Snow Day Calculator for Washington, DC
Will Washington schools be closed tomorrow?
Tomorrow by school district
| District | Closure | Link |
|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia Public Schools | — | — |
Districts serving Washington ZIP codes (NCES). Chances from the National Weather Service forecast.
Not listed? Enter your ZIP
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Snow by hour
From the National Weather Service forecast, updated hourly. Estimate only. Your district makes the call.
Snow in Washington: what is normal
- Snow a year
- 10 in.
- Days with 3+ in.
- 1.3
- Days with 1+ in.
- 3.3
NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020, Natl Arboretum Dc, MD station. Averages per year.
Washington gets snow most winters, so districts plan for it. The calculator scales each storm by this local normal: in Washington, closures usually take about 5 inches overnight, or ice, or snow at the worst time of the morning. How the calculator works.
What closes schools in Washington (our model)
| Overnight snow | about 5 inches |
|---|---|
| Ice (freezing rain) | about 0.15 in. |
| Wind chill at bus time | −20°F |
| Normal winter low | 30°F |
Levels where a closure becomes likely in our model, from NOAA normals. Not a district policy.
ZIP codes covered
20001, 20535, 20005, 20004, 20408, 20530, 20045, 20510, 20565, 20220, 20560, 20591, 20230, 20515, 20059, 20204, 20540, 20036, 20006, 20260, 20009, 20431, 20240, 20250, 20422, 20415, 20427, 20245, 20052, 20551, 20002, 20520, 20418, 20003, 20317, 20390, 20010, 20037, 20566, 20024
ZIP codes inside or near Washington. Each has its own forecast; enter yours above for your district.
Washington snow day questions
Will Washington, DC schools be closed tomorrow?
The calculator above shows tomorrow's chance of a closure and of a delay for each Washington-area school district, from tonight's National Weather Service forecast. It updates every hour from the afternoon until morning. It is an estimate: your district makes and announces the decision, often early in the morning or the evening before a big storm.
How much snow does Washington, DC get?
Washington averages 10 inches of snow a year, with about 1.3 days a year of 3 inches or more and 3.3 days of an inch or more (NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals, Natl Arboretum Dc, MD station).
How much snow does it take to close schools in Washington, DC?
Our model treats about 5 inches of snow falling overnight as the level where closures become likely in Washington, because the area sees 1.3 days a year with 3+ inches and is used to plowing. Ice, a winter storm warning, or heavy snow right at bus time can close schools with less.
Guides
- How much snow cancels school?
From one inch in Atlanta to a foot in Buffalo: what it takes in every state, with NOAA data.
- What time are snow days announced?
When districts decide, how they tell families, and when to check the calculator.
- Ice storms and school closings
Why a tenth of an inch of ice can close more schools than a foot of snow.
- Signs of a snow day tomorrow
The forecast signs that really matter, and the folklore that doesn't.
Nearby
Washington: did school close today?
Your report improves tomorrow's estimate.