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Fairfax County schools and government facilities will remain closed Tuesday, Jan. 27, as crews continue clearing roads following Winter Storm Fern.
Fairfax County Public Schools will close for a second consecutive day and cancel every activity on school grounds. The cancellations cover extracurricular programs, athletic practices, field trips, middle school after-school programs and adult education classes.
School Age Child Care and Beyond the Bell centers will also remain closed. Essential FCPS employees should follow their supervisors’ directions, while all other personnel are authorized to take emergency administrative leave.
If weather-related closures continue through Wednesday, Jan. 28, students will effectively receive the entire week off. Classes had already been scheduled to dismiss two hours early Wednesday for the end of the second quarter, with staff planning and development days set for Thursday and Friday.
County courts will be closed Tuesday, further delaying Brendan Banfield’s ongoing double-murder trial and other cases. Fairfax County Public Library branches, public health centers and county administrative offices will also remain shut.
County employees who are not designated as emergency personnel have been granted emergency administrative leave. Emergency personnel are expected to report as scheduled.
The Fairfax County Park Authority will keep all parks, recreation centers, golf courses and historic sites closed. Camps, classes, preschool programs, events and other activities have been canceled.
Officials also urged people not to park near Burke Lake Park or block its gates, despite the park’s appeal as a sledding destination. Vehicles obstructing entrances can create unsafe conditions and interfere with crews clearing paths, the park authority said.
Fairfax Connector buses are scheduled to resume operations Tuesday after service was suspended at 9 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 24. The system will offer limited Sunday-level service on selected routes, with snow detours possible. Connector stores will remain closed, and bus operations could change depending on road conditions.
Vienna and Fairfax City cancel council meetings
Vienna and Fairfax City canceled meetings of their respective councils, though neither municipality had announced whether its offices would open Tuesday.
The Vienna Town Council had been scheduled to meet Monday at 7:30 p.m. to discuss its 2026 priorities, the timeline for an aquatic and fitness center project, proposed zoning amendments and other matters. A public hearing on the zoning changes was postponed until Feb. 23.
Vienna’s primary roads had been plowed and treated with deicing agents by Monday morning. Public works crews and contractors then moved to secondary streets, while parks employees cleared sidewalks around town-owned buildings.
The Fairfax City Council canceled its Tuesday night meeting. A public hearing on the proposed Urban Forest Master Plan was rescheduled for the council’s next regular meeting on Feb. 10.
Fairfax City also canceled trash and recycling service through Tuesday, meaning affected residents must wait until the following week for collection.
Herndon plans to open its offices during regular hours Tuesday and offer employees liberal leave. The town nevertheless canceled Tuesday recycling collection.