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Is It a Snow Day Today?
Check this morning's conditions.
Enter your city or zip code to see how likely a closure is where you are right now, based on today's actual snowfall, ice, wind and temperature.
Today's Snow Day Chance
Looking further ahead? Check tomorrow, or use the full seven-day calculator.
The Honest Answer About Today
Every other page on this site estimates something that has not been decided yet. Today is different. If you are reading this after about 6:30 in the morning, somebody at your district has already made the call — the answer exists, and no calculator can override it.
So use this page for what it is genuinely good at. Before the announcement, it tells you how the morning is shaping up and whether to expect a call. After it, it explains why your district decided the way it did — which is usually the thing people are actually annoyed about when school stays open in what looks like a lot of snow.
Where to Check First
- Your district's website. The authoritative source, and the first place it appears.
- The district's automated phone line, text or email alert. If your family is registered, this usually arrives before anything is posted publicly.
- The district's social media accounts. Often updated at the same moment as the site.
- Local radio and TV. They read from the same feed, typically a few minutes behind.
What is not reliable: a friend in the next town. Neighbouring districts routinely make opposite calls on the same storm, because their bus routes and plow budgets are not the same.
Why Is School Open Today with All This Snow?
This is the most common complaint of the winter, and there is almost always a specific reason.
| Reason | What happened |
|---|---|
| The snow arrived late | The decision was made at 5am against the roads as they were then. Snow that started at 7am was not part of that call, and districts very rarely reverse a decision once buses are rolling. |
| It fell and was cleared | Six inches that finished by midnight is a plowed road by 6am. The total on your lawn is not the total that mattered. |
| Snow days are used up | Every closure has to be made up later in the year. A district that has already spent its allowance pushes much harder to stay open. |
| Your district is unusually well equipped | Plow coverage varies enormously between neighbouring boards. Same storm, different capacity, different answer. |
| It was a delay, not a closure | Two extra hours of daylight and traffic often solves the problem without spending a snow day. Check whether a delay was announced rather than a closure. |
Can School Close Partway Through the Day?
Yes — that is an early dismissal, and districts use it when a storm arrives faster than forecast and they want buses home before conditions worsen. It is much less common than a morning closure because sending children home to empty houses creates its own problems, so districts avoid it unless conditions genuinely deteriorate.
Delays and Buses Are Separate Questions
Two things get missed when people ask whether it is a snow day today.
A two-hour delay is not a closure. On borderline mornings it is often the more likely outcome, because it buys crews two hours of daylight and costs the district nothing on the calendar. If your district has a history of delaying rather than closing, expect that pattern to hold.
Buses can be cancelled while school stays open. These are two separate decisions made by two separate organisations. On a marginal morning the buses come off the road first and the building opens for anyone who can get there. If your real question is whether a bus is coming, the bus cancellation predictor answers that one specifically — it weighs blowing snow and open rural roads far more heavily, because that is what actually pulls buses.
Questions About Today
Is it a snow day today?
If it is already past about 6:30am, your district has almost certainly decided, and their website or phone line is the only place that can tell you for certain. This page reads this morning's actual conditions for your location and tells you how likely a closure is, which is useful before the announcement lands or when you cannot reach an official source.
What time do schools announce a snow day?
Most districts decide between 4:30am and 6:00am, after road crews have driven the routes at first light. Some announce the night before when a major storm is already certain. If nothing has been posted by 6:30am, school is almost always running.
Where do I check if school is closed today?
Your district's own website is the authoritative source and updates first. After that, the district's automated phone line and social media accounts, then local radio and TV, which read from the same feed a few minutes later. Many districts also send an automated call or text to registered families.
Why is school open today when there is so much snow?
Usually timing. If the snow arrived after the 5am decision, or fell overnight and was cleared before dawn, the roads that mattered were passable when the call was made. Districts also close reluctantly once they have used their allowance of snow days, because every closure has to be made up later in the year.
Can school close partway through the day?
Yes, and it is called an early dismissal. Districts use it when a storm arrives faster than forecast and they want buses home before conditions worsen. It is far less common than a morning closure because it is disruptive for families, so districts avoid it unless conditions genuinely deteriorate.
Is a two-hour delay more likely than a closure?
On marginal mornings, yes. A delay gives crews two extra hours of daylight and traffic to clear routes, and it costs the district nothing on the calendar. When conditions are borderline rather than severe, a delay is often the more likely outcome than a full closure.
Are buses cancelled today even if school is open?
Frequently. Buses and schools are two separate decisions made by two separate organisations, and on a marginal morning the buses come off the road while the building stays open. If you are asking whether a bus is coming rather than whether school is closed, the bus cancellation predictor is the page you want.
What about tomorrow?
Tomorrow is genuinely still open, and the forecast for it is reliable. The snow day tomorrow page is pinned to tomorrow's date, or the full calculator covers the next seven days.
One Important Caveat
This is an estimate for planning, not an official notice. Only your school district can cancel school, and today they have probably already said so. Always check their website, phone system or social media before assuming anything — and never make a travel decision based on this page instead of an official weather warning.