Massachusetts school closures extend into Wednesday as communities dig out after historic blizzard impacts

Closures persist in hardest-hit districts as crews clear roads and utilities work to restore power

Several Massachusetts school systems planned to remain closed on Wednesday as communities continued to recover from a major blizzard that delivered exceptionally heavy snow and produced widespread power outages across parts of the state. The decisions extended earlier cancellations earlier in the week and reflected uneven recovery conditions between regions, with some areas returning to normal schedules while others remained constrained by road conditions and utility disruptions.

In southeastern Massachusetts and on Cape Cod, local officials and school leaders pointed to a combination of lingering snow-packed streets, limited access for buses and emergency vehicles, and ongoing restoration work for downed lines. Utility crews warned that restoration in some areas would take multiple days, contributing to the decision by multiple districts to keep buildings closed.

Which areas were most affected

Snow totals varied significantly, but the storm produced extraordinary accumulations in parts of southern and coastal Massachusetts. New Bedford reported 37 inches of snow from Monday’s storm, described by city officials as the highest total in the city’s recorded history. In Plymouth and Barnstable counties, large numbers of customers lost power during the storm, with restoration expected to extend beyond a single day.

Across the state, municipal plow crews prioritized main roads and emergency routes as the immediate digging-out phase continued. Many communities reported that side streets remained narrow or partially blocked, complicating school transportation and slowing the reopening of public buildings.

How districts are handling instruction and operations

School responses differed by community. Some districts indicated that buildings would be closed while students and staff followed established remote-learning plans where available, while others simply canceled classes for the day. Districts also reported canceling after-school activities on Wednesday in locations where closures continued.

• Some districts scheduled a second consecutive day without in-person classes, citing road safety and bus access.
• In several communities, closures were tied directly to power availability and building readiness.
• After-school programs and extracurricular activities were canceled in districts remaining closed.

Transportation and daily life disruptions

The storm disrupted travel across the Northeast, including major interruptions to air travel earlier in the week. While conditions began improving as cleanup advanced, officials continued to urge residents in heavily affected areas to limit travel to support plowing operations and reduce the risk of accidents on narrowed or icy roadways.

Local officials across the region emphasized that road clearing would take additional time, particularly on residential streets, and that limiting travel could help speed recovery.

What to expect next

Districts said families should monitor local announcements for updates as conditions change. With cleanup continuing and restoration timelines varying by neighborhood, additional schedule adjustments remained possible, particularly in communities where outages, blocked roads, or building access issues persist.