Will school be closed tomorrow?
Free Snow Day Calculator
A snow day calculator estimates the chance that school will be closed or delayed tomorrow, based on the overnight snow, ice, and wind chill forecast for your area and how much snow your region usually handles. Enter your ZIP code or city to see the chance, the reasons, and a backup childcare plan.
Hourly snow and ice forecastClosure and delay chanceBackup childcare plan
Check your snow day chance
No login. The forecast is fetched straight from your browser and nothing is stored.
Snow day chance
Enter your ZIP code or city to see the chance school is closed or delayed.
Just in case
Snow day plan for parents
Closure doesn't look likely, but it only takes a few minutes to have a backup ready.
This is an estimate for planning only. Only your school district can announce a closure or delay, so check the district's website, app, texts, or local news before you change plans.
Text your sitter
Hi! Snow may close school tomorrow. Are you available tomorrow from 7:30 AM to 3:30 PM if school closes? I'll confirm by 6 AM once the district announces. Happy to pay your snow day rate, and let me know if you need a ride with the roads.
Ask for a remote or flexible day
Hi, the forecast shows a good chance my kids' school will close tomorrow because of snow. If it does, could I work remotely or shift my hours that day? I'll stay reachable, keep my meetings, and finish anything urgent in the evening. I'll confirm first thing in the morning once the district announces. Thank you!
Check again reminders
Download a calendar file with two reminders in your local time: 6 PM the evening before the school day to re-check the forecast, and 5 AM that morning for the district announcement.
Stays in your browser. It is added to the reminders.
Indoor snow day activities by age
Toddlers (1-3)
- Indoor snow bin: Bring a tub of snow inside with cups and spoons on a towel.
- Blanket fort: Drape blankets over chairs and read board books inside.
- Ice cube painting: Freeze water with a drop of food coloring and paint on paper.
- Sock ball toss: Roll socks into balls and toss them into a laundry basket.
- Freeze dance: Play music and freeze like a snowman when it stops.
- Tape and sticker road: Make painter's tape roads on the floor for toy cars.
- Bubble bath play: A warm bath with cups, funnels, and bath toys.
- Pots and pans band: Wooden spoons and pots for a kitchen concert.
- Stuffed animal hunt: Hide stuffed animals around one room to find.
Ages 4-6
- Paper plate snowman: Glue cotton balls on a paper plate and add a face.
- Pillow obstacle course: Crawl, hop, and balance over pillows and cushions.
- Bake and decorate cookies: Measure, stir, and decorate with sprinkles.
- Snow volcano: Baking soda and colored vinegar in a mound of snow.
- Color scavenger hunt: Find one thing in the house for every color.
- Sock puppet show: Make puppets from socks and put on a show from behind the couch.
- Homemade play dough: Flour, salt, water, and oil, then build a snow family.
- Animal track detective: Look for tracks in the snow from a window or the yard.
- Kids yoga: Follow a short kids yoga video with animal poses.
Ages 7-10
- Paper snowflakes: Fold and cut paper snowflakes and tape them to windows.
- Board game tournament: Play a bracket of card and board games with a prize.
- Measure the snow: Measure depth in three spots, then melt a cup and compare.
- Cardboard city: Build a town or marble run from boxes and tape.
- Cook lunch together: Make grilled cheese and soup with a grown-up.
- Write a comic: Fold paper into panels and draw a snow day adventure.
- Indoor campout: Sleeping bags, flashlights, and stories in the living room.
- Snow ice cream: Fresh clean snow, milk, sugar, and vanilla in a bowl.
- Building challenge: Timed brick or block challenges: tallest tower, best bridge.
Ages 11+
- Bake-off: Pick a recipe, bake it solo, and judge the results.
- Movie marathon: Plan a themed lineup with homemade popcorn.
- Stop-motion video: Film a short stop-motion movie with toys or clay.
- Big jigsaw puzzle: Start a 500 or 1,000 piece puzzle on the table.
- Shovel for a neighbor: Clear a neighbor's walk (with a grown-up's OK).
- Snow day journal: Write or sketch about the storm and measure snowfall.
- Learn to code: Try a free beginner coding lesson and build a small game.
- Chess or strategy games: Learn an opening or play a family tournament.
- Reading nook: Set up a cozy corner with blankets, cocoa, and a new book.
From the Sitter Rank snow day calculator, https://www.sitterrank.com/tools/snow-day-calculator
How it works
How to predict a snow day
- 1
Enter your ZIP code or city
Type a US ZIP code or a US or Canadian city, or use your location, and pick the right match.
- 2
Pick the day and your school type
Choose tomorrow or the next day, then public district, private school, college, or a rural district with long bus routes.
- 3
Check snow tolerance
Confirm the region snow tolerance (low, medium, or high) and how many snow days your district has used.
- 4
Read the chance and the reasons
See the closure and delay chance, the verdict, the reasons, and the hourly snow, ice, and wind chill strip.
- 5
Line up backup childcare
Text a sitter, ask about a remote day, print indoor activities, and set reminders to check again at 6 PM and 5 AM.
What the model looks at
- Snow from 6 PM the night before to 7 AM, weighted by timing: snow from 4 to 7 AM counts most, snow ending by midnight least
- Snow during school hours (7 AM to 3 PM) for early dismissal risk
- Freezing rain or drizzle from midnight to 8 AM, the strongest single closure signal
- Lowest wind chill from 5 to 8 AM, when kids wait for buses
- Snow already on the ground at 6 AM and wind gusts for blowing snow
- School type and snow days already used
Rules of thumb by region
- Low snow tolerance: about 2 in. overnight is often enough to close; wind chill near 0°F
- Medium: about 4 to 6 in.; wind chill near -10°F
- High (snow belt): about 8 to 12 in.; wind chill near -20°F
- Delays are most likely after 1 to 4 in. or light icing that ends before 6 AM
- Rural districts close more often, private schools slightly more, colleges much less
Common questions
Snow day calculator FAQ
How accurate is a snow day calculator?
A snow day calculator is a rough estimate, not a guarantee. It is most useful 12 to 24 hours ahead, when the snow, ice, and wind chill forecast is firm. Forecasts shift, and each district weighs road crews, bus routes, and past snow days differently, so treat the chance as a planning signal and check again in the evening and at 5 AM.
How much snow does it take to close school?
It depends on where you live. In places that rarely see snow, like the Deep South, about 1 to 2 inches overnight can close schools. Most of the country needs about 4 to 6 inches, while snow belt areas such as Buffalo, Minneapolis, or Denver often stay open until 8 to 12 inches or more. Freezing rain can close schools with no snow at all.
What is the difference between a snow day and a delay?
On a snow day, school is closed for the whole day. On a delay, often called a two-hour delay, school opens later so road crews can clear and treat roads and the sun can melt ice. Delays are most common after a light to moderate overnight snow or icing that ends before dawn.
What time do schools announce snow days?
Most districts announce closures and delays between 5 AM and 6:30 AM, after superintendents and transportation staff check the roads. When a big storm is certain, many announce the evening before, often by 8 to 10 PM. Check your district's website, app, texts, or local TV news.
What should parents do for childcare on a snow day?
Line up backup childcare the night before: ask a sitter, grandparent, or neighbor if they are free, set up a swap with another family, and ask your employer about a remote or flexible day. Confirm your sitter can drive in snow, agree on pay, and pack snow gear, lunch, and activities.
Related tools
Babysitter Rate CalculatorAge-Appropriate ActivitiesBabysitter Emergency Info SheetChildcare Cost EstimatorDate Night Planner for Parents
Need backup care when school closes? Find a vetted backup babysitter for snow days on Sitter Rank, with verified profiles, real reviews, and no platform commissions.