Rapid City Area School District 51-4 snow day calculator
Will Rapid City Area School District 51-4 close tomorrow?
District facts
- Official name
- Rapid City Area School District 51-4
- Schools
- 25
- Grades
- pre-K to grade 12
- Office
- Rapid City, SD
- Official site
- www.rcas.org
- Snow a year
- 54 in. · 4.6 days with 3+ in.
- NCES ID
- 4659820
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 Rapid City Area School District 51-4 closed, delayed or opened) from parent reports. The first days appear here this winter. Report today's decision.
What it takes to close Rapid City Area School District 51-4
- Snow line
- About 8 in. of overnight snow
- Ice line
- About .18 in. of ice
- Cold line
- −28°F wind chill at bus time (normal winter low 17°F)
- Counties
- Pennington County, Meade County, Custer County, Oglala Lakota County
Levels where a closure becomes likely in our model for ZIP 57701, from Rapid City Area School District 51-4's local snow normal: 4.6 days a year with 3 or more inches. Snow varies across the district: its ZIP codes average from 33 to 54 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Meade School District 46-1 | 56 in. | 9.5 in. |
| Custer School District 16-1 | 58 in. | 10 in. |
| Spearfish School District 40-2 | 71 in. | 9 in. |
| Crook County School District #1 WY | 81 in. | 10.5 in. |
| Oglala Lakota County School District 65-1 | 46 in. | 8 in. |
| Kadoka Area School District 35-2 | 38 in. | 8 in. |
ZIP codes Rapid City Area School District 51-4 serves
57701, 57702, 57703, 57718, 57725, 57744
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.
Rapid City Area School District 51-4 snow day questions
Is Rapid City Area School District 51-4 closed tomorrow?
The card above shows tomorrow's chance that Rapid City Area School District 51-4 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 Rapid City Area School District 51-4?
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 57701, which averages 54 inches of snow a year (NOAA 1991–2020 normals).
When does Rapid City Area School District 51-4 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.