Signs of a snow day tomorrow

Signs that really matter

1. Snow or ice at bus time. The forecast between about 5 and 8 AM matters more than the storm total. Snow that ends at midnight gives crews hours to clear roads.
2. Any ice. Freezing rain closes schools with far less than snow. See ice storms and school closings.
3. A warning, not just an advisory. A Winter Storm, Ice Storm or Blizzard Warning for your county means the National Weather Service expects significant impact.
4. More than your area is used to. Four inches is big news in Nashville and a normal morning in Buffalo. Compare the forecast with what is normal where you live.
5. Dangerous cold. An Extreme Cold Warning can close schools on a dry, sunny morning.
6. It's still coming down at dawn. A storm that is slower than forecast often turns a delay into a closure.

The calculator checks all of these for your ZIP code every hour. See tomorrow's chance.

Signs that sound right but aren't enough

• The total snowfall alone. Without timing and local context it says little.
• A watch two days out. Watches often shift or drop as the storm gets closer.
• A neighboring district closing. A good hint, but districts often decide differently.

And the folklore

Flushing ice cubes down the toilet, sleeping with a spoon under the pillow, wearing pajamas inside out, running around the kitchen table: generations of students swear by them. They are a fun tradition, and none of them changes the forecast. The calculator ignores them all.

Sources

1. National Weather Service, winter weather warnings and advisories
2. Snow Day Calculator, how much snow cancels school

Related guides

• Ice storms and school closings
• Winter Storm Warning vs. Watch vs. Advisory
• What is a snow squall?