schools and on school grounds are canceled:
- extracurricular activities
- interscholastic contests
- team practices
- field trips
- middle school after-school programs
- professional learning and training courses
- recreation programs and community use by outside groups not affiliated with FCPS
- Adult and Community Education (ACE) classes.
- Adult High School and GED
- School-Age Child Care (SACC) centers are closed
Homebound and home-based instruction are canceled.
Employees designated as essential personnel shall follow supervisor direction. Emergency administrative leave is authorized for all other personnel.
A Winter Storm Warning issued by the National Weather Service is scheduled to remain in place until 7 a.m. tomorrow. As of 1:15 p.m., the federal agency projected that the D.C. region could get 4 to 7 inches of snow accumulation.
The inclement weather will also shutter Fairfax County government offices tomorrow, including the court system, which closed early today at 1 p.m.
“Emergency administrative leave is granted for county employees not designated as emergency personnel,” the county announced shortly after 7 p.m. “Emergency personnel should report as scheduled.”
The Fairfax County Department of Public Works and Environmental Services will delay trash collections by a day. Customers who typically get their trash and recycling picked up on Wednesdays will now have to wait until Thursday (Feb. 13), and Thursday customers will be bumped to Friday and Friday to Saturday.
“We apologize for any inconvenience and appreciate your patience,” DPWES said, noting that trash bins and carts must be free of ice to get picked up.
The snowstorm has already affected transportation. Fairfax Connector buses started following snow detours at 4 p.m. today, and some roads, including Richmond Highway (Route 1) at I-95 in the southeastern part of the county, have been experiencing closures due to snow and ice conditions.
As of press time, closed roads include Richmond Highway (Route 1) at I-95, Telegraph Road at Jeff Todd Way and Belle View Blvd at Fort Hunt Road, according to Fairfax Alerts.
The Virginia State Police has reported 11 crashes on Northern Virginia roads today, as of 4 p.m., according to FFXnow’s sister site ARLnow. Two of the crashes resulted in injuries.
While the snow is expected to be heaviest this afternoon and evening, a “light wintry mix” could continue into Wednesday, affecting the morning rush-hour commute tomorrow, according to the NWS.
“Roads may become impassable due to the combination of heavy, wet snow through tonight, followed by significant icing Wednesday afternoon and evening,” the NWS said in its latest warning.
