The Columbus Zoo and Aquarium will close from Jan. 23–26 as a winter storm brings heavy snow and dangerously cold temperatures to central Ohio.
Columbus Zoo to Close Again as Winter Storm Brings Snow and Extreme Cold
The Columbus Zoo and Aquarium will close for several days this week as severe winter weather moves into central Ohio, marking the second weather-related closure in less than a week.
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Zoo officials announced on Jan. 21 that the attraction will be closed from Friday, Jan. 23, through Monday, Jan. 26, due to an approaching winter storm expected to bring dangerously cold temperatures and significant snowfall. The zoo is scheduled to reopen at 10 a.m. on Jan. 27.
In a statement shared on social media, zoo officials emphasized that safety remains the top priority. While the zoo will be closed to visitors, animal care teams, security, and facilities staff will continue working throughout the closure to ensure all animals remain safe and well cared for.
This latest shutdown follows a temporary closure earlier in the week on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, when extreme cold made conditions unsafe for guests and staff. The zoo has also experienced similar closures in past winters, including several days in January 2025 due to dangerously low temperatures.
According to the National Weather Service, snow is expected to begin moving into Ohio on the evening of Jan. 24 and continue through the morning of Jan. 25. Forecasters are currently predicting 4 to 6 inches of snow across much of the state, with Columbus likely receiving at least 4 inches.
Some weather models indicate snowfall totals could exceed 8 inches in the Columbus area, though meteorologists caution that those figures are not official forecasts. Officials say it is still too early to provide exact accumulation totals.
High temperatures are expected to hover near zero degrees on Jan. 24, with highs only reaching the teens on Jan. 25. Central Ohio has been placed under a hazardous weather outlook due to the expected conditions.
The storm is part of a larger winter system impacting much of the United States, with snow, sleet, and ice forecast across the central and eastern regions, stretching from the Plains to the Northeast.
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