Snow Day Calculator
Tell it the storm you're hoping for — snow, cold and wind — and it will tell you your chances of a day off.
How the score works
There is no secret algorithm and no weather feed. Your inputs earn points, the points are added up, and the total is shown as a percentage (never below 0%, never above 100%):
| Factor | Points |
|---|---|
| Expected snowfall | 6 points per inch, up to 60 points |
| Temperature 20°F or colder | +5 to +15 (colder = more) |
| Temperature 38°F or warmer | −8 to −15 (snow melts, buses roll) |
| Wind 12 mph or stronger | +4 to +22 (stronger = more) |
| Snow already on the ground | +8 |
| Private school | −6 |
| College / university | −18 (they almost never close) |
| Preschool / kindergarten | +10 (extra caution for little kids) |
| Saturday or Sunday | Automatic 100% — school's already out |
The thinking behind it is borrowed loosely from how real districts decide: what closes schools is rarely snow alone, but snow plus wind (drifting and whiteouts), snow plus cold (buses that won't start), and snow on top of snow (roads that were never cleared). And the warm-weather penalty is real physics — snow that melts on contact doesn't close anything.
What actually decides a real snow day
Real closure decisions are made by people, usually around 4–5 a.m., weighing things this toy can't know: whether the buses can complete their routes, whether side streets (not just main roads) are passable, the timing of the storm against the morning commute, and what neighbouring districts are doing. Some districts also have a fixed number of snow days built into the calendar and spend them cautiously early in the season. So use your percentage here for what it is — an excuse to hope — and your district's official channel for the actual answer.
Keep reading
Frequently asked questions
Is this snow day calculator accurate?
No — and it says so right on the page. It is an entertainment toy: it turns the numbers you type in into a percentage using a simple, openly published point system. It uses no weather data, no forecasts and no information about your school. Always check your school or district's official announcements for real closure decisions.
How is the snow day chance calculated?
Points are added for expected snowfall (6 points per inch, up to 60), cold temperatures (up to +15), strong wind (up to +22) and snow already on the ground (+8), then adjusted for school type — preschools get +10 for caution, colleges get −18 because they rarely close. The total is clamped between 0% and 100%. Weekends always score 100%, because school is already out.
Why does school type change the result?
Because real closing decisions differ by school type: preschools and kindergartens tend to close earlier out of caution, public schools follow district policy, private schools decide independently, and colleges and universities famously stay open through almost anything. The point adjustments in this calculator are a playful exaggeration of that, not real statistics.
Why does warm weather lower the chance?
Above about 38°F the model subtracts points, and above 45°F it subtracts more, because snow at those temperatures tends to fall as rain or melt on contact with roads — which means buses can run and schools stay open.
Does the calculator know the weather where I live?
No. Nothing on this page looks up your location or any weather service. Every number in the result comes from the numbers you typed in. That is deliberate: the tool works offline, collects nothing, and makes no pretence of being a forecast.