WORCESTER—The snow isn’t done with the city yet, so that means the city cannot be done with the snow.
For the second straight day, Worcester Public Schools and most municipal buildings will be closed Tuesday as a winter storm cleanup continues in central Massachusetts. City Hall will reopen at 5 p.m., however, ahead of the regularly scheduled city council meeting.
The closures, announced late Monday afternoon, follow a winter storm warning that began Sunday and stretches into Tuesday morning, though the Worcester area is in cleanup phase. Forecasters have called for 10 to 20 inches of snow across the region, along with wind gusts up to 45 mph, creating hazardous travel conditions and near-whiteout visibility at times.
All Worcester Public Schools—including Head Start, preschool and after-school programs—are closed Tuesday. Only essential personnel are to report. School officials directed families to check ParentSquare or worcesterschools.org for updates.
As students settle in for another snow day, Burncoat Middle Schoolers are making the most of it. The school produced a tongue-in-cheek “Snowvivor” video as part of the district’s 2025-26 snow day video contest. (We’ve linked to it above.)
Municipal buildings, including Worcester City Hall during normal business hours, all Worcester Public Library branches, the Worcester Senior Center and the Residential Drop-Off Center, remain closeds Tuesday. City Hall will open at 5 p.m. ahead of the city council meeting.
Several public meetings have been shuffled: the Advisory Commission on Youth meets virtually at 3 p.m.; the Standing Committee on Public Works meeting scheduled for 5 p.m. has been canceled; and the Community Preservation Committee meeting has been rescheduled to Wednesday at 5:30 p.m. in Meeting Room A at the Parks Department, 50 Officer Manny Familia Way.
Trash and recycling collection is canceled Tuesday.
The city’s Winter Weather Emergency and declared parking ban remain in effect until further notice. During a declared ban, parking is prohibited on both sides of main arteries, emergency and bus routes, and downtown streets critical to traffic flow. On other streets, parking is allowed only on the odd-numbered side unless otherwise posted.
Police have said they will ticket and tow vehicles that violate the ban to allow plows to clear streets. Residents who believe their vehicle has been towed can contact 311 or visit worcesterma.gov/311.
Free parking is available in municipal garages during the ban, except when special event rates apply.
City officials continue to urge residents to limit travel, leave extra time if driving is unavoidable, and avoid plows and road treatment vehicles. Property owners have up to 10 hours after the end of the storm to clear sidewalks and are encouraged to clear snow from around hydrants and catch basins. Snow should not be shoveled into the street.
With more snow still falling Monday night, Worcester’s message is simple: stay put if you can — and dig out later.
