Blizzard conditions from Winter Storm Niko have dumped heavy snow and ice across the Atlantic Northeast and New England. The bad weather crippled transportation services, as schools canceled or delayed classes.
Boston Public Schools remained closed Friday, and all school bus service was canceled after Winter Storm Niko dumped more than 20 inches of snow in a 24-hour period. A snow emergency and parking ban in the city was lifted Friday morning. However, 80 school districts throughout Massachusetts remained closed.
Seventeen school closures were reported in neighboring New Hampshire and 11 in Connecticut. Most schools were open in Maine on Friday, though many had delayed start times.
Schools were reopened Friday in New York City and regular route school busing resumed after Niko dumped a foot of snow on the Bronx and at least eight inches on Manhattan with temperatures in the teens. All yellow bus field trips were also canceled for Friday. The New York City Department of Education repeated warnings to students and parents that school bus schedules would likely delayed due to icy and slippery road conditions. While delays were common, there were no serious incidents reported.
Meanwhile, Philadelphia lifted a snow emergency Thursday at noon as Niko headed northeast. Three to four inches of snow fell in certain parts of the city, and the Philadelphia Streets Department was continuing plowing streets even as black ice remained a challenge for motorists and school buses.
