Additional UPDATE 2:30 pm
APR Community Centers will operate on an inclement weather schedule on Tuesday, January 27
Burton Street and Murphy-Oakley centers are closed.
All other community centers are open from 12-6 p.m., but regular programs are cancelled, including APR Afterschool. All sports leagues and athletics practices are also cancelled.
UPDATE: January 26, 2026 12:38 p.m.
Weather and Road Conditions Update
Low temperatures and wind gusts are expected throughout today. Many areas of Asheville are seeing snowfall, with some areas seeing some accumulation. Public Works crews have trucks out monitoring conditions and applying salt as needed, with additional crews standing by and ready to respond to downed trees or other issues if needed. Please use caution while traveling.
Public safety staff returns to normal operations today, January 26
The Emergency Operations Center reduced operational status to a Level 4 – Monitoring at 11 a.m. today, and all public safety personnel, including water and public works, returned to normal operations. Police and Fire staff will continue their normal operations of 24/7 shifts. Public Works and Water staff will remain on call outside normal business hours. Additionally, Asheville Emergency Management will continue to monitor this weather and increase operational status if needed.
City of Asheville offices will reopen tomorrow, January 27
All City government offices will reopen tomorrow, January 27, and resume normal operating hours.
- The City Council meeting schedule for January 27 will still occur at 10 a.m. in person.
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APR Community Centers will operate on an inclement weather schedule on Tuesday, January 27
- Indoor activities for kids and teens with crafts, learning, and get-to-know-you games available for $5 per child at Crump Shiloh and Avery Montford centers from 9 a.m.-6 p.m.. Each child or teen should bring their own lunch and drink, but snacks are provided. Register here >>
- Burton Street and Murphy-Oakley centers are closed.
- All other community centers are open from 12-6 p.m., but regular programs are cancelled including APR Afterschool. All sports leagues and athletics practices are also cancelled.
- Parking garages will return to normal operations Monday, January 26 at 10 p.m. Exit gates will remain open until tomorrow, January 27 at 8 a.m. Vehicles that exit prior to 8 a.m. Tuesday will be able to exit at no cost.
ART Transit Services resume at 1pm, some route delays
ART bus service returned to service at 1:00 p.m. today, following weather-related impacts.
At this time, most routes are expected to operate as scheduled. Any delays or detours to service will be communicated through iRide alerts here.
Sanitation Services will resume January 27
At this time Sanitation service will return to service tomorrow, January 27, and waste will be collected on a one-day delay. Any changes to this plan will be communicated by 9:30 a.m. tomorrow. Community members can sign up for free to receive notifications about schedule changes or delays here.
2026 CoC PIT Count rescheduled
Due to the Winter Storm Warning in effect for Buncombe County, the 2026 PIT Count will not take place on January 27 and 28. It has been rescheduled to Tuesday, February 10 and Wednesday, February 11. More information about volunteering for the February Count will be available next week. Please email homelessstrategy@ashevillenc.gov with any questions.
UPDATE: January 25, 2026 2 p.m.
The City of Asheville continues to manage impacts from Winter Storm Fern, with crews across departments taking steps to ensure public safety, maintain critical services, and respond quickly to weather-related impacts. Below are the latest updates on preparedness and closures.
Weather and Road Conditions Update
While temperatures increased briefly today, conditions will change rapidly overnight. Temperatures are expected to drop tonight, causing refreezing of melting snow and ice on roadways, bridges, and sidewalks. As a result, road conditions are expected to be hazardous again Monday morning, even where roads appeared improved earlier today. Residents are urged to use extreme caution, delay travel if possible, and anticipate icy conditions during the morning commute.
City of Asheville Offices closed Monday, January 26
All City government offices will be closed on Monday, January 26. This includes all city buildings and scheduled meetings or programs. Although offices are closed, employees who can work remotely will do so. Staff working in our Emergency Operations Center will remain working on site 24/7 until further notice. Development Services online portal will still be available during this closure.
All Parks & Recreation community centers will remain closed on Monday. Scheduled basketball games are cancelled and inclement weather childcare will not be provided.
Free parking extended to Tuesday, January 27
All City-owned parking garages will remain open, free of charge, through Monday, January 26 for those who need to park. This allows snow plows and treatment vehicles to clear snow and improve road conditions.
For the latest on parking availability, click the link for real-time parking information
ART Transit Services
If road conditions are safe, ART Transit Service will resume at 1 p.m. on Monday, January 26. If there are any changes to this plan it will be communicated through iRide alerts. Sign up for alerts here. Expect detours and cancelled routes where roads remain impassable.
Sanitation Services Suspended
Due to the County landfill and transfer stations being closed Monday, January 26, City of Asheville trash collection and recycling will also be suspended. Services will resume as conditions and facilities allow. Please continue to Monitor the City of Asheville website and social media channels for updates and schedule impacts
UPDATE: January 24, 2026 3:56 p.m.
Due to the County landfill and transfer stations being closed Monday, January 26, City of Asheville trash collection and recycling will also be suspended. Services will resume as conditions and facilities allow. Please continue to monitor the City of Asheville website and social media channels for updates and schedule impacts
UPDATE: January 23, 2026 4:00 p.m.
The City of Asheville is actively preparing for winter weather expected this weekend, with crews across departments taking steps to ensure public safety, maintain critical services, and respond quickly to weather-related impacts. This includes activating the City’s Emergency Operation Plan. Below are the latest updates on preparedness and closures.
Shelter information can be found on the Buncombe County webpage.
ART bus service suspended beginning 12 p.m. Saturday, January 24
ART bus service will suspend operations tomorrow, January 24 at 12 p.m. and will remain suspended through Sunday, January 25. Should road conditions improve, staff will provide more information on when transit services will resume. Please check the Service Alerts section on the website for any updates.
Water Resources
All 37 water storage tanks are being topped off and will be maintained at capacity for the duration of the storm.
Facility closures
The following City facilities will be closed this weekend:
- All Parks & Recreation community centers (Saturday and Sunday). All programming, including scheduled basketball games, is cancelled.
- The Western North Carolina Nature Center (Saturday and Sunday).
Critical reminder to the public about parking:
- Please do not park on the road after 5 p.m. today.
- All City-owned parking garages will remain open, free of charge, beginning at 5 p.m. on Friday for those who need somewhere to park their vehicle.
- This allows snow plows and treatment vehicles to safely and effectively clear roads.
- Parked vehicles are one of the biggest barriers to effective snow removal
2026 CoC PIT Count rescheduled
Due to the Winter Storm Warning in effect for Buncombe County, the 2026 PIT Count will not take place on January 27 and 28. It has been rescheduled to Tuesday, February 10 and Wednesday, February 11. More information about volunteering for the February Count will be available next week. Please email homelessstrategy@ashevillenc.
City Leadership would like to remind the community City staff, from across the organization, have been diligently coordinating preparations to respond to the forecasted weather. Staffing levels and coordination between our departments and with our local and state partners will continue to take place around the clock to address the needs of our community for the duration of this weather event.
The City encourages the community to take this information seriously, prepare early, and look out for neighbors—especially seniors, neighbors with different abilities, and those who may need extra assistance.
UPDATE: January 22, 2026 2:00 p.m.
The City of Asheville is actively preparing for winter weather expected this weekend, with crews across departments taking steps to ensure public safety, maintain critical services, and respond quickly to weather-related impacts. This includes activating the City’s Emergency Operation Plan.
Parking Services
Do not park on the road after 5 p.m. on Friday, Jan 23. All City-owned parking garages will remain open, free of charge, beginning at 5 p.m. on Friday for those who need somewhere to park their vehicle. This allows snow plows and treatment vehicles to clear snow and improve road conditions.
For the latest on parking availability, click the link for real-time parking information
Parks and Recreation
All Asheville Parks & Recreation community centers will be closed on January 24 and 25, and all programming, including scheduled basketball games, is canceled. For their own safety, community members are strongly cautioned to stay out of parks during extreme weather events. Park visitors should observe winter weather outdoor safety tips if travel through a park or greenway is unavoidable.
Asheville Fire REST Staffing & Code Purple
The Asheville-Buncombe Continuum of Care has activated Code Purple through tomorrow night, January 23, and expects to continue operations through the weekend. Code Purple and Winter Shelters provide emergency overflow shelter beds with fewer requirements than in typical programming. Winter Shelter is available nightly during the winter season, and Code Purple shelter is activated in response to extreme weather or emergency situations. Code Purple Operations Coordinators can be reached at (828) 785-4855.
Additionally, the Asheville Fire Department REST team will be staffed to assist unhoused individuals 24/7 through the weekend.
More information about Code Purple shelters can be found on the city’s cold weather emergency shelter page.
City crews continue to monitor conditions and updates will be provided .
January 21, 2026
The City of Asheville is actively preparing for winter weather expected this weekend, with crews across departments taking steps to ensure public safety, maintain critical services, and respond quickly to weather-related impacts. This includes activating the City’s Emergency Operation Plan.
Public Works: Road and Snow Operations
Public Works crews will begin 24/7 staffing starting Friday morning to support winter weather operations. Preparations include:
- Renting additional equipment to increase snow removal capacity
- Increasing staffing levels to support around-the-clock operations
- Pre-positioning resources to respond quickly to road conditions
Important reminder:
Do not park on the road after 5 p.m. on Friday, Jan 23. All City-owned parking garages will remain open beginning Friday 5p.m. free of charge for those who need to park their vehicle. This allows snow plows and treatment vehicles clear access to remove snow and improve road conditions.
Water Resources: Protecting the Water System
The City’s Water Resources team is taking proactive measures to maintain service and respond to potential issues:
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Filling all water distribution tanks ahead of the storm
- Ensuring maintenance trucks and equipment are pre-positioned, fully fueled and ready to deploy
- Doubling duty officers to respond quickly to potential water leaks or main breaks
Important reminder: Residents are encouraged to drip faucets during freezing temperatures to help prevent frozen or burst pipes and follow these recommendations.
To report an outage, call Customer Service at (828) 251-1122.
Fire & Police: Public Safety Readiness
The Asheville Fire Department (AFD) and Asheville Police Department (APD) are preparing to maintain emergency response capabilities throughout the storm:
- Increasing staffing levels
- Equipping public safety vehicles with chains and cables for winter driving
- Confirming backup communication plans in case phone lines or radio systems are disrupted
What Community Members Can Do
Residents can help keep themselves and others safe by taking the following steps:
- Avoid unnecessary travel during winter weather when possible
- Park vehicles off roadways after 5 p.m. Friday, January 23, to allow snow plows to operate throughout the weekend as needed
- Drip faucets and insulate exposed pipes to prevent freezing
- Check on neighbors, especially seniors and those with limited mobility
- Prepare an emergency kit with food, water, medications, flashlights, and batteries
- Stay informed by monitoring City of Asheville updates and local weather forecasts
City crews will continue monitoring conditions and will provide updates as needed.