Snow Day Predictor by State
School closure thresholds differ drastically across the nation. Select your state below to explore localized winter storm guidance, plowing standards, and city-level school closing predictions.
● Northeast
8 StatesConnecticut
CTHumid Continental / Coastal Atlantic
Maine
MEHumid Continental / Maritime Boreal
Massachusetts
MACoastal New England / Humid Continental
New Hampshire
NHHumid Continental / White Mountain Alpine
New Jersey
NJHumid Continental / Atlantic Coastal Plain
New York
NYGreat Lakes Lake Effect / Humid Continental / Atlantic Coastal
Rhode Island
RICoastal New England
Vermont
VTHumid Continental / Green Mountain Boreal
● Midwest
9 StatesIllinois
ILHumid Continental
Indiana
INHumid Continental
Iowa
IAMidwestern Humid Continental
Michigan
MIGreat Lakes Humid Continental
Minnesota
MNUpper Midwest Continental
Missouri
MOHumid Continental / Humid Subtropical
North Dakota
NDNorthern Great Plains Subarctic Continental
Ohio
OHHumid Continental / Lake Erie Snowbelt
Wisconsin
WIUpper Midwest Continental / Lake Michigan Shore
● Rocky Mountains
4 States● Appalachian & Mid-Atlantic
7 StatesDelaware
DEMid-Atlantic Coastal Plain
District of Columbia
DCMid-Atlantic Humid Subtropical
Kentucky
KYHumid Subtropical / Ohio River Valley
Maryland
MDMid-Atlantic Humid Subtropical / Appalachian West
Pennsylvania
PAHumid Continental / Appalachian Plateau
Virginia
VAHumid Subtropical / Blue Ridge Highland
West Virginia
WVAppalachian Highland / Humid Continental
● Great Plains
4 States● Pacific Northwest & Alaska
4 StatesAlaska
AKSubarctic & Maritime Continental
Idaho
IDSemi-Arid Intermountain / Northern Rockies
Oregon
ORMaritime West / Cascade Alpine / High Desert East
Washington
WAMaritime West / Cascade Alpine / Inland Columbia Basin
● South
10 StatesAlabama
ALHumid Subtropical
Arkansas
ARHumid Subtropical / Ozark Highlands
Florida
FLSubtropical to Tropical
Georgia
GAHumid Subtropical / Appalachian Piedmont
Louisiana
LAHumid Subtropical
Mississippi
MSHumid Subtropical
North Carolina
NCHumid Subtropical / Blue Ridge Mountain
South Carolina
SCHumid Subtropical
Tennessee
TNHumid Subtropical / Cumberland Plateau
Texas
TXSubtropical / Semi-Arid / Panhandle Continental
● West & Rockies
4 StatesWhy Do Snow Day Odds Vary So Much Between States?
Equipment & Municipal Fleets
Northern states like Minnesota, Michigan, and New York invest tens of millions in municipal plowing equipment, rotary snow throwers, and heated salt depots, allowing buses to run through 6+ inches of snow.
Topography & Terrain
In hilly or mountainous areas (Pittsburgh, Seattle, West Virginia, Sierra Nevada), even 2 inches of snow or slick slush creates dangerous inclines where heavy school buses cannot safely brake or climb.
Ice Accretion Vulnerability
In the South and Mid-Atlantic, storms regularly transition into freezing rain and sleet. Without pre-treatment, elevated overpasses freeze rapidly, prompting preemptive closures for student bus safety.