Montgomery County, MD

01/24/2026 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 01/24/2026 12:53

Montgomery County January 2026 Snow Update #1: County Declares Snow Emergency

For Immediate Release: Saturday, January 24, 2026

Parking Rules in Effect at 6 p.m. Today and Ride On Schedules Impacted on Sunday, Jan. 25

Libraries, Rec Centers, Animal Shelter, ABS Stores, and MCPS Activities Closed/Canceled for Sunday, Jan. 25

A "snow emergency " is being declared for Montgomery County to take effect at 6 p.m. today, Saturday, Jan. 24. This declaration imposes on-street parking restrictions and makes covered County garages available for free parking.

During the snow emergency, parking is prohibited on posted snow emergency routes and posted surface parking lots. Residents are asked to make every effort to park in driveways and garages as parking is available at no charge in County-operated parking garages. Where street parking is unavoidable, the side of the street where cars are allowed to park will alternate by day to allow for snow clearing.

If residents must park on-street on non-snow emergency routes, starting at 6 p.m. today through Monday, Jan. 26, residents should only park on the side of the street with even numbered addresses. If emergency conditions persist, residents will be expected to move their cars to the side of the street with odd numbers on Tuesday, Jan. 27 by 7 a.m.

As a result, in accordance with the County Code, County residents are advised of the following requirements:

  • Parking is permitted between 7 a.m. and 5 p.m. on Sundays, Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays on the side of any street or highway with even street numbers.
  • Parking is permitted between 7 a.m. and 5 p.m. on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays on the side of any street or highway with odd street numbers.
  • On any block where parking is prohibited on one side of the street for the entire block, the parking prohibition is superseded by the day of week provisions described above during the snow emergency period.
  • Any vehicle parked and left unattended in violation of these provisions may be removed and impounded.
  • Fees for County parking garages will be waived during a County declared snow emergency. Residents may park in County garages and are encouraged to use them for off-street parking until the snow emergency is ended, as declared by a follow-up press release.

In addition, taxicabs providing service are permitted to charge an additional $2.50 per trip.

Separately, the state also declares snow emergencies for state roads, typically identified by roadways with numbers (for example, Rockville Pike / 355). This issuance does not have the same parking restrictions on County roads, nor does it waive County parking fees.

Ride On bus service will operate on a reduced schedule on Sunday, Jan. 25, operating 17 routes with a frequency of 40 to 60 minutes, with reduced service hours of 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. A decision on Monday, Jan. 26 service levels will be made on Sunday afternoon. Visit www.RideOnBus.com for a list of operating routes and additional information.

Government Facilities Operating Updates:

  • Montgomery County Public Libraries (MCPL) will be closed on Sunday, Jan. 25.
  • Montgomery County Department of Recreation Centers will be closed on Sunday, Jan. 25.
  • Montgomery County Alcohol Beverage Services (ABS) Stores will be closed on Sunday, Jan. 25.
  • The Montgomery County Animal Adoption Center will be closed on Sunday, Jan. 25.
  • The County's non-emergency informational call center, MC 311, will open on Sunday, Jan. 25 from noon to 8 p.m. MC 311 will have extended hours on Monday, Jan. 26 from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. to handle calls regarding the storm. Residents can contact MC 311 by calling 3-1-1 or 240-777-0311 or online at MC311.com.
  • Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS)-sponsored activities are canceled for Sunday, Jan. 25. MCPS schools are closed to students on Monday, Jan. 26 for a previously scheduled end of term grading and planning day. MCPS will update its operational status for Monday, Jan. 26 on Sunday, Jan. 25 at 4 p.m.

For up-to-date snow-related information, residents can visit the County's Snow Information Portal.

# # #

Transportation Media Contact: Emily DeTitta, 240-372-2282, [email protected]

Release ID: 26-019
Media Contact: Scott Peterson 240-255-8462, Emily DeTitta 240-372-2282
Categories: Executive Office, Public Safety, Public Works, Snow
Montgomery County, MD published this content on January 24, 2026, and is solely responsible for the information contained herein. Distributed via Public Technologies (PUBT), unedited and unaltered, on January 24, 2026 at 18:53 UTC. If you believe the information included in the content is inaccurate or outdated and requires editing or removal, please contact us at [email protected]