Watertown News (https://www.watertownmanews.com/tag/snow-emergency/)
(Updated on Feb. 23, 2026 at 6:11 p.m.)
The Watertown Public Schools will be closed on Tuesday, Feb. 26, 2026 due to the snow storm that hit the area Sunday and Monday. The Library and Senior Center will be closed and the Food Pantry will operate at the Parker Building. Other buildings will have a delayed opening on Tuesday.
On-street parking will be prohibited during the Snow Emergency for the storm that could drop more 18 inches of snow on Watertown. Several City facilities will be closed Monday, and trash and recycling will be impacted by the storm. Watertown falls near the area where WCVB Channel 5 forecasts 18 inches of snow. The National Weather Service issued a Blizzard Warning from Sunday at 4 p.m. to Monday at 7 a.m. with sustained winds of 25 mph and gusts up to 54 mph. It will be the first blizzard in the area for four years, according to WCVB.
The Snow Emergency will run through Tuesday morning, meaning on-street parking is prohibited overnight. The City also reminded residents that snow and ice must be removed from sidewalks after the end of the storm. See the announcement from the City of Watertown below:
The City of Watertown’s declared snow emergency and on-street parking ban is still in effect and will end at 6 a.m. on Tuesday, January 27, 2026. Cars must be removed from all School parking lots at 6 a.m. and all other City-provided parking lots by 7 a.m. Vehicles not removed promptly will hinder snow removal operations and are subject to towing. We greatly appreciate your cooperation.As a reminder, property owners are responsible for removing snow and ice from sidewalks after storms. Please help Watertown stay safe and accessible during the winter season, and please do not shovel snow into the street.
Watertown’s Winter Parking Ban will last just two months in 2026, from Jan. 1 to March 1, after the City Council approved a temporary change in the overnight parking regulations. In addition, they approved a sharp increase in fines for cars left on the road during a snow emergency. Tuesday night, City Manager George Proakis presented the changes, which were meant to be a stop-gap until the City can do a more wholesale change to the parking ban. In January, residents filled the Council Chamber for a hearing about eliminating the parking ban completely.
Charlie BreitroseSnow started early Tuesday and will get much heavier during the day. The overnight parking ban may be reduced by more than a month if the City Council approves a proposal for a temporary modification to the Winter Parking Ban on Tuesday night. The proposal will be discussed on Tuesday, Nov. 18 at 6 p.m. in City Hall and on Zoom. City Council President Mark Sideris gave a preview of the changes during the Nov.
The following announcement was provided by the City of Watertown:
The City of Watertown has declared a Snow Emergency starting at 8:00 PM on Saturday, February 8, 2025. The Snow Emergency will remain in effect until further notice. On-street parking is banned, and vehicles left on the street can be towed. Please assist by clearing snow from fire hydrants and catch basins. Remember that you are required to shovel the sidewalk abutting your property within 24 hours after snow ends.
The City of Watertown has declared a snow emergency for the snow storm forecast to drop five inches or more on the area. See details in the announcement sent out by City officials. The City of Watertown has declared a Snow Emergency starting at 4:00 PM on Sunday, January 19, 2025, due to expected snowfall. The Snow Emergency will remain in effect until further notice. On-street parking is banned, and vehicles left on the street are subject to be towed.
The City of Watertown sent out the following announcement:
The City of Watertown has declared a snow emergency that will take effect starting at 1:00 AM on Tuesday, February 13, 2024. Up to 12 inches of snow is currently forecast to fall throughout the day Tuesday.
Once the snow emergency goes into effect, on-street parking will be prohibited, and any vehicle left on the street will be towed. The snow emergency and on-street parking ban will be in effect until further notice.
There will be no trash, recycling, or compost collection on Tuesday, and all pickups will be delayed by one day. Collections will occur from Wednesday, February 14 through Saturday, February 17, 2024. The Recycle Center will also be closed on Tuesday.
Further updates will be posted on the City of Watertown’s website: www.watertown-ma.gov and on the City’s Facebook and Instagram.