One to two feet of snow is likely in Boston and surrounding suburbs during Saturday. Photo by Siyi Yang (COM’22)

Snow Day

Blizzard Closes BU’s Campuses and COVID Testing Sites Saturday

Charles River, Medical campuses both closed January 29 as storm is expected to dump a foot or more of snow

This story will be updated if changes are warranted.

A blizzard expected to blow in early Saturday morning and bring one to two feet of snow to Boston and surrounding suburbs will shut down Boston University’s COVID-19 testing labs and collection sites Saturday and cancel academic and administrative activities, but for those looking to get outside, campus dining halls, Mugar Memorial Library, and FitRec will be open, likely with reduced hours. FitRec hours can be found here. Barnes & Noble at BU will be closed Saturday as well.

The Charles River Campus and Medical Campus will both be closed for the storm (on the Medical Campus that includes the School of Medicine, the Henry M. Goldman School of Dental Medicine and its Patient Treatment Centers, the School of Public Health, and the Alumni Medical Library).

Events scheduled for Friday evening are still on track, including the Winter Bash at the GSU. Student groups with events planned for Saturday, however, will postpone or host the events virtually. BU Athletics is moving events, as well, including shifting the Saturday track and field schedule for the John Thomas Terrier Classic to Sunday and moving the men’s basketball game against Colgate to Friday at 2 pm (a 76-72 win for the Terriers).

Boston Mayor Michelle Wu has declared a state of emergency, with a parking ban in effect after 9 pm Friday.

The George Sherman Union Food Hall will be closed, but other retail options will remain open, including the Starbucks and City Convenience at the GSU and Warren Towers, the Comm Ave Starbucks, and the Dunkin’ Donuts at Buick Street Market. Raising Cane’s will also be open. Find a complete list of dining service hours here. Those who have a testing appointment scheduled for Saturday are requested to reschedule as soon as possible (this will not create a compliance issue). Students may contact the Dean of Students office dos@bu.edu or 617-353-4126 with questions.

Unlike the last Boston snowstorm, which hit on Friday, January 7, and forced the University to cancel classes and close, the timing of this storm is better, coming over a weekend. The National Weather Service has issued a blizzard warning for Saturday at 7 am through Sunday at 5 am, with snowfall totals in the city projected to reach between 18 and 24 inches. The snow is expected to stop falling by Saturday around midnight, Sunday is predicted to be clear and cold, and by Monday roads and sidewalks should be largely cleared. Temperatures next week could reach into the mid-40s, with some rain by midweek, so there could be significant melting as well.

BU Parking & Transportation Services shared a few tips for those driving in to campus:

• Park in a garage or covered parking area whenever possible to allow the University to safely and quickly remove snow from uncovered parking spaces.

• Have your BU ID readily available as a secondary credential in case snow and ice prevent the license plate recognition system from reading your plate. Being prepared to tap your BU ID on the entry or exit kiosk will speed up the parking process for everyone.

• Approach entrance and exit gates slowly to allow the camera to read your license plate and be prepared to stop at the kiosk so that you can tap your BU ID, if necessary.

• There will be no BU Shuttle service Saturday because of the storm. Shuttle service will resume with Sunday’s night route.

Employees in essential services must report to campus as scheduled. Essential services include University Police, Residence Life, Dining Services, Student Health Services, University Libraries, Facilities Management & Planning, Environmental Health and Safety, Residence Safety, Network and Planning Services, and the Dean of Students. On the Medical Campus, essential services include, but are not limited to, Public Safety, Animal Care Services, Research lab personnel, Facilities Management & Operations, Emergency Patient Treatment, Occupational Health, and Environmental Health & Safety. Staff should check with their managers if they have questions.