Most post offices are open five to six days a week, although hours can vary widely from facility to facility. But there are, of course, exceptions. The U.S. Postal Service (USPS) closes all of its post offices around the country at least 11 times every year in observance of federal holidays. Outside of this, the agency can also temporarily suspend operations at any facility for countless reasons. In 2022, people in states such as Ohio, Tennessee, and Wisconsin saw local post offices shuttered for things like fires, water breaks, and leasing issues. Now, the USPS is closing over 20 more post offices throughout the U.S. Read on for more about the latest closures.
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The USPS is closing over 20 post offices in multiple states.
ShutterstockCertain customers in different parts of the U.S. are now dealing with postal disruptions.
In the latest update to its Service Alerts tool on Jan. 18, the USPS announced that several post offices are "temporarily closed" now, impacting two states: California and Nebraska. Just one facility in California is currently closed, according to the agency. The Planada Post Office is not providing mail or retail service to customers in the state right now.
Nebraska, on the other hand, is bearing the brunt of the new closures. There are 21 facilities now shuttered in this state, according to the update. The following post offices have been closed: Angora, Big Springs, Brady, Brule, Bushnell, Cairo, Dix, Elsie, Farnam, Grant, Gurley, Keystone, Lemoyne, Lewellen, Lisco, Madrid, Paxton, Shelton, VPO Bushnell, Wallace, and Wood Lake.
Nebraska is battling a major snowstorm.
iStockThe Postal Service said that the 21 Nebraska post offices are closed temporarily "due to weather." A major winter storm started blanketing "virtually all" of the state with snow on Jan. 18, The Washington Post reported. Snowfall has reached up to 23 inches in some parts of the state, with certain areas experiencing historic levels, according to local news outlet KOLN in Lincoln, Nebraska.
"Heavy snow could make tonight's commute one of the worst commutes we have seen for several years," the National Weather Service (NWS) in Omaha tweeted on Jan. 18. The Nebraska Department of Transportation (NDOT) also reported multiple road closures across the state as a result of the snowstorm and is encouraging people to avoid traveling, if possible.
California has also been dealing with bad weather.
iStockWeather is also behind the California closure. The USPS said on Jan. 18 that the Planada Post Office is closed temporarily "due to winter storms." This issue has been ongoing: The agency started shuttering facilities in California because of winter storms on Jan. 9. Many have since been reopened, leaving Planada as the only current closure.
Planada is now experiencing major flooding. Residents were evacuated on Jan. 10 "amid rising waters from a breached levee" as the result of relentless storms in the state, the Los Angeles Times reported. They've since been allowed to return home, but storms have continued, and the area is still fighting floodwaters.
On Jan. 13, the Postal Service issued a separate local news release explaining how flooding is impacting postal services in Planada.
"Mandatory evacuations and severe weather conditions has necessitated the temporary closure of the Planada Post Office," the USPS said. During this closure, customers are being directed to use mail and retail services at the Bell Post Office in Merced, California. "We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience and normal retail and delivery operations will resume once access is restored."
The USPS constantly monitors weather throughout the U.S.
ShutterstockThe Postal Service often pulls back postal operations thanks to weather.
Back in September, nearly 200 facilities were shuttered in the wake of Hurricane Ian. And this winter, the agency has already temporarily closed hundreds of post offices throughout states such as Minnesota, South Dakota, North Dakota, and Iowa amid major snowstorms.
These closures are the result of ongoing weather monitoring by the USPS. The agency's Office of National Preparedness sends out daily weather forecasts based on information from the NWS, according to FOX Weather. Officials then use this to determine if they need to adjust operations in certain areas.
"The safety of our employees and the communities we serve is always a top priority," Albert Ruiz, a public relations representative at the USPS, told the news outlet. "Carriers deliver in a wide range of temperatures and Post Office locations may close after careful consideration and only as a last resort."
