Snow Day Calculator for Des Moines, IA
Will Des Moines schools be closed tomorrow?
Tomorrow by school district
| District | Closure | Link |
|---|---|---|
| Des Moines Independent Comm School District | — | — |
| Carlisle Comm School District | — | — |
| Southeast Polk Comm School District | — | — |
| Saydel Comm School District | — | — |
| Bondurant-Farrar Comm School District | — | — |
| Johnston Comm School District | — | — |
Districts serving Des Moines ZIP codes (NCES). Chances from the National Weather Service forecast.
Not listed? Enter your ZIP
Loading tonight's forecast…
Snow by hour
From the National Weather Service forecast, updated hourly. Estimate only. Your district makes the call.
Snow in Des Moines: what is normal
- Snow a year
- 37 in.
- Days with 3+ in.
- 3.9
- Days with 1+ in.
- 11.0
NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020, Des Moines Intl. Airport, IA station. Averages per year.
Des Moines gets snow most winters, so districts plan for it. The calculator scales each storm by this local normal: in Des Moines, 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 Des Moines (our model)
| Overnight snow | about 7 inches |
|---|---|
| Ice (freezing rain) | about 0.18 in. |
| Wind chill at bus time | −28°F |
| Normal winter low | 17°F |
Levels where a closure becomes likely in our model, from NOAA normals. Not a district policy.
ZIP codes covered
50309, 50319, 50315, 50314, 50316, 50320, 50312, 50321, 50311, 50317, 50310
ZIP codes inside or near Des Moines. Each has its own forecast; enter yours above for your district.
Des Moines snow day questions
Will Des Moines, IA schools be closed tomorrow?
The calculator above shows tomorrow's chance of a closure and of a delay for each Des Moines-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 Des Moines, IA get?
Des Moines averages 37 inches of snow a year, with about 3.9 days a year of 3 inches or more and 11.0 days of an inch or more (NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals, Des Moines Intl. Airport, IA station).
How much snow does it take to close schools in Des Moines, IA?
Our model treats about 7 inches of snow falling overnight as the level where closures become likely in Des Moines, because the area sees 3.9 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.
- Wind chill and school closings
How cold is too cold for school, the NWS cold alerts, and local cold lines by city.
- Signs of a snow day tomorrow
The forecast signs that really matter, and the folklore that doesn't.
Nearby
Des Moines: did school close today?
Your report improves tomorrow's estimate.