Harford Schools Update Weather Decision For Tuesday Jan 9 2018

HARFORD COUNTY, MD — Schools in Harford County will be closed for students on Tuesday, Jan. 9. School officials cited icy roads in making the decision to close at 7 a.m., after an earlier call to delay opening.

"Due to dangerous icy conditions, Harford County Public Schools will be CLOSED today, Tuesday, January 9," Harford County Public Schools said in a statement.

Code Blue employees should report for duty at 11 a.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 9.

SEE ALSO: Harford County Offices, HCC Delay Opening On Jan 9 2018

Sidewalks in some parts of Harford County are not navigable, according to officials.

Here is an update on road conditions from Aberdeen Public Works Director Kyle Torster, who said crews were out Tuesday morning reapplying salt after temperatures dropped below freezing overnight.

"Main roads remain clear but still show signs of ice at hills and intersections. Side roads, parking lots and other places that are less traveled are much worse and have a significant amount of black ice. Nearly all sidewalks are impassible due to the presence of ice that has glazed the panels," Torster said.

"We are in a waiting game with the temperatures, and road conditions will not see significant improvement until the temps get warmer in the next 1-2 hours," Torster said at 7:30 a.m. on Tuesday. "Please take your time this morning and allow extra distance when traveling."

The decision to close schools in Harford County on Tuesday came after freezing rain Monday in the region prompted many schools, including those in Harford County, to close early.

There was 0.03 inch of ice reported in Norrisville Monday afternoon, according to preliminary data from the National Weather Service.

The National Weather Service issued a special weather statement alerting those in the Baltimore-Washington area to watch for ice on untreated roads and sidewalks through early Tuesday morning.

"Use extreme caution if walking or driving early this morning. Treat any wet surface as ice," the National Weather Service said in a statement Tuesday. "Patchy fog has developed in subfreezing air early this morning across portions of the Baltimore-Washington metropolitan area...Not only will this locally reduce visibility, but this will also contribute to an icy glaze on all untreated surfaces."

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