Countywide

Fairfax County facilities, schools to close tonight for winter storm

By Angela Woolsey
Fairfax County school buses lined up in the snow outside Vienna Elementary School (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

Activities on Fairfax County government and school grounds will largely grind to a halt starting tonight (Saturday), as the region hunkers down for a potentially crippling snowstorm.

Fairfax County will close all of its facilities at 8 p.m. today through Sunday (Jan. 25) in anticipation of Winter Storm Fern, which is expected to bring snow, sleet, freezing rain and ice that could snarl roads and power lines for days.

“These closures include libraries, community centers, recreation centers, parks and other county facilities and programs,” the county said in an emergency blog post.

Due to the impending winter storm, all Fairfax County Government facilities will close at 8 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 24, and will remain closed through Sunday, Jan. 25.

For specific schedule information: https://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/status

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— Fairfax County Government (@fairfaxcounty.gov) January 23, 2026 at 4:45 PM

Because of the closure, Reston Community Center has canceled all programs and rental activities scheduled after 5 p.m. today through tomorrow. Make-up classes will be scheduled when possible, but fees won’t be refunded for any cancellations.

“We regret any inconvenience that this disruption of RCC programs and services causes and hope you will stay safe during this weather event,” RCC said. “We will return to normal operations as soon as we are able.”

The McLean Community Center will close at 8 p.m. like the rest of the county government. Updates, including any closure plans for Monday (Jan. 26), will be shared on its website.

The Department of Public Works and Environmental Services (DPWES) has already announced that its I-66 Transfer Station (4618 West Ox Road) will be unavailable for solid waste disposal on Monday, though operations are currently expected to resume on Tuesday.

“Please be mindful of potential impacts to the facility due to weather conditions such as ice and snow clearing operations,” the department said.

To make up for the temporary closure, the facility’s hours for waste collectors will be extended next Saturday, Jan. 31 until 5 p.m.

During the storm, the county is granting emergency administrative leave to all employees except for designated emergency personnel, including police and other public safety responders who will remain on duty.

The latest forecast

In the latest update to its Winter Storm Warning, issued at 5:26 a.m., the National Weather Service continues to predict that seven to 14 inches of snow and sleet will fall in the D.C. region between 11 p.m. tonight and 4 a.m. on Monday. Approximately one and two-tenths of an inch of ice accumulation are expected as well.

“Power outages and tree damage are likely due to the ice,” the NWS maintained. “Travel could be nearly impossible. The hazardous conditions could impact the Monday morning commute.”

A Cold Weather Advisory initially scheduled to expire at 10 a.m. today has been extended to noon:

…COLD WEATHER ADVISORY NOW IN EFFECT UNTIL NOON EST TODAY…

* WHAT…Very cold wind chills as 5 below.

* WHERE…Portions of DC, central, northeast, and northern Maryland, and central, northern, northwest, and western Virginia.

* WHEN…Until noon EST today.

* IMPACTS…Wind chill values can lead to hypothermia with prolonged exposure.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…

Use caution while traveling outside. Wear appropriate clothing, a hat, and gloves.

Hypothermia shelters available

Given the frigid temperatures in store, the county’s hypothermia prevention program has been exempted from the government closures. Operational from Dec. 1 through March 31, the annual program offers overnight accommodations at the county’s standing shelters for adults and at rotating sites hosted by local faith communities.

“If someone is unsheltered and seems at risk of hypothermia, residents can call the County’s non-emergency Police phone number 703-691-2131 (TTY 711),” Allyson Pearce, a spokesperson for the Fairfax County Department of Housing and Community Development, said by email. “A police officer will respond and conduct a wellness check. If you see an individual in distress, please call 9-1-1.”

With temperatures expected to stay below freezing over the next week, the Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department shared tips for staying warm before, during and after the coming storm, including options for safe heating and a reminder to let faucets drip “slightly” during extreme cold to prevent water pipes from freezing.

Schools closed for weekend, Monday TBD

Fairfax County Public Schools has also canceled all activities in its buildings or on its grounds, starting at 6 p.m. today and continuing through all of Sunday. That includes:

  • Extracurricular activities.
  • Interscholastic contests.
  • Team practices.
  • Field trips.
  • Professional learning and training courses.
  • Adult and Community Education (ACE) classes.
  • Recreation programs and community use by outside groups not affiliated with FCPS.

The school system says additional updates will be posted on its website and shared by email and social media. A decision about whether classes will be delayed or canceled on Monday will be made tomorrow.

If any snow days are called for, it would truncate an already-shortened week for FCPS students, who are scheduled for a two-hour early release on Wednesday (Jan. 28) to mark the end of the year’s third quarter. Thursday and Friday are designated as holidays for students, and development and planning days for staff.

About the Author

  • Angela Woolsey is the site editor for FFXnow. A graduate of George Mason University, she worked as a general assignment reporter for the Fairfax County Times before joining Local News Now as the Tysons Reporter editor in 2020.