Darien School District Snow Day Predictor
The odds of a closing or a delay on the next three school mornings in Darien, measured against Darien's own big snow morning of 5.6 inches.
Will Darien close tomorrow?
How Darien calls a snow day
When the call comes
No later than 5:30 a.m.; conditions assessed between 4:00 and 4:30am.
“Conditions are assessed between 4:00-4:30am unless weather conditions the previous evening warrant a cancellation. ... If schools must be cancelled due to weather-related emergencies , the decision will be made no later than 5:30 a.m.”Source
How families hear
By radio, local TV, the district website, email, phone call and text message.
“You can expect the announcement of the cancellation within a half hour on radio and TV stations, as well as on our website https://www.darienps.org . ParentSquare is a service which provides e-mail, voice, and text communication to the community.”Emergency Weather - Related Information
A 2 hour delay
On a delay morning every school starts 2 hours late.
“If schools are delayed due to weather, the decision also will be made by 5:30am. The decision to have a TWO HOUR delayed opening is based upon the available information that travel and weather conditions are expected to sufficiently improve to open schools.”
2 built in snow days
On the 2026 to 2027 calendar, listed as “emergency closing days”.
“2 emergency closing days are built into the calendar. If no emergency closing days are used, the last day will be moved up to June 11.”Source
Making up a lost day
Beyond the 2 built-in days, added to the end of the school year.
“However, if more than 2 days are needed, they will be added to the end of the school year.”Source
The 2026 to 2027 calendar
- First day August 26, 2026
- Winter break Dec 24 to Jan 1
- February break Feb 15 to Feb 19
- Last day June 15, 2027
The board policy
“The final decision will ultimately be made by the Superintendent of Schools.”Board policy
Read from Darien’s own pages on October 8, 2026; the district site is darienps.org.
Darien’s snow record
More 4 inch school mornings than 61% of the 166 Connecticut districts with a station record.
- Biggest day 11.9 in on February 23, 2026
- Snowiest winter 2017 to 2018, 50.9 in
- 6 in mornings 1 a winter
- 1 in mornings 4.9 a winter
Measured at a NOAA weather station 4.1 miles away. Mornings are the 7 am snow reading on a weekday from December 1 through March 31, over the ten winters from 2016 to 2017 through 2025 to 2026, from NOAA GHCN Daily.
How Connecticut counts a lost day
Connecticut requires at least 180 days and 900 hours of actual school work, counting no more than 7 hours a day.
The Connecticut rules in the agency’s own words, and every Connecticut district
Districts near Darien
| District | Snow a winter | 4 in mornings | Built in days |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stamford School DistrictStamford | 29 in | 1.8 | |
| Norwalk School DistrictNorwalk | 29 in | 1.8 | |
| New Canaan School DistrictNew Canaan | 31.8 in | 1.4 | |
| Westport School DistrictWestport | 29 in | 1.8 | 5 |
| Greenwich School DistrictGreenwich | 27.6 in | 1.6 | 5 |
| Wilton School DistrictWilton | 31.8 in | 1.4 |
7 schools
Every school in Darien follows the district’s call: one closing covers them all.
High
- Darien High School
Middle
- Middlesex Middle School
Elementary
- Ox Ridge Elementary School
- Holmes Elementary School
- Tokeneke Elementary School
- Hindley Elementary School
- Royle Elementary School
Darien snow day questions
More for Connecticut snow days
The odds are a forecast read, and the superintendent makes the call: the district’s own announcement is the one to follow.