Extreme Cold Snap Forces Continued School Cancellations and Delays Across Regions
Dangerous arctic air and lingering storm impacts are forcing school officials to extend cancellations and implement delayed starts as the historic January 2026 winter system continues to grip much of the United States. While the initial wave of the storm brought heavy snow to Texas and the Midwest earlier in the week, the persistence of life-threatening wind chills is now the primary driver for ongoing disruptions in districts from Minnesota to Washington, D.C.
In Minnesota, where wind chill values have plummeted between 35 and 55 degrees below zero, dozens of districts, including St. Paul and Anoka-Hennepin, cancelled classes to protect students from frostbite, which can occur on exposed skin in minutes under such conditions. The National Weather Service in Duluth described the current air mass as potentially the coldest seen in the region in over five years. Similarly, Washington, D.C. Public Schools faced extended closures and delayed openings through January 30 following significant snowfall and subsequent freezing temperatures that complicated transit recovery efforts.
School administrators face increasing pressure to balance physical safety with the critical need for consistent instruction. Officials in districts like St. Paul have emphasized that their primary goal is to keep schools open to prevent learning loss and ensure students have access to reliable meals and supervision. However, opponents of keeping schools open during such extremes argue that the risks of bus breakdowns, heating failures, and hazardous exposure for walking students outweigh the benefits of a single day of in-person instruction. Many districts have mitigated this conflict by pivoting to e-learning days, though this solution raises separate concerns regarding equitable internet access and the quality of remote instruction.
This sustained disruption is part of a broader weather pattern that has triggered state of emergency declarations in Indiana, Missouri, and Kansas. Beyond the immediate closures, the extreme cold places severe strain on aging school infrastructure, with maintenance teams working overtime to prevent burst pipes and heating system failures that could force long-term facility shutdowns. As the arctic blast continues to move across the continent, families are being advised to prepare for potential delays and erratic schedules to persist into early February.
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