Icy Roads Delay Several Schools Wednesday

WARWICK, RI — Warwick Public Schools and many others in the state have announced delays to classes Wednesday, as weather conditions contribute to icy roads overnight and into the morning commute.

• Warwick Public Schools: Wed 1/17, Delayed 2 hours. ; No AM Pre-K
• Coventry Public Schools: Two Hour Delay 1/17/24; No AM PreK. State PreK reports

According to the National Weather Service, Tuesday night’s recent mix of snow, sleet, rain, and freezing rain combined temperatures near or below freezing was expected to continue to result in hazardous travel conditions overnight and during the Wednesday morning commute.

Black ice was already occurring or expected to occur across the entirety of southern New England in the early evening Tuesday. While portions of interior Massachusetts and Connecticut remained below freezing for the duration of the day and evening, a period of freezing rain Tuesday afternoon resulted in a glaze of ice over the fresh snowpack, thus, slick travel conditions have persisted for the last several hours and will continue to persist on untreated surfaces. Portions of SE MA, including the Cape and Islands, will drop below freezing overnight, such that any standing water will freeze, the NWS reported.

The weather service urged drivers to take extra precautions, including driving at speeds dictated by conditions and leaving extra space between vehicles. Additionally, drivers should be aware that black ice can be very difficult to differentiate from wet roadways, and that bridges freeze first.