Bozeman School Closings Today — Live Status & Delays (Montana)

Are Bozeman schools closed today? Check live status below — updated every 10 minutes.

Live status monitored for Bozeman School District 7, Belgrade School District #44, Manhattan School District #3, and Three Forks School District.

How Bozeman School Closings Today Are Announced

Bozeman school closings today are almost always the result of overnight snow accumulation combined with dangerous wind chill in the Gallatin Valley. Bozeman School District 7 (BSD7), the primary district covering Bozeman, posts closure and delay notices on its official website at bsd7.org and pushes alerts to families through its SchoolMessenger notification system. The district works to make a decision as early as possible — typically well before the first buses run — so families can adjust morning plans, though a wind chill or visibility event that develops overnight can occasionally push the announcement closer to sunrise.

Local TV coverage fills in the gap for families who aren’t yet signed up for district alerts. KBZK 7 (CBS, MTN News) and NBC Montana (KTVM, simulcast locally as KDBZ) both carry closure and delay information during winter storm mornings, with KWYB (ABC/Fox, Butte–Bozeman) also picking up closures affecting the wider region. This page checks BSD7’s official site along with these stations and the neighboring Belgrade, Manhattan, and Three Forks districts, so you don’t have to check each one individually.

Weather Risks That Can Trigger Bozeman School Closings

• Heavy overnight snowfall: A fast-moving system out of the Bridger Range or Gallatin Canyon can drop several inches of snow before plows have a chance to clear rural bus routes, prompting a delay or full closure.
• Extreme cold / wind chill: Gallatin Valley winters regularly see sub-zero wind chills. When forecast wind chill drops to dangerous levels for children waiting at bus stops, districts may delay or cancel classes even without new snow.
• Icy roads on rural and canyon routes: Because BSD7 buses draw from outlying county roads and Belgrade, Manhattan, and Three Forks buses cover long rural stretches, black ice on two-lane highways is a common trigger even when in-town roads look clear.
• Spring runoff flooding: Rapid snowmelt combined with spring rain can cause localized flooding along the Gallatin, East Gallatin, and Madison river drainages, occasionally affecting bus routes in low-lying areas.
• Wildfire smoke: Late-summer wildfire smoke from western Montana and neighboring states can push air quality to unhealthy levels, occasionally prompting schools to move recess and activities indoors or, in severe cases, adjust the schedule.
• Whiteout / blowing snow: High winds combined with fresh snow can create whiteout conditions on open stretches between Bozeman, Belgrade, Manhattan, and Three Forks, reducing visibility for bus drivers even after snowfall has stopped.

Frequently Asked Questions

How early does Bozeman School District 7 announce school closures?

BSD7 aims to decide on closures or delays as early as possible, typically before the first buses run in the morning. Overnight storms that intensify closer to sunrise can occasionally push the announcement later, so checking this page or the district’s SchoolMessenger alerts around 6 AM is the most reliable way to know before you leave the house.

What’s the difference between a closure and a delay in Bozeman?

A closure means BSD7 and/or neighboring districts cancel classes for the entire day. A delay — most often a one- or two-hour late start — gives plow crews time to clear roads and lets temperatures rise slightly on especially cold mornings. Bus routes and start times shift accordingly on delay days, and BSD7 posts the specific schedule when a delay is called.

Do all Gallatin Valley school districts close at the same time?

Not necessarily. Bozeman School District 7, Belgrade School District #44, Manhattan School District #3, and Three Forks School District each make independent closure decisions based on conditions along their own bus routes. It’s common for one district to delay while a neighboring district stays on a normal schedule, which is why this page tracks all four districts together rather than just BSD7.

Which Bozeman TV stations report school closings?

KBZK 7 (CBS, MTN News) and NBC Montana (KTVM, simulcast locally on KDBZ) are the primary local stations reporting Bozeman-area school closings, with KWYB (ABC/Fox, Butte–Bozeman) also carrying alerts for the wider region. This page monitors these stations alongside each district’s official website automatically.

How often is this page updated?

Status checks run automatically every 15 minutes, or every 5 minutes during active weather alerts, pulling directly from district websites, TV station feeds, and National Weather Service data for Gallatin County.

Why does Bozeman close school for cold that other places consider normal?

Gallatin Valley schools are generally well-equipped for routine snow, but a combination of sub-zero wind chill and long rural bus routes — some running 30+ minutes one way from Manhattan, Three Forks, or outlying Belgrade — raises the risk of a stranded bus or frostbite at an exposed stop. Districts weigh that rural exposure heavily, which is why a cold snap can trigger a delay even when city streets look manageable.

School Roster

Bozeman School District 7

High Schools

• Bozeman High School
• Gallatin High School

Middle Schools

• Chief Joseph Middle School
• Sacajawea Middle School

Elementary Schools

• Emily Dickinson Elementary School
• Hawthorne Elementary School
• Hyalite Elementary School
• Irving Elementary School
• Longfellow Elementary School
• Meadowlark Elementary School
• Morning Star Elementary School
• Whittier Elementary School

Charter Schools

• Bridger Charter Academy

Belgrade School District #44

High Schools

• Belgrade High School

Middle Schools

• Belgrade Middle School

Elementary Schools

• Ridge View Elementary
• Story Creek Elementary
• Saddle Peak Elementary

Manhattan School District #3

High Schools

• Manhattan High School

Middle Schools

• Manhattan 6-8 School

Elementary Schools

• Manhattan Elementary School

Three Forks School District

High Schools

• Three Forks High School

Elementary Schools

• Three Forks Elementary School