Warren County Buried: Blizzard Forces Widespread School Closures and Delays

Well, if you woke up in Warren County this Tuesday morning, February 24, 2026, you likely didn't need an alarm clock to tell you something big had happened overnight. The landscape outside, now muffled and pristine under a thick, fresh blanket of snow, spoke volumes. Yes, the much-anticipated blizzard truly delivered, transforming our familiar towns into a picture-postcard winter scene – albeit one that's made getting around a real challenge.

And with that challenge comes the inevitable: school closures and delayed openings across the county. It's a classic snow day, folks, though perhaps a slightly more intense one than usual. District officials, faced with treacherous road conditions, ongoing snowfall, and the simple reality of getting buses safely through unplowed streets, had to make some tough but necessary calls.

Many districts, including familiar names like Phillipsburg, Hackettstown, Belvidere, and the Washington Township schools, opted for a full closure. That means a day off for students and staff, a chance to perhaps build a snowman (or two!) and for parents to juggle new childcare arrangements. It's always a bit of a scramble, isn't it, when these things happen last minute? But safety, of course, always comes first. Other areas, perhaps slightly less impacted or with quicker plowing operations, announced delayed openings, giving road crews a crucial extra hour or two to clear routes before the morning rush.

The decision-making process behind these calls is never easy. Superintendents and their teams are up well before dawn, consulting with local emergency services, meteorologists, and even driving some of the roads themselves. They're looking at everything from ice potential and drifting snow to visibility and the simple logistical nightmare of getting thousands of students from point A to point B safely. When you're talking about a genuine blizzard, where snowfall rates can be intense and visibility drops to near zero, a closure becomes almost a foregone conclusion.

So, as the snow continues to fall in some areas, and plows work tirelessly to clear our main arteries, residents are urged to take it easy. If you don't absolutely have to be out, please stay home. Enjoy the quiet beauty of the storm, perhaps with a hot cup of coffee or cocoa. For those with kids at home, it's an unexpected bonus day for family time. Let's all keep an eye on local advisories and remember that while the snow is beautiful, it demands our respect and caution.