Montgomery County School Closings Today — Live Status & Delays (Maryland)

Q: Can MCPS close individual schools while others stay open?

Yes. Montgomery County Public Schools has the authority to close or delay individual schools while the rest of the district operates on a normal schedule. This occurs when a specific building loses power, experiences heating or cooling failures, or faces a localized flooding or access issue. Always confirm your specific school's status at montgomeryschoolsmd.org/schools/.

Q: What is a delayed opening for MCPS?

MCPS uses a delayed opening (typically 2 hours) for weather-related schedule changes. A 2-hour delay means all schools open two hours later than their normal start time, and buses run on a 2-hour delay schedule as well. Early childhood programs and some special education programs may operate on different schedules during a delay.

Q: How many make-up days does MCPS build into its school calendar?

MCPS typically builds two to three emergency make-up days into its annual school calendar, usually placed at the end of the school year or on days previously scheduled as holidays. If the district exceeds built-in make-up days due to a severe winter, the Maryland State Board of Education can grant waivers.

| | Maryland | No Comments

Are Montgomery County schools closed today? Check live status below — updated every 10 minutes.

⚠️ JavaScript is required to display live school status.
Please enable JavaScript in your browser, then reload this page to see current closure and delay information for Montgomery County Public Schools. In the meantime, check directly: montgomeryschoolsmd.org, WUSA9, or ABC7.

Skip to board status

Live status monitored for Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS).

How Montgomery County Public Schools Announces Closures

Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) uses a multi-channel approach to notify families of school closures, delays, and early dismissals. The primary official source is the MCPS website at montgomeryschoolsmd.org, where district-wide and individual school status updates are posted as soon as a decision is made. Families enrolled in the district receive automatic push notifications through the ParentVUE portal and the MCPS mobile app, which deliver real-time alerts directly to phones and email addresses on file with the school.

For anticipated winter storms or nor’easters — the most common cause of closures in Montgomery County — MCPS aims to announce a delayed opening or full closure by 5:00–6:00 AM on the morning of the event, and ideally the evening before (by approximately 9:00–10:00 PM) when conditions allow. The district coordinates closely with the Montgomery County Office of Emergency Management and Weather Service forecasts from the NWS Baltimore/Washington office. Local television stations WUSA9, WJLA-7 (ABC7), WRC-4 (NBC4), and FOX5DC are official broadcast partners that carry closure announcements in real time. Radio stations including WTOP 103.5 FM — the region’s all-news station — also broadcast school closure information throughout the morning. This page automatically monitors all of these sources alongside the official MCPS feed, so you receive the fastest available update without visiting multiple outlets.

Weather Risks That Trigger Montgomery County School Closures

Snowstorms and blizzards: The Washington DC metro area sits at the intersection of Gulf moisture and Arctic air masses, making it highly susceptible to heavy, wet snowfall events. Even modest accumulations of 2–4 inches can create dangerous road conditions on Montgomery County’s hilly terrain, particularly in the northern and western portions of the county near Damascus, Poolesville, and Laytonsville.
Ice storms and freezing rain: Freezing rain is the single most dangerous winter weather event for Montgomery County commuters and school buses. A thin glaze of ice on roads and bridges — even with no snow — routinely triggers full closures or delayed openings. The transition zone between rain and snow in the mid-Atlantic frequently produces treacherous mixed precipitation events.
Nor’easters: Major coastal storms tracking up the Eastern Seaboard can dump 6–18+ inches of snow on Montgomery County, sometimes in a matter of hours. These events almost always result in multi-day closures and are the most common cause of extended MCPS school cancellations and make-up day activations.
Extreme cold and wind chills: When wind chill temperatures drop below 0°F, MCPS may cancel school to protect students who walk to bus stops or school, particularly in communities where covered waiting areas are limited.
Flash flooding: Heavy rainfall events — especially in summer and fall — can cause rapid flooding along Rock Creek, the Potomac River tributaries, and low-lying roads throughout the county, making school bus routes impassable.
Dense fog: Heavy morning fog in the Potomac River valley and lower-elevation areas of the county occasionally delays school start times to allow visibility to improve before buses begin routes.
Tropical storms and hurricane remnants: Late-summer and early-fall tropical systems tracking through the mid-Atlantic can bring sustained heavy rainfall, damaging winds, and flooding that force early dismissals or next-day closures.
Power outages and infrastructure issues: Severe wind events or ice accumulation can knock out power to school buildings, forcing individual school closures even when the rest of the district remains open.

Frequently Asked Questions — MCPS School Closings

How early does MCPS announce school closures?

Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) typically announces closures, delays, and early dismissals by 5:00–6:00 AM on the day of the closure. For anticipated weather events — particularly overnight snowstorms or nor’easters — MCPS tries to announce a delayed opening or full closure the evening before, generally by 9:00–10:00 PM. This allows families to arrange childcare and plan transportation. Announcements are posted on montgomeryschoolsmd.org, sent via ParentVUE, and broadcast across all major DC-area television and radio stations.

Can MCPS close individual schools while others stay open?

Yes. Unlike smaller districts that close all schools uniformly, Montgomery County Public Schools has the authority to close or delay individual schools while the rest of the district operates on a normal schedule. This occurs when a specific building loses power, experiences heating or cooling failures, or faces a localized flooding or access issue. When this happens, MCPS posts the affected school’s status separately on its website. This page monitors district-wide closures; always confirm your specific school’s status at montgomeryschoolsmd.org/schools/.

What is a “code blue” or delayed opening for MCPS?

MCPS uses a delayed opening (typically 2 hours) rather than a color-coded system for weather-related schedule changes. A 2-hour delay means all schools open two hours later than their normal start time, and buses run on a 2-hour delay schedule as well. Early childhood programs and some special education programs may operate on different schedules during a delay — check the MCPS website or your school’s direct communication for specifics. In some cases, MCPS may announce an early dismissal later in the day if conditions deteriorate.

Which TV and radio stations carry MCPS school closing announcements?

The primary broadcast outlets covering MCPS school closings in the Washington DC metro area are WUSA9 (CBS), WJLA-7 (ABC7), WRC-4 (NBC4), and FOX5DC. On radio, WTOP 103.5 FM provides continuous school closure reporting throughout morning drive hours during weather events. This page automatically monitors all of these sources alongside the official MCPS website feed, giving you the earliest possible detection of a closure or delay without needing to check multiple outlets.

How many make-up days does MCPS build into its school calendar?

MCPS typically builds two to three emergency make-up days into its annual school calendar, usually placed at the end of the school year or on days that were previously scheduled as holidays. If the district exceeds the number of built-in make-up days due to an unusually severe winter, the Maryland State Board of Education can grant waivers exempting the district from making up additional days. The MCPS school calendar is published at montgomeryschoolsmd.org each spring for the upcoming year.

Does a montgomery county school closings today announcement affect after-school programs?

Generally yes — when MCPS announces a full closure, all district-sponsored after-school programs, extracurricular activities, and evening events are also cancelled. For delayed openings, afternoon activities typically proceed as scheduled unless additional weather deterioration prompts an early dismissal. Private after-school programs, community childcare, and Montgomery County Recreation programs housed in MCPS buildings make their own independent decisions and communicate separately with enrolled families. When in doubt, contact your program provider directly.

Montgomery County Public Schools — Complete School Roster

The following is a complete static roster of MCPS schools by level, for reference. For live individual school status during a closure or delay, visit montgomeryschoolsmd.org/schools/.