Washington, DC

(Washington, DC) – Due to winter weather, the Bowser Administration announced that District Government will be closed on Tuesday February 17.  Essential or Emergency personnel will still be required to report to work.

Winter Weather Safety and Preparedness Tips

Property owners are asked to put abrasives (de-icer, rock salt or non-clumping kitty litter) on their sidewalks before the storm starts. Motorists are asked to clear all snow from the vehicle first then drive cautiously.  Assist elderly or disabled neighbors with clearing their sidewalks. Also, for plow drivers’ safety, “Don’t crowd the plow.”  Residents are encouraged to go to snow.dc.gov for updates before, during and after winter storms, and for tips to get one’s home and family prepared for inclement weather.  Residents also may sign up at alert.dc.gov to receive emergency alerts and notifications from Alert DC.

District Snow Emergency

A Snow Emergency will go into effect at 7 am on Tuesday, February 17.  By declaring a Snow Emergency, the District Snow Team (Department of Public Works and Department of Transportation) will be able to clear snow emergency routes curb to curb.  To learn where a vehicle has been towed, call the Towed Vehicle Locator office at (202) 541-6083 or go to http://dpw.dc.gov/service/locate-towed-vehicle.

Visit www.snow.dc.gov for the latest information on the snow emergency.

District Cold Weather Emergency

Last week, Mayor Muriel Bowser activated the city's Cold Emergency Plan. A Cold Emergency Alert is declared whenever the actual or forecast temperature, including the wind-chill factor, falls to 15˚F or to 20˚F with precipitation.

The District’s Homeland Security and Emergency Management Agency (HSEMA), Department of Human Services (DHS) and other city agencies have determined that the weather as forecasted presents a danger to people out in the cold. By activating a Cold Emergency, Mayor Bowser authorizes the District to implement additional measures beyond traditional sheltering, such as warming sites, to keep residents who are homeless warm and safe.

For information on warming shelter and other government services call 211.  Individuals in the District who are homeless should call the Shelter Hotline toll-free at 1-800-535-7252. To request transportation to shelter for individuals in the District of Columbia who are homeless, call 211 or email [email protected].