Snow days in Colorado
Colorado is the clearest case of a place where the calculator itself behaves differently: locations above 1,800 m (about 5,900 ft) move up one snow level. Denver, at 5,280 ft (Colorado State Capitol), is below that line, so most of the city stays at Colorado's level, while higher towns are treated like the snow belt.
By Muhammad Shakeel. Updated 3 November 2026 for the 2026-27 school year. School rules and district plans change; check your district.
Winter weather that closes Colorado schools
- Upslope storms. The March 13 to 14, 2021 blizzard was fed by strong easterly upslope flow into the Front Range and produced an official Denver total of 27.1 inches (NWS Boulder).
- Sharp differences over short distances. In the March 13 to 15, 2024 storm, at least two feet fell above 6,000 ft in the foothills while Denver's official site at the airport measured 5.7 inches (NWS Boulder).
- Mountain snow. In the mountains, NWS Grand Junction issues a Winter Storm Warning for more than 8 inches in 12 hours or more than 12 inches in 24 hours (NWS Grand Junction).
How many snow days do Colorado schools get?
Colorado sets minimum days and hours rather than a fixed number of snow days. The U.S. Department of Education's most recent state table (2018 data) lists at least 160 days, with 968 hours for grades 1 to 5 and 1,056 hours for grades 6 to 12 (NCES state policy table, 2018 data). Districts decide how to handle closures within that.
How the calculator treats Colorado
The calculator reads the National Weather Service forecast for the exact point you enter, so the snow, ice, wind chill and alerts are local. What changes by state is how much of each it takes to raise the estimate:
Level 3 of 4: Snow every winter
For a suburban public school in Colorado, any one of these gives the model about an even chance of a closure on its own:
- 5 in of snow from 6 pm to 8 am (snow between 4 and 8 am counts extra)
- 0.1 in of ice from freezing rain, from the evening before to the end of the school day
- a wind chill of -20°F between midnight and 8 am
Above 1,800 m (about 5,900 ft), the forecast point moves up to level 4, snow belt: schools are well prepared: about 7.5 in of snow, 0.15 in of ice or a wind chill of -30°F for the same even chance.
Places whose forecast grid point is above 1,800 m (about 5,900 ft) move up one level. These are model assumptions, not district rules. How the snow levels work.
The elevation adjustment uses the NWS forecast grid point, not the city limits. Two ZIP codes in the same metro area can land on different levels, and the result panel names the level it used.
Colorado cities
- Denver: upslope storms, big differences between the city and the foothills, how Denver Public Schools handles delays, and how elevation affects our estimate.
- Colorado Springs: 32.5 inches of snow in a normal year, why high elevation changes our estimate, and how local districts announce delays and closures.
Before you rely on the number
The percentage is an estimate from the weather forecast, not an official closure notice. It cannot see road conditions, staffing, buses or how many snow days your district has left, and it does not know a decision that has already been announced. Read how accurate the estimate is and what it leaves out.
Questions and answers
Why does elevation change the estimate in Colorado?
The model assumes mountain towns are better prepared for snow, so places whose forecast grid point is above 1,800 m (about 5,900 ft) move up one snow level and need more snow for the same estimate. How the snow levels work.
Does Colorado require schools to make up snow days?
Colorado sets minimum days and hours rather than a number of snow days (NCES state policy table, 2018 data). Each district's calendar shows how it plans for closures.
Will school be closed tomorrow in Colorado?
Only your district can say. The snow day calculator estimates the chance of a closure or late start from the National Weather Service forecast for your school's ZIP code, but it does not know announced decisions. Check your district's website, app or texts.
More: how much snow it takes to cancel school, how cold it has to be, and snow day rules in other states.