Alexandria city offices open at 10 a.m. Wednesday; ACPS holds virtual learning day

Alexandria residents are waking up on Wednesday to a third day of disrupted services and dangerously cold temperatures as the city continues recovering from what officials called the worst ice storm in 30 years.

The National Weather Service has issued a cold weather advisory until 11 a.m. Wednesday, with wind chills as low as 8 below zero. A second cold weather advisory takes effect at 7 p.m. Wednesday through 11 a.m. Thursday.

Temperatures will remain in the low-to-mid 20s through Friday, with highs dropping to 19 on Saturday. There is a 30% chance of snow on Saturday night.

Here’s what you need to know.

City operations

All City of Alexandria government offices, facilities, and courts will open at 10 a.m. Wednesday.

The city’s snow emergency declaration expired at 11:59 p.m. Tuesday, though crews are continuing snow removal operations around the clock. City Manager Jim Parajon toldthe council Tuesday night that primary roads are 100% passable, but residential streets remain icy and may require additional passes due to overnight refreezing.

What happened

Parajon told the council the storm required crews to make more than 20 passes on Duke Street alone — compared to one or two in a typical heavy snow event. The combination of 7 inches of snow followed by hours of sleet and freezing rain created solid ice that limited the effectiveness of traditional plowing.

The city hauled approximately 300 dump truck loads of ice out of Old Town and Del Ray — an unusual measure Parajon said hasn’t happened “in a long, long, long time.”

More than 100 pieces of equipment, 200 city staff, and eight contractors with 200 additional workers have been deployed since Saturday. Crews continue working 12-hour shifts around the clock.

Parajon acknowledged the city’s SnowReport tracker is providing inaccurate information due to contractors' unfamiliarity with street names. The city is working to fix it within 24 hours or will provide an alternative.

Schools

Alexandria City Public Schools will hold a synchronous virtual learning day. All buildings and offices are closed for in-person learning.

Students in grades 3-12 should have their Chromebooks at home. Families should check Canvas or Clever by 8 a.m. for their child’s schedule. Attendance will be taken through logging in.

Free lunch meals are available to all children under 18 from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at:

Alexandria City High School, 3330 King St., Door 34
Charles Barrett Elementary School, 1115 Martha Custis Drive, main entrance

Trash collection

Trash, recycling, yard waste, and curbside composting collection is canceled Monday through Wednesday. There will be no make-up runs for those days.

Cold weather safety

The weather service urged residents to wear appropriate clothing, hats, and gloves when traveling outside. Additional precautions:

Keep pets indoors as much as possible
Ensure outdoor animals have warm, dry shelter and unfrozen water
Check frequently on older family members, friends, and neighbors
Use portable heaters correctly
Do not use generators or grills indoors

Resources

The winter shelter at 2355-A Mill Road remains open with 24-hour operations through Tuesday, Feb. 3, at 12 p.m.

The Market Square, Court House, and Union Street parking garages are open. Residents are encouraged to use garages when possible to help keep streets clear for plows.