Snow days in New York City
New York City public schools no longer take traditional snow days: when severe weather cancels in-person school, students learn from home. Enter a school's ZIP code below to see the chance of a closure or late start from the latest National Weather Service forecast. The number is an estimate; the district makes the call.
By Muhammad Shakeel. Updated 3 November 2026 for the 2026-27 school year. District plans change; check the district's own page.
Snow in New York City
Central Park averages 29.8 inches of snow a year (1991-2020, NWS New York). Nor'easters can bring heavy snow: the January 2016 storm brought 20 to 30 inches across much of the area (NWS service assessment).
How New York City schools announce closures
NYC Public Schools moves to remote instruction instead of a traditional snow day. On January 26, 2026, about 500,000 students in more than 1,100 schools learned from home and returned in person the next day (NYC Public Schools).
Reading the estimate in New York City
Level 3 of 4: Snow every winter
For a suburban public school in New York, 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
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.
Because the city switches to remote learning, read the snow day number as the chance that in-person school is called off, not as the chance of a day off. New York is one model level statewide, so the thresholds are the same as upstate.
Questions and answers
Does New York City still have snow days?
Not in the traditional sense. NYC Public Schools moves to remote instruction when severe weather cancels in-person school, as it did on January 26, 2026 (NYC Public Schools).
How much snow does New York City get?
Central Park averages 29.8 inches a year, based on 1991-2020 (NWS New York).
Is the New York City snow day estimate an official closure notice?
No. It is an estimate from the National Weather Service forecast. Only the school district can close schools, so check its announcement before changing your plans. How accurate the estimate is.
More about snow days in New York, including Buffalo and Syracuse. For what closes schools anywhere, read how much snow it takes and how cold it has to be.