Mayor Wu Shares Storm Update; Boston Public Schools Closed Tuesday, February 24

Mayor Michelle Wu today announced that after 15 inches of snowfall in the last 24 hours, ongoing snow and windy conditions and with forecasts showing more snow later this week, Boston Public Schools will be closed tomorrow, Tuesday, February 24, 2026.

The District has made the decision to close schools for an additional day so crews can sufficiently clear sidewalks and widen main roadways for children, families and the 700 bus fleet to maneuver across all streets safely. Boston Public Library branches, senior centers, and Boston Centers for Youth & Families will reopen at 12 p.m. tomorrow, February 24. All other municipal buildings and city services will operate regular hours tomorrow.   

The snow emergency and parking ban in effect will be in place until at least tomorrow, February 24, at 6 p.m. Residents parked in participating discounted garages must remove their cars by two hours after it’s lifted to avoid being charged regular rates. More information is available at boston.gov/snow-parking. Space savers should be removed 48 hours after the end of the snow emergency. The use of space savers is prohibited at all times in the South End and Bay Village. Space savers that violate these rules may be collected and discarded by the Public Works Department (PWD). 

“I’m grateful to all of our city teams who have been working around the clock through this nor’easter. We ask that everyone continue to stay safe and warm, look out for your neighbors and stay off the roads to support our public works and public safety teams,” said Mayor Michelle Wu. “As we continue to prioritize getting our roadways clear, please call 911 if you see anyone outside who needs assistance and report issues through the 311 app so our team can assist with downed trees or wires. With more snow forecasted for later this week, it’s critical that residents shovel out the sidewalks and crosswalks in front of your property so we can all be safe. We thank everyone for their patience and staying tuned for more updates.”

This week, curbside trash and recycling will operate on a delayed schedule. All neighborhoods will experience a one-day delay in trash and recycling service. Residents are encouraged to visit boston.gov/trash-day to find the most up-to-date curbside collection information.

Boston Public Health Commission’s emergency shelters are open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and when temperatures are below freezing (32 degrees), amnesty is in place for those with nonviolent restrictions. Men can access shelter at the 112 Southampton Street Shelter, and women should go to the Woods Mullen Shelter at 794 Massachusetts Ave. Last night, the Boston Public Health Commission (BPHC) sheltered nearly 600 guests. Today, 250 people have utilized BPHC shelters to stay safe and warm. Since the start of the winter emergency, BPHC has prepared close to 1,300 meals to keep people nourished and indoors. BPHC will also have outreach teams checking on people and offering transport to shelters and programs throughout the day and into the late night.

Residents are reminded to call 911 to assist individuals experiencing homelessness or vulnerable individuals out in the cold who appear immobile, disoriented or underdressed for the weather. For non-emergencies, residents can call 311.

Once the storm has ended, property owners are responsible to shovel sidewalks to a 42” path of travel. Please clear sidewalks as soon as possible after the storm ends. Please do not shovel or plow snow into the street. The City will issue violations to property owners who do not maintain safe sidewalks or who shovel or push snow into the street. Residents will have until 10 a.m. (three hours after sunrise) tomorrow to clear their sidewalks. Please use 311 to report any unshoveled sidewalks after 10 a.m. tomorrow.  

Tomorrow, the Mayor’s Office of Neighborhood Services will host citywide snow shoveling meet-ups, bringing volunteers together to help clear sidewalks, curb ramps and areas of concern during snow emergencies. For more information on volunteer efforts, please visit boston.gov/shovel.

For alerts, including cold-weather alerts, residents are encouraged to sign up for Alert Boston. More information can be found on boston.gov/winter.