Snow Day Calculator for Chicago, IL
Will Chicago schools be closed tomorrow?
Tomorrow by school district
| District | Closure | Link |
|---|---|---|
| Chicago Public Schools Dist 299 | — | — |
| Central Stickney School District 110 | — | — |
| Oak Park Elementary School District 97 | — | — |
| Oak Park and River Forest District 200 | — | — |
| J. Sterling Morton High School District 201 | — | — |
| Reavis Township High School District 220 | — | — |
| Burbank School District 111 | — | — |
| Cicero School District 99 | — | — |
| Berwyn South School District 100 | — | — |
| Berwyn North School District 98 | — | — |
Districts serving Chicago 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 Chicago: what is normal
- Snow a year
- 39 in.
- Days with 3+ in.
- 3.6
- Days with 1+ in.
- 11.3
NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020, Chicago Midway Airport 3SW, IL station. Averages per year.
Chicago gets snow most winters, so districts plan for it. The calculator scales each storm by this local normal: in Chicago, closures usually take about 7 inches overnight, or ice, or snow at the worst time of the morning. How the calculator works.
What closes schools in Chicago (our model)
| Overnight snow | about 7 inches |
|---|---|
| Ice (freezing rain) | about 0.18 in. |
| Wind chill at bus time | −22°F |
| Normal winter low | 23°F |
Levels where a closure becomes likely in our model, from NOAA normals. Not a district policy.
ZIP codes covered
60608, 60623, 60609, 60632, 60612, 60607, 60616, 60624, 60661, 60804, 60606, 60604, 60605, 60603, 60653, 60602, 60636, 60629, 60622, 60654, 60601, 60642, 60644, 60621, 60615, 60610, 60651, 60611, 60402, 60637, 60638, 60647, 60304, 60614, 60652, 60302, 60301, 60639, 60620, 60546
ZIP codes inside or near Chicago. Each has its own forecast; enter yours above for your district.
Chicago snow day questions
Will Chicago, IL schools be closed tomorrow?
The calculator above shows tomorrow's chance of a closure and of a delay for each Chicago-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 Chicago, IL get?
Chicago averages 39 inches of snow a year, with about 3.6 days a year of 3 inches or more and 11.3 days of an inch or more (NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals, Chicago Midway Airport 3SW, IL station).
How much snow does it take to close schools in Chicago, IL?
Our model treats about 7 inches of snow falling overnight as the level where closures become likely in Chicago, because the area sees 3.6 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.
- Signs of a snow day tomorrow
The forecast signs that really matter, and the folklore that doesn't.
Nearby
Chicago: did school close today?
Your report improves tomorrow's estimate.