Breaking: An Arctic blast has shut down classrooms across Ohio today, Jan. 20. Cleveland Metropolitan School District is closed, along with hundreds of schools across Northeast Ohio. Central Ohio districts have also canceled or delayed classes. The reason is not new snow. It is the dangerous cold and bitter wind chills sweeping the state before sunrise. Buses, buildings, and sidewalks cannot safely meet the morning rush in these conditions.
What is driving the shutdowns
A lobe of Arctic air dropped south overnight, tapping straight into Ohio’s morning routine. The wind is the force multiplier. Air temperatures are well below freezing. Wind chills are even lower, and in some areas they are deep below zero. That combination steals heat from the body fast. Exposed skin can be at risk in minutes.
Wind chill is not a guess. It is a measure of how the wind speeds up heat loss from your skin. Below about minus 15, frostbite can start in under 30 minutes. Younger students waiting at early bus stops face the greatest risk, especially in open areas and along wide roads.
Hazardous cold is in place this morning. Limit time outdoors. Cover skin. Watch for signs of numbness, clumsiness, and pale or gray patches.
How districts make the call
District leaders began checking conditions long before dawn. They look at more than snowfall totals. They track wind chill, bus fleet readiness, building heat, and road treatments. Salt becomes less effective as temperatures drop. Sidewalks refreeze before sunrise. Diesel and batteries perform poorly in extreme cold, and old doors and boilers can seize up.
Many districts use wind chill thresholds to guide decisions. When values fall into the minus teens or lower, closures or late starts become likely. Delays can push the commute into daylight, when winds ease and crews have more time to treat routes. Today, many leaders moved straight to closures. The cold is simply too sharp for safe waiting and walking.
How to track closures fast
This is a moving target, and more updates are expected through the morning. Families in Northeast and Central Ohio can confirm their district status in a few quick steps.
- Check your district’s official website or mobile app for direct alerts
- Sign up for text or email notifications from your school or bus service
- Tune to local TV or radio morning reports for countywide lists
- Recheck midday for updates on after-school events and athletics
A First Alert day for hazardous cold has been issued locally. Expect widespread extracurricular cancellations and limited evening activities if the cold lingers.
Stay safe on the morning commute
If you must go out, dress like you plan to stand still. Layers trap heat. Cotton holds moisture, so pick wool or synthetic base layers. Cover cheeks, ears, fingers, and toes. Keep phones and inhalers warm inside a pocket. Cars can stall longer in this cold, so plan for a backup.
- Wear two to three layers, a hat, a scarf or gaiter, and insulated gloves
- Waterproof boots with warm socks help prevent numbness and slips
- Start cars early in a ventilated space, never in a closed garage
- Keep kids off bare metal benches and railings to avoid skin injury
Pack a cold kit today, extra mittens, hand warmers, lip balm, tissues, and a small snack. Keep it in a backpack or parent’s car.
The climate connection and what comes next
A day like this can feel at odds with a warming world. It is not. Winters are trending warmer on average, yet the atmosphere can still deliver short, severe cold shots. As the Arctic warms faster than midlatitudes, the jet stream can meander more. At times it sends a pocket of polar air into the Great Lakes and Ohio Valley. That is what we are living through this morning.
These bursts stress our systems. Schools are working to tighten buildings, upgrade heating, and improve ventilation to hold warmth with less energy. Bus fleets are shifting to cleaner fuels and electric models, with cold weather protocols to protect range and reliability. Cities are mapping warm-up shelters and safer walking corridors for extreme mornings like this. Smart planning means fewer closures and safer commutes over time, even when the thermometer dives.
Bottom line
Ohio schools are closed or delayed across wide areas today because of dangerous wind chills, not snowfall. Keep children indoors this morning, and watch for district updates throughout the day. If you must travel, cover up, move quickly, and check on neighbors. We will continue to monitor the cold’s reach, the timing of the rebound, and what it means for schedules tonight and tomorrow. Stay warm, stay patient, and stay safe.
