Buncombe County Announces Closures, Delays and Remote Learning Jan. 27

A winter storm coated roads in sleet, freezing rain and a wintry mix across Western North Carolina, prompting school districts and universities to close, delay or move classes online for Tuesday, Jan. 27. The decisions affect commutes, childcare plans and after-school programs for families across the region.

“Schools across the mountains are looking at delays, closings and remote learning days once again on Tuesday, Jan. 27, after a winter storm dumped sleet, freezing rain and a wintry mix in Western North Carolina. And that was before the wind chills set in,” the Citizen Times noted as districts posted updates. Weather services raised alarms about bitter temperatures: “An extreme cold warning was issued Monday for some Western North Carolina counties. The warning was in effect for Ashe, Avery and Watauga counties from 6 p.m. on Monday through noon on Tuesday,” and “a cold weather advisory was in place for the remainder of the counties in the Charlotte region,” WBTV reported. With gusty winds, forecasters warned that “temperatures could feel as cold as 20 degrees below zero.”

Mountain counties supplied the most specific local operations. WYFF4 reported that “Graham County Schools will be closed on Tuesday, Jan. 27, 2026,” and that “On Tuesday, January 27, 2026, Haywood County Schools will be Closed. It will be a Remote Learning/Optional Teacher Workday.” Jackson County posted a two-hour delay “due to single digit morning temperatures. Breakfast will be available for all students.” Macon County planned a three-hour delay “with no buses on icy roads,” while Swain County also set a two-hour delay “due to forecasted extreme cold.” Several systems designated teacher workdays or annual leave for staff: “McDowell County Schools will be closed for students on Tuesday, January 27, 2026. Tuesday will be annual leave days for staff,” WYFF4 wrote, and Polk County said “All schools closed on Tuesday, Jan. 27. Annual leave day for teachers.”

Higher education and larger urban districts also adjusted schedules. WCCB listed UNC Charlotte with a delayed start to 11:30 a.m., and noted Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools on remote learning with “(Sports and school programs canceled).” Western Carolina University issued a campus-specific notice: “Due to differing impacts between Cullowhee and Biltmore, site-specific schedule and operational adjustments will be in place for Tuesday, January 27. Cullowhee, Classes at the Cullowhee main campus will be held at the normal scheduled times. Students should contact their professors if they cannot safely travel to”, an advisory that underscores uneven travel conditions between sites.

Across the Piedmont Triad and Charlotte regions, WXII12 and WCCB compiled long lists of remote-learning days and closures. WXII12 noted that “GUILFORD COUNTY SCHOOLS- The district said students will learn remotely on Tuesday. All after-school activities have been cancelled,” and that WS/FCS, Winston-Salem Forsyth County Schools, closed schools and canceled activities “due to unsafe road conditions.”

These schedule changes have public health and equity implications. Delays and remote days protect students and staff from icy roads and life-threatening wind chills, but they also disrupt school-provided meals, in-person special education services and the schedules of essential workers who cannot work from home. Some districts, like Jackson County, kept breakfast available even with delays, while others declared staff annual-leave days, a policy that can disproportionately affect lower-paid hourly employees.

Buncombe County residents should monitor official district and university channels for any local updates or clarifications, and prepare for lingering travel hazards and service disruptions. As the Citizen Times reminds readers, “This file will be updated with the latest information as it comes in.” Expect more local announcements as conditions evolve and school systems confirm operations for the remainder of the week.