Penn announced that normal University operations will remain suspended on Tuesday due to continued winter weather conditions.
The Jan. 26 decision was communicated through a UPennAlert at 8 p.m. on Monday, as hazardous conditions persist throughout the Philadelphia area following Sunday’s storm. Similar to Monday’s closure, only essential services — including Penn’s Division of Public Safety, Dining Services, Facilities and Real Estate Services, the University of Pennsylvania Health System, and student health services — will remain operational.
“Please exercise caution and take your time in traveling to campus,” the alert stated.
The update follows Penn’s suspension of operations on Monday. Prior to this week, the University had not suspended operations due to winter weather since January 2024 — when a single day of operations was suspended.
“With the prior approval of the Executive Vice President and Provost and advance notification to employees, fully online academic programs, executive format programs, and/or programs that operate from a different geographic location may follow different closing decisions,” the DPS notification read.
According to the National Weather Service, the Philadelphia area received nine inches of snow through Monday morning, and the region remains under a cold weather advisory until Wednesday. Freezing temperatures have prevented significant melting, leaving walkways and roads icy.
The extended closure has forced some student groups and academic departments to reschedule events and activities. Some professors also opted to hold classes remotely on Monday.
At a Friday press conference, Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle Parker — who graduated from the Fels Institute of Government at Penn in 2016 — declared that a snow emergency will be in effect over the weekend. As of Monday evening, the emergency was still in effect.
Philadelphia declares snow emergencies when winter storms are expected to create dangerous conditions for pedestrians or drivers. Parker specifically instructed residents to limit “unnecessary” travel and to avoid driving if “conditions become hazardous.”
SEPTA Regional Rail services will resume on the morning of Jan. 27, following a Saturday schedule. Bus service is gradually being restored.
Senior reporter Christine Oh leads coverage of student life and can be reached at oh@thedp.com. At Penn, she studies English and philosophy. Follow her on X @ChristineOh_.
