The short answer
In Minnesota, the calculator treats your area as heavy-snow (Minneapolis-Saint Paul (MSP) averages 51.2 inches a year), so closure odds reach about 50% at 10 inches of overnight snow — less with ice, extreme cold or snow falling between midnight and 6 a.m. It is an estimate, not an announcement from your district.
The calculator above is preset for Minnesota. Minneapolis-Saint Paul (MSP) averages 51.2 inches of snow a year (1991–2020 normals), which puts Minnesota in our heavy-snow group. For a public school in an average suburban district, the model needs about 10 inches of overnight snow before the chance of a closure reaches 50%. Enter your ZIP code to load the National Weather Service forecast, or change the snow tolerance if your town gets much more or less snow than Minneapolis-Saint Paul (MSP).
Minnesota snow day facts at a glance
| Item | Minnesota |
|---|---|
| Snow tolerance in the calculator | Heavy (50% point: 10 in overnight) |
| Average yearly snowfall, Minneapolis-Saint Paul (MSP) | 51.2 in |
| Remote learning days for weather | Allowed |
| Remote-day limit | 5 days a year |
| Minimum school year (days) | 1-11: 165 |
| Minimum instructional hours | K: 425 h; All-day K: 850 h; 1-6: 935 h; 7-12: 1,020 h |
| Cold point used by the model | -30°F wind chill |
How much snow closes school in Minnesota? (model estimate)
Computed with the calculator’s formula for a heavy-snow area: public school, average district, no ice, no extreme cold, no timing boost.
| Overnight snow | Chance closed | Chance of a delay |
|---|---|---|
| 3 in | 2% | 17% |
| 4 in | 5% | 32% |
| 6 in | 16% | 50% |
| 8 in | 33% | 48% |
| 10 in | 50% | 39% |
| 12 in | 64% | 28% |
| 18 in | 87% | 11% |
Ice changes the picture quickly: in the model, 0.1 inch of freezing rain alone gives about 23% closure odds here, and 0.25 inch about 82%. A morning wind chill of -30°F gives 50% from cold alone. Heavy snow between midnight and 6 a.m. counts 25% more, because it is still falling when districts decide around 4–6 a.m.
Reported thresholds and cold-day policies in Minnesota
These come from our snow day thresholds dataset. Most are news reports, so they describe policy as reported at the time, not necessarily today.
- Minneapolis Public Schools — Cold: Likely cancels if 6:30 a.m. next-day wind chill forecast is -35F or colder with winds 5-10 mph; by 2023 considers an e-learning day instead. (news; source; CBS Minnesota/WCCO 2019-01-23; e-learning variant per MPR via Inforum 2023-01-30)
- St. Paul Public Schools — Cold: Cancels if 6 a.m. forecast shows air temp below -25F or wind chill below -35F (2019); may call e-learning day at -35F wind chill (2023). (news; source; 2019 CBS Minnesota; 2023 MPR via Inforum)
- Anoka-Hennepin Schools — Cold: Relies on NWS wind chill warning (exposed skin can freeze in under 15 minutes) -> closure likely. (news; source; MPR News 2023-01-30)
- Burnsville-Eagan-Savage ISD 191 — Cold: Cancels if NWS 6 a.m. forecast shows air temp below -25F or wind chill below -35F. (news; source; MPR News 2023-01-30)
- St. Cloud Area Schools — Cold: Closure possible if NWS forecasts -35F air temp or wind chill; 2-hour delay considered if forecast rises above -35F by 9:30 a.m. (news; source; MPR News 2023-01-30)
- Grand Rapids ISD 318 — Cold: -50F wind chill used to consider closing; superintendent makes final call. (news; source; MPR News 2023-01-30)
- Bemidji Area Schools — Cold: Normally stays open until wind chill reaches -40F. (news; source; MPR News 2019-01-28; no statewide threshold in MN)
- Fargo / West Fargo / Moorhead — Snow: No set thresholds. Cold: No set temperature or weather thresholds that trigger automatic closing. (news; source; MPR News 2023-01-30)
- Minnesota and upstate New York — Snow: Thresholds similar to Chicago’s (very high). (news; source; CBS Chicago 2014 summarizing crowdsourced map)
Remote learning days in Minnesota
Allowed. Minn. Stat. 120A.414: up to five e-learning days per year due to inclement weather, counted as instruction days; board plan, 2-hour notice to parents, teachers reachable online/phone. The limit is 5 days a year. (statute) Because individual districts decide whether to use remote days, the calculator asks whether yours usually goes remote and splits the closure chance into a day off and a remote day.
Minimum school year in Minnesota
The Education Commission of the States’ 2023 comparison lists these minimums for Minnesota (they may not reflect later legislation):
- Days: 1-11: 165
- Instructional hours: K: 425 h; All-day K: 850 h; 1-6: 935 h; 7-12: 1,020 h
Days lost to closures count against that minimum, which is why districts that use up their snow days typically add make-up days at the end of the year — and why remote-day rules matter.
Where to check official closures
Only your district can close school. Check its website, app or text and email alerts first. We don’t list district links for Minnesota because we haven’t verified them; this page and its calculator are an estimate, not an announcement.
Frequently asked questions
How much snow does it take to close school in Minnesota?
Can Minnesota schools use remote learning instead of a snow day?
How many school days are required in Minnesota?
Sources & method
- Snowfall normal for Minneapolis-Saint Paul (MSP): climate table (1991–2020 normals, NOAA-sourced).
- Minneapolis Public Schools: news report.
- St. Paul Public Schools: news report.
- Anoka-Hennepin Schools: news report.
- Burnsville-Eagan-Savage ISD 191: news report.
- St. Cloud Area Schools: news report.
- Grand Rapids ISD 318: news report.
- Bemidji Area Schools: news report.
- Fargo / West Fargo / Moorhead: news report.
- Minnesota and upstate New York: news report.
- Remote-day rule for Minnesota: official statute or regulation text.
- Instructional time: ECS 50-State Comparison, Instructional Time Policies (2023).
- Make-up days: Stacker via KVIA (2024).
- Model: our own estimate; method on the main snow day calculator page.
Data checked October 2026. Spotted an error? Tell us via the about page.
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