How many snow days does a Virginia division have to make up?

All of them up to five. From the sixth closure on, the division makes up the first five plus one day for every two further days, by adding days or lengthening the school day. The Board of Education can waive the extra days after severe weather if the division shows it tried to reschedule.

What is an unscheduled remote learning day in Virginia?

A remote day used in place of a closure that counts toward the term and keeps state aid. A division may claim no more than ten a year unless the Superintendent of Public Instruction extends the limit, and the day must follow Department of Education guidelines.

Why do Fairfax and Loudoun close on 2 inches?

Early buses on late-plowed subdivision roads, and ice on the hills west of Dulles. Northern Virginia averages 2.3 days a year with 3 inches or more, so 2 inches is a real event, and the state's own plow tracker only switches on at 2 inches. The meter's 2.5-inch threshold sits exactly there.

Does Norfolk ever get a snow day?

Norfolk averages 1.7 days a year with an inch or more and 0.6 days with 3 inches or more, so a snow closure happens most winters but not all. Ice on the bridges and tunnels is the likelier Tidewater closer, and the meter scores each hour of freezing rain in the forecast.

Snow day calculator Virginia

Chance of a snow day

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Best time to check

The evening before, after 9 pm: The evening model runs are in by then and the forecast here refreshes every 30 minutes. A number read at 6 pm can move by several inches of snow before midnight.
The morning of, 5 to 7 am: The strip above shades 4 to 7 am. Snow still falling in those hours lands on the commute, so the model counts it extra, and most districts have decided by the time the buses roll at 7.

When districts actually decide

Portland Public Schools, Oregon publishes its closure decision no later than 5 am (read 10 Oct 2026)
Omaha Public Schools announced the 23 January 2026 cold closure at 5:50 pm the evening before (read 10 Oct 2026)
Little Rock School District announced a two-day closure the afternoon before the 9 January 2025 storm (read 10 Oct 2026)
Minnesota e-learning days must be announced at least two hours before the normal start time, by statute (read 10 Oct 2026)

Every district sets its own cut-off; these are published examples, not a rule.

Virginia schools usually close around 2.5 inches of overnight snow. Northern Virginia and Richmond close on 2 to 3 inches; the Shenandoah tolerates more. The meter below opens on Richmond; type your ZIP or town and it reads tonight's hourly forecast for your exact spot and scores it against the Virginia threshold.

How much snow it takes in Virginia

Virginia's snow line runs through Fredericksburg. Dulles, standing in for Northern Virginia, averages 21 inches a season and 2.3 days with 3 inches or more; Richmond 8.8 inches and 0.8 such days; Norfolk 6.2 inches; Roanoke in the valley 14.8. February is the snowiest month in the north and west, January in Richmond and Tidewater. The model's 2.5-inch threshold is the Northern Virginia and Richmond number: Fairfax and Loudoun close on 2 to 3 inches because their bus fleets start before 6 am on roads the counties plow last; the Shenandoah and the Alleghany Highlands tolerate more.

The state transportation department's own trigger is a good proxy for the meter's: its plow tracker switches on when snow reaches 2 inches or more. Statewide it sets aside 220 million dollars a winter, more than 10,200 pieces of equipment and more than 702,000 tons of salt, sand and abrasives for 57,000 lane miles, which is why the interstates are rarely the problem and the subdivision cul-de-sacs usually are. Freezing rain on Tidewater bridges closes schools that snow would not.

Virginia winter by the numbers

Station	Snow per season	Days with 1″+	Days with 3″+	Snowiest month
Richmond	8.8″	2.7	0.8	Jan
Dulles (Northern Virginia)	21.0″	5.3	2.3	Feb
Norfolk	6.2″	1.7	0.6	Jan
Roanoke	14.8″	3.8	1.6	Feb

1991-2020 climate normals for the airport or first-order station in each city, read 2026-10-10 from the NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals. “Days with 3″+” is the average number of calendar days a year with at least 3 inches of new snow.

How closures are decided in Virginia

Virginia requires a school term of at least 180 teaching days or 990 teaching hours (Va. Code 22.1-98), and the statute's make-up arithmetic is spelled out. If a division closes for five days or fewer, every day is made up by adding days or lengthening the school day. If it closes for six or more, the first five are made up and then one day for every two beyond five. The Board of Education may waive additional make-up days after severe weather on a local board's request with evidence of rescheduling efforts, and must waive up to five days after a governor-directed evacuation. Remote days, make-up hours and waivers all preserve Basic School Aid.

The remote option has a statutory name and cap: unscheduled remote learning days, no more than ten a school year unless the Superintendent of Public Instruction extends the number, delivered under Department of Education guidelines (22.1-98(C)(4)). The provision dates from the 2021 special session. The department's guidance page itself was not reachable when we checked, and we did not find a dated closure list to cite; the 132 county and city divisions make their own calls.

Minimum school year: 180 teaching days or 990 teaching hours (Va. Code 22.1-98)
Make-up arithmetic: First 5 closure days made up in full, then 1 day for every 2 beyond 5
Unscheduled remote learning days: Up to 10 a year, extendable by the Superintendent of Public Instruction
County and city divisions: 132 (NCES, 2021-22)

Questions people ask

How many snow days does a Virginia division have to make up?: All of them up to five. From the sixth closure on, the division makes up the first five plus one day for every two further days, by adding days or lengthening the school day. The Board of Education can waive the extra days after severe weather if the division shows it tried to reschedule.
What is an unscheduled remote learning day in Virginia?: A remote day used in place of a closure that counts toward the term and keeps state aid. A division may claim no more than ten a year unless the Superintendent of Public Instruction extends the limit, and the day must follow Department of Education guidelines.
Why do Fairfax and Loudoun close on 2 inches?: Early buses on late-plowed subdivision roads, and ice on the hills west of Dulles. Northern Virginia averages 2.3 days a year with 3 inches or more, so 2 inches is a real event, and the state's own plow tracker only switches on at 2 inches. The meter's 2.5-inch threshold sits exactly there.
Does Norfolk ever get a snow day?: Norfolk averages 1.7 days a year with an inch or more and 0.6 days with 3 inches or more, so a snow closure happens most winters but not all. Ice on the bridges and tunnels is the likelier Tidewater closer, and the meter scores each hour of freezing rain in the forecast.

Sources

Va. Code 22.1-98, length of school term, make-up days and unscheduled remote learning days (read 2026-10-10)
VDOT, prepped and ready for winter with a 220 million dollar budget, 29 Nov 2023 (read 2026-10-10)
NCES Digest table 214.30, regular school districts by state, 2021-22 (read 2026-10-10)
NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020, Dulles, Richmond, Norfolk and Roanoke (read 2026-10-10)

The closure threshold itself is our model's estimate from typical district practice, not an official figure. Districts, not states, make the call. The model page shows every term.

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