BOSTON — The dangerously cold temperatures that have gripped New England for the past week are giving some Massachusetts children an extended school vacation.
Many school districts across the state delayed opening by two hours on Tuesday as children returned from a week off, while some remained closed entirely.
Everett Superintendent Frederick Foresteire said most students in the city walk to school and don't have the proper gear for single-digit temperatures.
With the temperatures hovering in the single digits and dipping below zero, the MBTA is asking riders to arrive at least 20 minutes early for their commute into work.
Some school districts say they are delaying school because they had trouble starting buses.
Commuters into Boston are also asked to avoid Huntington Avenue at the Jamaicaway underpass. The intersection was shut down Monday night after a water main break created a large sheet of ice in the middle of it.
MORE: Water main break freezes into giant ice block on Huntington Avenue
At 7 a.m. Tuesday, Boston 25 News Stormtracker team forecasts the temperature to be around 2 degrees, with it rising to 4 degrees by 8 a.m. However, with the wind chill, it will feel like -10 degrees at 7 a.m. and -8 by 8 a.m.
>>See the hour-by-hour forecast
Due to the extreme cold, MBTA said it is expecting possible delays and customers should be prepared.
MBTA said it has been testing the heaters and switch failures. Maintenance crews will also be along the routes to deal with any issues.
"For tomorrow morning, we will have extra MBTA transportation vehicle and maintenance staff assigned to T locations across the system," said MBTA General Manager Luis Ramirez.
Some commuters said that the actions the MBTA is taking aren't good enough.
"Please try to do something better. Try to do more," said Alexa Greenwood.
There were delays last week when the temperatures dipped. Greenwood said with the delays, she missed a doctor's appointment.
The MBTA will also not be running ferry service between Hingham and Boston Tuesday.
Boston 25 News will be providing updates about the morning commute, on the MBTA and on the roads, all morning on Boston 25 Morning News from 4 a.m. to 10 a.m.
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The Associated Press contributed to this report.