Washington D.C. residents are seething over nearly two dozen schools remaining closed due to impassable streets caused by last week's blizzard that dumped record-breaking snowfall on the region.
The District was battered by Winter Storm Fern, which left Virginia entrenched in ice and buried Washington D.C. and Maryland under mountains of snow – a first for the southern Mid-Atlantic since January 2023. Local authorities scrambled to clear streets before the storm's arrival, only to be met with stubborn sleet that has proven resistant to removal.
DC Mayor Muriel Bowser, a Democrat, has been mocked for dubbing the remaining sleet "snowcrete" – a term she used on X to describe the city's struggles with cleanup efforts. The mayor revealed that excess snow is being dumped at the shuttered RFK Stadium campus and Carter Theatre Amphitheater.
The city's public schools were already closed, but 18 school systems in the DMV area have since followed suit due to impassable roads and sidewalks. Montgomery County Public Schools cited "poor visibility" and "safety hazards" created by post-plowing snow as the reason for their closure.
As frustration builds among residents, Capitol Hill is not immune to the fallout. Congressional Democrats are said to be "quietly seething" over Bowser's handling of the cleanup, with some senior aides claiming that the mayor is being out of touch with the problem at hand. A snarky remark from a GOP aide sums up the sentiment: "Democrats are worried about the wrong ice – namely, ICE funding."
In related news, Washington D.C. officials have confirmed an investigation into four potential deaths linked to the extreme cold snap.
The city's woes are not unique to Washington D.C., as New York City has also been ravaged by severe weather. The death toll rose to 16 on Monday, with trash piling up on streets and gridlock caused by mountains of snow creating a never-ending nightmare for commuters.
The District was battered by Winter Storm Fern, which left Virginia entrenched in ice and buried Washington D.C. and Maryland under mountains of snow – a first for the southern Mid-Atlantic since January 2023. Local authorities scrambled to clear streets before the storm's arrival, only to be met with stubborn sleet that has proven resistant to removal.
DC Mayor Muriel Bowser, a Democrat, has been mocked for dubbing the remaining sleet "snowcrete" – a term she used on X to describe the city's struggles with cleanup efforts. The mayor revealed that excess snow is being dumped at the shuttered RFK Stadium campus and Carter Theatre Amphitheater.
The city's public schools were already closed, but 18 school systems in the DMV area have since followed suit due to impassable roads and sidewalks. Montgomery County Public Schools cited "poor visibility" and "safety hazards" created by post-plowing snow as the reason for their closure.
As frustration builds among residents, Capitol Hill is not immune to the fallout. Congressional Democrats are said to be "quietly seething" over Bowser's handling of the cleanup, with some senior aides claiming that the mayor is being out of touch with the problem at hand. A snarky remark from a GOP aide sums up the sentiment: "Democrats are worried about the wrong ice – namely, ICE funding."
In related news, Washington D.C. officials have confirmed an investigation into four potential deaths linked to the extreme cold snap.
The city's woes are not unique to Washington D.C., as New York City has also been ravaged by severe weather. The death toll rose to 16 on Monday, with trash piling up on streets and gridlock caused by mountains of snow creating a never-ending nightmare for commuters.