Snow days in Virginia
Virginia lets a school division hold unscheduled remote learning days when weather closes schools, but no more than 10 a year without a state extension (Code of Virginia 22.1-98). The calculator treats Virginia as a state with some snow most winters, so smaller amounts raise the estimate than in the northern states.
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 Virginia schools
- Different amounts by region. NWS Blacksburg issues a Winter Storm Warning for about 4 inches of snow in the foothills and Piedmont, 5 inches in the mountains, or 2 inches of sleet (NWS Blacksburg).
How many snow days do Virginia schools get?
State aid is reduced when a school term falls below 180 days or 990 hours. A division may not claim more than 10 unscheduled remote learning days in a school year unless the Superintendent of Public Instruction grants an extension (Code of Virginia 22.1-98). The Department of Education handles extension requests case by case (Virginia Department of Education).
What Virginia districts have published
Local practice varies. In December 2023, Fairfax County Public Schools said it would not hold virtual learning days when schools close for weather (WTOP, Dec 2023). Check your division's current plan.
How the calculator treats Virginia
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 2 of 4: Some snow most winters
For a suburban public school in Virginia, any one of these gives the model about an even chance of a closure on its own:
- 2.5 in of snow from 6 pm to 8 am (snow between 4 and 8 am counts extra)
- 0.06 in of ice from freezing rain, from the evening before to the end of the school day
- a wind chill of -5°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.
Virginia uses one level statewide. The model's elevation adjustment only applies above 1,800 m (about 5,900 ft), and forecast ice counts in its own right, so a glaze of freezing rain can raise the estimate with no snow at all.
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
How many remote learning days can Virginia schools use for snow?
No more than 10 unscheduled remote learning days a year unless the Superintendent of Public Instruction grants an extension (Code of Virginia 22.1-98).
Why does a small storm raise the estimate in Virginia?
The model puts Virginia in its "some snow most winters" level, where about 2.5 inches of snow or 0.06 inches of ice gives an even chance of a closure. Districts with fewer plows tend to close for less. How the snow levels work.
Will school be closed tomorrow in Virginia?
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.