Snow Day Probability
☀️ Chance of school cancellation tomorrow
Data provided by Open-Meteo
The Des Moines Public Schools and surrounding Iowa districts together serve thousands of students across many public, charter, and private campuses. The Des Moines area averages approximately 34 inches of snowfall per year, with the heaviest snowfall typically occurring between November and March.
School districts in Des Moines generally announce closures through their official websites, automated phone calls, local TV, and radio stations, with most decisions made by the superintendent in the early morning hours, typically by 5:00 AM on storm days. Two-hour delays and remote-learning days are sometimes used in Des Moines as alternatives to a full closure when conditions are borderline.
Des Moines's geography plays a meaningful role in its winter weather: a continental climate exposed to Arctic air masses, ground blizzards, and dangerous wind chills. These factors directly influence how often Des Moines schools end up closed during a given winter. Geographically, Des Moines sits near 41.59°N, 93.62°W, which shapes how regional storm systems and Arctic air masses interact with the area.
Notable historic snow events in or near Des Moines include major Plains blizzards that have repeatedly closed Iowa districts for several days, which produced widespread closures across the region. Historically, schools in the Des Moines area close an average of approximately 4 days per winter season due to snow, ice, or extreme cold. Use our Snow Day Calculator above to check tomorrow's real-time school closure probability for Des Moines based on live weather forecast data from Open-Meteo.
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Our calculator pulls live weather forecast data for Des Moines from the Open-Meteo API and analyzes snowfall accumulation, temperature, wind chill, and 24-hour precipitation totals to generate a school closure probability percentage.
Check between 9 PM and midnight the evening before a potential storm. Weather models are most reliable within a 12–18 hour forecast window, giving you the most accurate prediction for the following morning.
Yes. Public schools close more readily than private schools, which close more readily than colleges and universities. Select your school type for the most accurate Des Moines prediction.