# Snow days by state

Source: https://calculatesnowday.com/states

The calculator reads the same National Weather Service forecast everywhere, but how much snow, ice or cold it takes to raise the estimate depends on the state. Snow days also follow different rules: some states count days, some count hours, and some let schools learn from home instead of closing. These pages cover 12 states where we could cite both.

Updated 3 November 2026 for the 2026-27 school year.

## State pages

- [**Colorado**](https://calculatesnowday.com/states/colorado) : [Denver](https://calculatesnowday.com/states/colorado/denver), [Colorado Springs](https://calculatesnowday.com/states/colorado/colorado-springs)
- [**Illinois**](https://calculatesnowday.com/states/illinois) : [Chicago](https://calculatesnowday.com/states/illinois/chicago)
- [**Indiana**](https://calculatesnowday.com/states/indiana)
- [**Maine**](https://calculatesnowday.com/states/maine)
- [**Massachusetts**](https://calculatesnowday.com/states/massachusetts) : [Boston](https://calculatesnowday.com/states/massachusetts/boston)
- [**Michigan**](https://calculatesnowday.com/states/michigan) : [Grand Rapids](https://calculatesnowday.com/states/michigan/grand-rapids), [Detroit](https://calculatesnowday.com/states/michigan/detroit)
- [**Minnesota**](https://calculatesnowday.com/states/minnesota) : [Minneapolis](https://calculatesnowday.com/states/minnesota/minneapolis)
- [**New York**](https://calculatesnowday.com/states/new-york) : [Buffalo](https://calculatesnowday.com/states/new-york/buffalo), [Syracuse](https://calculatesnowday.com/states/new-york/syracuse), [New York City](https://calculatesnowday.com/states/new-york/new-york-city)
- [**Ohio**](https://calculatesnowday.com/states/ohio) : [Cleveland](https://calculatesnowday.com/states/ohio/cleveland)
- [**Pennsylvania**](https://calculatesnowday.com/states/pennsylvania) : [Pittsburgh](https://calculatesnowday.com/states/pennsylvania/pittsburgh)
- [**Virginia**](https://calculatesnowday.com/states/virginia)
- [**Wisconsin**](https://calculatesnowday.com/states/wisconsin) : [Milwaukee](https://calculatesnowday.com/states/wisconsin/milwaukee)

## The snow level for every state

Each state has one of four levels in the model. The table shows the amount of each factor that, on its own, gives about an even chance of a closure for a suburban public school. These are model assumptions, not district rules.

1 in: Snow is rare here2.5 in: Some snow most winters5 in: Snow every winter7.5 in: Snow belt: schools are well prepared Snow that gives about an even chance of a closure in our model. These are model assumptions by state, not district rules. Mountain towns above about 5,900 ft count one level snowier; low ground in Arizona, California, Nevada and west of the Cascades counts one level milder.

| State | Level | Snow | Ice | Wind chill |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Alabama | 1 | 1 in | 0.03 in | 10°F |
| Alaska | 4 | 7.5 in | 0.15 in | -30°F |
| Arizona | 2 | 2.5 in | 0.06 in | -5°F |
| Arkansas | 2 | 2.5 in | 0.06 in | -5°F |
| California | 2 | 2.5 in | 0.06 in | -5°F |
| [Colorado](https://calculatesnowday.com/states/colorado) | 3 | 5 in | 0.1 in | -20°F |
| Connecticut | 3 | 5 in | 0.1 in | -20°F |
| Delaware | 2 | 2.5 in | 0.06 in | -5°F |
| District of Columbia | 2 | 2.5 in | 0.06 in | -5°F |
| Florida | 1 | 1 in | 0.03 in | 10°F |
| Georgia | 1 | 1 in | 0.03 in | 10°F |
| Hawaii | 1 | 1 in | 0.03 in | 10°F |
| Idaho | 3 | 5 in | 0.1 in | -20°F |
| [Illinois](https://calculatesnowday.com/states/illinois) | 3 | 5 in | 0.1 in | -20°F |
| [Indiana](https://calculatesnowday.com/states/indiana) | 3 | 5 in | 0.1 in | -20°F |
| Iowa | 3 | 5 in | 0.1 in | -20°F |
| Kansas | 3 | 5 in | 0.1 in | -20°F |
| Kentucky | 2 | 2.5 in | 0.06 in | -5°F |
| Louisiana | 1 | 1 in | 0.03 in | 10°F |
| [Maine](https://calculatesnowday.com/states/maine) | 4 | 7.5 in | 0.15 in | -30°F |
| Maryland | 2 | 2.5 in | 0.06 in | -5°F |
| [Massachusetts](https://calculatesnowday.com/states/massachusetts) | 3 | 5 in | 0.1 in | -20°F |
| [Michigan](https://calculatesnowday.com/states/michigan) | 4 | 7.5 in | 0.15 in | -30°F |
| [Minnesota](https://calculatesnowday.com/states/minnesota) | 4 | 7.5 in | 0.15 in | -30°F |
| Mississippi | 1 | 1 in | 0.03 in | 10°F |
| Missouri | 3 | 5 in | 0.1 in | -20°F |
| Montana | 4 | 7.5 in | 0.15 in | -30°F |
| Nebraska | 3 | 5 in | 0.1 in | -20°F |
| Nevada | 2 | 2.5 in | 0.06 in | -5°F |
| New Hampshire | 4 | 7.5 in | 0.15 in | -30°F |
| New Jersey | 3 | 5 in | 0.1 in | -20°F |
| New Mexico | 2 | 2.5 in | 0.06 in | -5°F |
| [New York](https://calculatesnowday.com/states/new-york) | 3 | 5 in | 0.1 in | -20°F |
| North Carolina | 2 | 2.5 in | 0.06 in | -5°F |
| North Dakota | 4 | 7.5 in | 0.15 in | -30°F |
| [Ohio](https://calculatesnowday.com/states/ohio) | 3 | 5 in | 0.1 in | -20°F |
| Oklahoma | 2 | 2.5 in | 0.06 in | -5°F |
| Oregon | 2 | 2.5 in | 0.06 in | -5°F |
| [Pennsylvania](https://calculatesnowday.com/states/pennsylvania) | 3 | 5 in | 0.1 in | -20°F |
| Puerto Rico | 1 | 1 in | 0.03 in | 10°F |
| Rhode Island | 3 | 5 in | 0.1 in | -20°F |
| South Carolina | 1 | 1 in | 0.03 in | 10°F |
| South Dakota | 3 | 5 in | 0.1 in | -20°F |
| Tennessee | 2 | 2.5 in | 0.06 in | -5°F |
| Texas | 1 | 1 in | 0.03 in | 10°F |
| Utah | 3 | 5 in | 0.1 in | -20°F |
| Vermont | 4 | 7.5 in | 0.15 in | -30°F |
| [Virginia](https://calculatesnowday.com/states/virginia) | 2 | 2.5 in | 0.06 in | -5°F |
| Washington | 2 | 2.5 in | 0.06 in | -5°F |
| West Virginia | 3 | 5 in | 0.1 in | -20°F |
| [Wisconsin](https://calculatesnowday.com/states/wisconsin) | 4 | 7.5 in | 0.15 in | -30°F |
| Wyoming | 3 | 5 in | 0.1 in | -20°F |

Levels: 1 = Snow is rare here; 2 = Some snow most winters; 3 = Snow every winter; 4 = Snow belt: schools are well prepared. Places above 1,800 m (about 5,900 ft) move up one level; low ground in Arizona, California and Nevada, and west of the Cascades in Oregon and Washington, moves down one.

## Questions and answers

### Does the snow day calculator work in every state?

Yes, for any US ZIP code or city the National Weather Service forecasts, including Alaska, Hawaii and Puerto Rico. State pages add local school rules and weather context; you do not need one to use the [snow day calculator](https://calculatesnowday.com/).

### Why does the calculator need more snow in some states?

Districts that see snow every winter have the plows and practice to open through more of it. The model groups states into four levels, and moves high mountain places up one level and snow-free low ground in the West down one. [How the snow levels work](https://calculatesnowday.com/how-it-works#snow-levels).

### Why is there no page for my state?

We publish a state page only when we can cite the state's school-day rules and documented winter weather, and add something the calculator alone cannot tell you. The calculator itself works the same in every state.