Winter weather has brought North Texas to a standstill, forcing most major school districts to cancel classes for at least the first two days of the week as dangerous road conditions persist across the region.
Dallas ISD and Fort Worth ISD are among numerous districts that have announced closures for Monday, January 26, 2026, with many extending cancellations through Tuesday as a wintry mix of precipitation continues to make travel treacherous. The closures affect hundreds of thousands of students across the metroplex.
How bad is it? A combination of freezing rain, sleet, and snow has created a layer of ice on most roadways, and with temperatures expected to remain below freezing until at least Tuesday, there’s little hope for improvement in the immediate future. Transportation officials have warned drivers to stay home unless absolutely necessary.
Districts Across the Region Affected
The list of closures reads like a who’s who of North Texas education. Arlington ISD, Carrollton-Farmers Branch ISD, Denton ISD, DeSoto ISD, Grand Prairie ISD, Irving ISD, and Mansfield ISD have all shut their doors for the first two days of the week. More districts may join them as conditions are reassessed, according to reports from local authorities.
“We’re prioritizing the safety of our students and staff,” said a Dallas ISD spokesperson. “The road conditions simply don’t allow for safe transportation at this time.”
This isn’t the first time winter weather has disrupted the school calendar in recent years, but the widespread nature of these closures highlights the severity of the current storm system. Many districts had already built snow days into their academic calendars, though extended closures could potentially affect scheduling later in the spring semester.
Parents across the region now face the familiar challenge of arranging childcare or working from home while keeping kids occupied during an unexpected break. Meanwhile, school administrators are monitoring weather forecasts closely to determine when it might be safe to resume classes.
The winter storm, dubbed “Fern” by meteorologists, has delivered exactly what was predicted last week — and then some. While the precipitation is expected to taper off by Monday evening, the deep freeze settling over North Texas means whatever has already fallen won’t be going anywhere soon.
For now, the normally bustling school parking lots will remain empty, with the sounds of buses and morning drop-offs replaced by the quiet crunch of ice underfoot for anyone brave enough to venture outdoors.
