UPDATED, Feb. 1, 7:30 p.m.: After 40 hours of snow and ice removal operations, the town’s public works crews went home at 5 a.m. on Jan. 27 for a well-deserved break. But town crews were out again later on Tuesday to continue the cleanup from the storm that brought nearly 20 inches of snow to Arlington.
On Jan. 28, the town’s Public Works Department on cleared curb corners and sidewalks along town-owned properties, prioritizing routes around schools, according to a town release. Crews worked overnight Wednesday along Mass. Avenue to clear main intersections, crosswalks, handicapped parking, and bus stops, the town announced.
Work continued through Feb. 1. The town sent out a notice on Sunday, one week after the snowstorm hit, to say that crews would be in the Center and along Mass. Avenue cleaning up the piles of snow starting at 11:45 p.m. Cleanup work will continue throughout the town. Trash and recycling pickup will return to its regular schedule on Feb. 2.
Public Works performed overnight snow and ice removal operations along Mass. Avenue, and time permitting around Broadway, starting at 11:45 p.m. on Jan. 27. Residents were notified that they might hear Department of Public Works vehicles and workers during this time. “Overnight work is being performed in consideration of pedestrian and vehicular traffic, as well as the safety of the public and DPW workers,” according to a town release.
“All travelers are reminded that due to high snowbanks and limited visibility, to exercise caution whether you are walking or driving, especially around school zones during drop off and pick up times,” the town cautioned.
As of 5 p.m. on Tuesday, the Facilities Department was working to clear school properties and prepare them for opening on Wednesday morning. Because of high snowbanks and limited visibility, all travelers are reminded to exercise caution whether you are walking or driving, especially around school zones during drop-off and pick-up times. “Be mindful when parking to avoid obstructing traffic and allow room for emergency vehicles to safely pass,” the town’s announcement said.
On Tuesday morning, with more than 19 inches of snow covering Arlington, the cleanup around town continues. When the snowfall ended by 11 p.m. on Jan. 26, town crews had worked for more than 24 hours straight on the thoroughfares and side streets to get them open for travel.
The much-anticipated storm brought up to an inch of snow an hour to the area with reports pegging the total at more than a foot of snow by 11 p.m. on Sunday. Arlington Public Schools did not have classes on Jan. 26 and Jan. 27, and many events have been canceled, giving crews — and residents — a chance to clean out from the large snowstorm. Schools re-opened for Wednesday, Jan. 28.
Public Works snow and ice operations update
Public Works continued snow and ice removal operations across Arlington and worked into the evening of Jan. 26 to address another band of snow that hit the area. Town officials noted that it will take most of the week to cleanup the snow. “This storm will be followed by frigid temperatures, so take care when removing snow. The town continues to ask residents to limit their travel during snow and ice removal operations and DO NOT put snow into the roadways,” the town said in an alert. “Work will continue tomorrow with clearing around schools, main intersections, crosswalks, and bus stops, which will take several days to complete.”
Post-Storm Cleanup
The town reminded residents and businesses to clear public sidewalks and not move snow into the roadways in accordance with town bylaws, the town said in an alert sent out on Jan. 26. “If you live on a corner, clear a path from the sidewalk to the street. If not precisely on the corner, as close to the corner as you can get.”
Meteorologist Matthew Moll, who provides YourArlington with weather reports, forecasted that on Tuesday, Arlington will see “dry weather and sunshine. Despite calmer winds, temperatures remain well below normal for late January.” That means cleaning up the snow is key before it freezes in place.
The town of Arlington lifted the snow emergency/parking ban at 7 a.m. on Jan. 27. For those parked in the Russell Municipal lot, cars will need to be removed by 9 a.m. on Jan. 27. The ban was in effect from 1 p.m. on Jan. 25. During a ban, parking is not allowed on streets, even with a permit. Vehicles parked in the street are subject to ticketing and towing. Parking at the Russell Common municipal lot is allowed during the ban and is free; rates apply after the ban is lifted, according to the town’s notice.
Snow and Ice Operations Update
At about 8 p.m. on Sunday, the town issued a statement saying that Public Works snow and ice removal efforts would through the evening. “The town and plow drivers want everyone to be safe and ask that pedestrians to stay out of the roadways. Do not sled, ski, or otherwise engage in winter activities in the street. Visibility is poor and it is dangerous,” according to the notice.
Midday on Sunday, Arlington Police officers were seen out, warning people in the Heights to move their cars so plows and snow removal crews could do their jobs. No tickets were issued when YourArlington was observing as most people moved their vehicles once asked by the police.
MBTA reroutes and closures
The MBTA’s 78 Arlmont/Harvard bus, which runs from the Harvard Red Line station to the Lexington line, is back to its regular route, but the T has announced that drivers will miss some stops because of access and snow clearing. On Jan. 25, as the storm started to hit the area at 11:15 a.m., the route was changed to its snow route, which the bus will forego its trip up Concord Turnpike and instead use Pleasant Street to Mass. Avenue. Similarly, the 62 bus, which connects the Alewife train stop to the Veterans Administration Hospital in Bedford, also has a service note because of road conditions. The route also eliminated the Route 2 service road/Concord Turnpike and will travel through Arlington using Pleasant Street to Mass. Avenue on Sunday. The other Arlington routes — 77, 80, 95 and others — all are on regular routes but have seen delays and missed stops as the snow continues to be cleared.
Openings, closings and postponements
On Jan. 27, all Town Hall Administrative Offices and the Robbins and Fox libraries will be open.
The Robbins Library was closed Sunday, Jan. 25, the town announced, and it remained closed on Monday, Jan. 26.
Town administration offices were closed on Jan. 26: Town Hall, 730 Mass. Ave., Community Center, 27 Maple St., Recreation Office, 17 Irving St., Public Works Administrative, 51 Grove St., Inspectional Services, 51 Grove St., Fire Administrative, 411 Mass Ave., Police Administrative, 112 Mystic St., and the Police Records Room, 112 Mystic St.
The Stop & Shop has had a steady stream of shoppers for days, as has the Whole Foods just down Mass. Avenue, which announced it closed at 2 p.m. on Sunday.
In an unrelated event that added to some residents’ confusion, all Arlington Public School phones and the network were down on Jan. 23. (All radio devices remained functional, and staff were able to communicate internally.) The network was shut down when power was cut to the building with the school department’s data center, following a fire at the Department of Public Works facilities on Grove Street on Jan. 23.
R.W. Shattuck Hardware was open until 5 p.m. on Jan. 25 and reopened at its regular hours on Jan. 26.
On Jan. 25, the morning public skating session was held at the Ed Burns Arena, but the afternoon session was canceled, according to the town’s website. At the Regent Theatre, the screenings for the Belmont World Film’s Family Festival, scheduled for Sunday, have been postponed. The new schedule will be announced on Jan. 26. The Arlington Historical Society’s lecture on George Washington and the 250th anniversary of the start of the country has been postponed.
In an interesting twist, the winner of the Arlington High School Battle of the Bands was Snow Day. The friendly competition was held on Friday night at the Regent Theatre. The band Suicidal Squirrels placed second. You can watch the performances via this ACMi link.
Changes to trash and recycling
The town of Arlington sent out an email on Jan. 23 announcing there will be no trash or recycling on Monday. Jan. 26. This will cause a one-day delay for the rest of the week. The announcement also encouraged community members to sign up for “Arlington Alerts,” which are notifications regarding town emergencies or important events/ updates sent via text, phone or email. Any further details pertaining to the snow over the weekend may be announced to the community via this notification system.
“During a storm, all are encouraged to exercise caution when traveling and to park off-street to assist snow removal operations,” according to the town’s announcement. “After a storm, residents and businesses are reminded to keep public walkways clear in accordance with Town bylaws and to not push snow into the street. If you are able, clear fire hydrants and catch basins near your property and check in on neighbors who may need assistance.”
Town board meetings going virtual
Select Board and Redevelopment Board meetings, which are usually held both in-person and virtually, are only scheduled for virtual participation this Monday, Jan. 26. The Zoning Board of Appeals was scheduled to hold a hearing on the Housing Corporation of Arlington’s plans for a Mass. Avenue project has postponed the meeting until Monday, Feb. 2.
The early forecast held — several states across the country received severe snow this weekend, and unsurprisingly, New England was impacted. Meteorologists are predicting snowfall could accumulate up to 16 to 22 inches in Greater Boston, which would make this the biggest snowstorm Boston and surrounding neighborhoods has seen in four years.
Water main break in East Arlington
While many were preparing for the storm, residents near North Union Street in East Arlington were without water as town crews worked to fix what was reported to be a water main break. The crews had the work done in several hours.
Tracking the storm
The storm began on Friday, Jan. 23, at the Arizona-Mexico border and is traveling through upstate New York, pushing through Boston by Sunday.
In Arlington, temperatures are dropped to about 5 degrees Fahrenheit on Friday and Saturday nights. These conditions are expected to run through the entire weekend, according to meteorologist Moll, who provides Arlington-specific weather reports for YourArlington.
Moll’s forecast called for “clouds [to] thicken during the morning with snow developing late morning to early afternoon as a coastal storm approaches. Snow becomes steadier through the afternoon and evening, with periods of moderate to potentially heavy snowfall possible. Cold air in place supports all snow.” Once the storm is over by Tuesday morning, expect a week of cold temperatures.
A cold emergency was declared yesterday by Boston Mayor Michelle Wu, who urged residents to plan ahead and look out for neighbors. The extremely low temperatures increases the risk for hypothermia and frostbite for certain individuals, especially the elderly, young children and those experiencing homelessness. A map of emergency shelters available in Boston and the surrounding municipalities is available here. “Our City departments are working around the clock to ensure all Boston residents are connected to the resources they need in a cold emergency,” Wu said in a statement.
Community members can refer to the town’s snow and ice procedures for safety tips and reminders, which includes resources for potential power outages.
Important Phone Numbers
Storms may also bring power outages and damage to trees. Ensure electronics are charged and have flashlights, batteries, and power banks on hand in the event of a power outage.
Residents are reminded of the following important phone numbers and recommend that you print, or otherwise make available offline, these numbers should you lose power:
– Report downed electrical wires: call 911 and Eversource at 1-800-592-2000.
– Report a power outage to Eversource at 1-800-592-2000 or at eversource.com.
– Report a downed street tree or limb to DPW dispatch at 781-316-3301.
The Arlington Health Department issued a warning about the bitter temperatures. “As the forecasts also calls for extreme cold weather from Friday through Sunday, please take necessary precautions to prevent frostbite and hyperthermia, including remaining indoors and avoiding travel if possible; wearing layers, water-resistant boots, and a scarf over your mouth when outdoors,” the announcement said.
All photos by Dave Shrewsbury.
All photos by Dave Shrewsbury.
This story was first published on Jan. 23, 2026, and was updated through Feb. 1. Arlington-based photographer Dave Shrewsbury contributed to this report.
