VIRGINIA — A prolonged winter storm’s lingering snow, ice and dangerously cold conditions are prompting several Virginia public school systems to close campuses or delay openings on Thursday, January 29, 2026. Snow cleanup continues across the state, and officials have cited road and sidewalk safety concerns as central to scheduling decisions.
In Northern Virginia, key announcements affecting Thursday include:
- Prince William County Public Schools will open two hours late to give extra travel time and daylight for safer commuting.
- Stafford County Public Schools will be closed Thursday, with all activities and events canceled.
- Spotsylvania County Public Schools will be closed Thursday, with only essential personnel required under inclement weather protocols.
- Fredericksburg City Public Schools will be closed on Code Red conditions Thursday; a meal distribution event is planned for families at one location in the afternoon.
- Loudoun County Public Schools will remain closed for students Thursday, with all activities canceled. Administrative offices and buildings will open at 10 a.m., and Thursday is designated a teacher workday.
Elsewhere in the state, additional school systems have been reported making weather-related decisions for Jan. 29, such as Patrick, Carroll, Grayson and Pittsylvania county schools as well as Fairfax, Arlington and Loudoun county districts, though exact plans vary by locality and may be pending official updates.
School officials across Virginia emphasize that icy roads, hard-packed snow piles and cold wind chills remain safety hazards in many communities, influencing these decisions and prompting continued monitoring of conditions for the remainder of the week.
