Multiple school divisions in Prince William County, Fairfax County, Manassas, Manassas Park, and surrounding areas closed schools Monday, February 23, 2026, as heavy snow accumulated overnight, while others maintained delays.
Key Takeaways
- Date and time: Monday, February 23, 2026; statuses effective for the full school day as of early morning.
- Place: Prince William County, Manassas, Manassas Park, Fairfax County, Stafford County, Fauquier County, Spotsylvania County, Fredericksburg, and nearby regions.
- What happened: Several divisions declared full closures (Code Red or equivalent) after initial delays, with others on two-hour delays or virtual operations.
- Why it matters: Closures and delays prioritize safety amid hazardous road conditions and snow accumulation in the Prince William and Fredericksburg areas.
- Who drove the news: School superintendents and administrators, assessing overnight weather and road reports.
Full Coverage
A winter storm dumped several inches of snow across Northern Virginia overnight, prompting school divisions to update statuses from Sunday announcements into full closures early Monday.
Prince William County Public Schools declared a Code Red closure. All schools and offices closed for the day due to heavier snow accumulation than initially forecast.
- Fairfax County Public Schools shifted to a full closure. All schools, central offices, extracurricular activities, practices, field trips, and after-school programs canceled, following an earlier two-hour delay plan.
- Manassas City Public Schools closed after starting with a two-hour delay announcement. No pre-kindergarten classes were planned, and the change reflected worsening conditions.
- Manassas Park City Public Schools remained closed, consistent with reports of storm impacts in the independent city.
- Stafford County Public Schools operated on a two-hour delay. The schedule allowed morning road assessments while preserving instructional time, with bus routes starting two hours late.
- Fauquier County Public Schools opened two hours late. Essential personnel reported on time.
- Spotsylvania County Public Schools opened two hours late. No morning Early Childhood Special Education preschool classes occurred, but afternoon sessions proceeded on time.
- Fredericksburg City Public Schools operated on a two-hour delay. Twelve-month employees reported two hours late, with essential personnel following supervisor direction.
- George Mason University opened administrative offices at 10:30 a.m. In-person classes and events before that time canceled, with conditions reevaluated early Monday.
- Northern Virginia Community College shifted to virtual operations under Code Purple. All campuses conducted classes and services online only.
- Germanna Community College had no specific closure or delay listed, with campuses appearing to open normally while monitoring weather.
- The University of Mary Washington reported no changes, maintaining normal operations while continuing to monitor conditions.
These decisions reflect the storm’s variable impacts, with heavier snow in northern areas leading to more closures compared to delays farther south in Stafford and Fredericksburg regions.
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This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Potomac Local News editors for accuracy and clarity.
