stopped by Central Park to greet @NYCParks
workers near the Harlem Meer which is frozen over this morning. Mamdani told us he ultimately made the call to close schools because of safety concerns — icy conditions will make travel treacherous for the day and tomorrow Credit – @GloriaPazmino
New York City will close public school buildings on Monday as a major winter storm bears down on the region, with classes continuing online for hundreds of thousands of students.
New York City public school buildings will be closed on Monday, and students will learn remotely, Mayor Zohran Mamdani announced as snow began piling up across the five boroughs. Forecasters warned that the storm could drop close to a foot of snow in parts of the city, turning streets slick and making travel increasingly risky.
Due to inclement weather, @NYCSchools buildings are CLOSED on Monday, January 26.
— NYC Public Schools (@NYCSchools) January 25, 2026
School will be in session remotely only for students scheduled to attend school on this day.
For more information, visit https://t.co/wSuxZ4TLdg. pic.twitter.com/v7QFWG13Ff
The move lands as an early trial for Mamdani, who took office this month and is now managing his first major winter-weather disruption as mayor. Only days earlier, he had signaled there would be no traditional snow day. Instead, the city has opted to keep instruction going from home — a decision the administration framed as a safety call, but also a way to protect the school calendar’s required days of learning.
What’s happening Monday
- All NYC public school buildings will be closed, with instruction continuing remotely.
- There will be no in-person classes.
- After-school programs, adult education, and other school-based programming are canceled.
- Roughly 500,000 students are expected to shift online across more than 1,100 schools.
- Some middle and high school students who already had a scheduled professional learning day will still have the day off.
In a city statement, Mamdani said the decision was meant to keep families off the roads as conditions worsen. He said the past week was spent preparing for the possibility of a fast pivot, including making sure devices were available, families received instructions, and educators were ready to welcome students into virtual classrooms.
The storm’s impact is expected to be uneven across the wider region. While New York City is bracing for heavy snow, some nearby areas may see a messy mix of sleet and freezing rain, a combination that can coat roads and sidewalks in ice even when snowfall totals end up lower. Meteorologists also warned that snowfall rates could surge at times, reducing visibility and quickly overwhelming travel routes.
Officials urged New Yorkers to avoid unnecessary travel as the storm continues through Sunday and into the overnight hours. Beyond the snowfall, the bigger concern may linger after the flakes stop: a stretch of dangerous cold expected to hold into next week, meaning whatever falls is likely to stick around and refreeze.
Families looking for the latest official guidance — including remote learning expectations, schedule notes tied to the professional learning day, and school-program cancellations — can follow the city’s announcement from the mayor’s office here: NYC’s official statement on the shift to remote instruction.
For parents and caregivers, the city’s message is straightforward: plan for a full remote learning day where it applies, keep an eye on school communications, and prioritize safety as the storm intensifies and the temperature drops.
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