Northwestern Area School District 56-7 snow day calculator
Will Northwestern Area School District 56-7 close tomorrow?
District facts
- Official name
- Northwestern Area School District 56-7
- Schools
- 6
- Grades
- pre-K to grade 12
- Office
- Mellette, SD
- Official site
- www.northwestern.k12.sd.us
- Snow a year
- 34 in. · 4.5 days with 3+ in.
- NCES ID
- 4651750
National Center for Education Statistics (CCD 2024–25, EDGE GRF25); NOAA 1991–2020 normals. Not affiliated with the district.
Past winter days
We record what happened on each storm day (our chance, and whether Northwestern Area School District 56-7 closed, delayed or opened) from parent reports. The first days appear here this winter. Report today's decision.
What it takes to close Northwestern Area School District 56-7
- Snow line
- About 8 in. of overnight snow
- Ice line
- About .18 in. of ice
- Cold line
- −40°F wind chill at bus time (normal winter low 5°F)
- Counties
- Spink County, Faulk County, Brown County, Edmunds County
Levels where a closure becomes likely in our model for ZIP 57461, from Northwestern Area School District 56-7's local snow normal: 4.5 days a year with 3 or more inches. Snow varies across the district: its ZIP codes average from 28 to 44 inches a year, so the line is higher in the snowier parts. These are model estimates, not the district's policy.
Nearby districts
| District | Snow a year | Snow line |
|---|---|---|
| Redfield School District 56-4 | 43 in. | 8 in. |
| Aberdeen School District 06-1 | 43 in. | 7.5 in. |
| Doland School District 56-2 | 23 in. | 5.5 in. |
| Ipswich Public School District 22-6 | 34 in. | 7.5 in. |
| Hitchcock Tulare School District 56-6 | 44 in. | 8.5 in. |
| Faulkton Area Schools 24-4 | 44 in. | 8 in. |
ZIP codes Northwestern Area School District 56-7 serves
57424, 57429, 57434, 57435, 57438, 57460, 57461, 57465, 57470, 57474, 57477
ZIP codes that overlap the district's boundary (NCES EDGE GRF25). Some are shared with neighboring districts.
Check a different ZIP
Loading tonight's forecast…
Snow by hour
From the National Weather Service forecast, updated hourly. Estimate only. Your district makes the call.
Northwestern Area School District 56-7 snow day questions
Is Northwestern Area School District 56-7 closed tomorrow?
The card above shows tomorrow's chance that Northwestern Area School District 56-7 closes or delays school, from tonight's National Weather Service forecast for the district's area. It is an estimate; only the district can announce a closure, usually on its website, by text or phone alert, and through local TV and radio.
How much snow does it take to close Northwestern Area School District 56-7?
There is no fixed number: the district weighs snow totals, ice, wind chill, road crews and timing. Our model treats about 8 inches of overnight snow as the level where closures become likely around ZIP 57461, which averages 34 inches of snow a year (NOAA 1991–2020 normals).
When does Northwestern Area School District 56-7 announce snow days?
Districts usually decide early in the morning, after crews check the roads, and sometimes the evening before when a big storm is certain. Check the district's official website and alerts for the decision; we don't report official closings.
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.
- How school districts decide snow days
Who makes the call, what they check before dawn, and why neighboring districts disagree.
- Snow day vs. delay vs. early dismissal
What each one means, when districts use them, and how the calculator scores each.