Mississippi School Closings

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Mississippi School Closings Today — Live Delays & Cancellations
MISSISSIPPI SCHOOL CLOSINGS
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Check the latest Mississippi school closings, delays, and cancellations today. This page monitors real-time announcements from school districts across Mississippi — including Jackson, Gulfport, Hattiesburg, Biloxi, and Meridian — with status updated throughout the day. Most districts aim to post decisions by 5:30 AM on the day of impact.

School closures in Mississippi are most frequently triggered by severe thunderstorms and tornado outbreaks, winter ice and sleet events, and Gulf Coast hurricanes or tropical storms that prompt mandatory evacuations. District superintendents work closely with the National Weather Service offices in Jackson and New Orleans, as well as local Emergency Management Agencies, before making closure decisions.

Mississippi allows school districts to designate up to five Innovative Learning Days per year, meaning a closure does not automatically result in lost instructional time — students may complete digital assignments from home. Always check your district's parent portal or SchoolMessenger notification system to confirm whether a closure day counts as an Innovative Learning Day or requires a makeup day later in the calendar.

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District Status
District Status Source As of
Jackson Public Schools
Hinds County — state capital and largest city district in Mississippi
 ✓ Open ⏳ Checking… —
Harrison County School District
Gulf Coast — Gulfport, Long Beach, and surrounding communities
 ✓ Open ⏳ Checking… —
Gulfport School District
Harrison County — Mississippi's second-largest city on the Gulf Coast
 ✓ Open ⏳ Checking… —
Biloxi Public Schools
Harrison County — coastal city frequently affected by Gulf weather
 ✓ Open ⏳ Checking… —
Hattiesburg Public School District
Forrest County — hub of South Mississippi
 ✓ Open ⏳ Checking… —
Lamar County School District
Lamar County — fast-growing district south of Hattiesburg
 ✓ Open ⏳ Checking… —
DeSoto County Schools
DeSoto County — largest district in Mississippi, Memphis suburb
 ✓ Open ⏳ Checking… —
Meridian Public Schools
Lauderdale County — East Mississippi's largest city district
 ✓ Open ⏳ Checking… —
Confidence: ✓ Confirmed Official district or DOE source ≈ Predicted Based on weather data

⚠️ Always confirm with your school district directly. This page is for reference only.

Understanding Alert Levels
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School Closed
All in-person classes cancelled. May be designated as an Innovative Learning Day — students complete work online.
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Delayed Start
1- or 2-hour late start. Bus pickups shift accordingly. Breakfast is typically not served on delay days.
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Early Dismissal
Students released early, usually when severe weather is forecast to peak during afternoon bus routes.
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Open / Normal
Schools operating on regular schedule. Monitor for updates if weather conditions change during the day.
Where to Find Real-Time Updates
How Decisions Are Made
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Tornado Watches & Warnings
Mississippi sits squarely in Tornado Alley and frequently closes schools or dismisses early when tornadic activity is forecast during the 2–4 PM afternoon bus window.
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Hurricanes & Tropical Storms
Gulf Coast districts — Harrison, Hancock, and Jackson counties — may close 24–48 hours before landfall to allow for mandatory evacuations and storm shelter preparation.
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Winter Ice & Sleet Events
Mississippi roads freeze quickly during ice and sleet events because the state has limited de-icing equipment. Even light accumulation can cause widespread closures statewide.
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Flash Flooding
Heavy rainfall can rapidly flood rural roads and bridges across the Delta and river communities, making bus routes impassable even without severe thunderstorm conditions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Check the live district status table above for real-time closures. Most Mississippi superintendents aim to announce by 5:30 AM. For major winter weather or hurricane events, announcements can come the evening before.
Sign up for your district's parent notification system (most use SchoolMessenger or PowerSchool). You can also follow local TV stations like WLBT 3, WAPT 16, and WJTV 12, or bookmark this page for live updates.
Most Mississippi superintendents aim to make a final decision by 5:30 AM. When a hurricane or tropical storm threatens, school closings can be announced 24–48 hours in advance.
Yes. Under Mississippi law, districts may designate up to five Innovative Learning Days per school year. On these days, students complete digital assignments remotely so no instructional time is lost.
Yes. Mississippi lies within Tornado Alley and frequently issues early dismissals or closures when tornado watches or warnings are issued, especially when severe weather is forecast during the afternoon bus window.
Yes. Gulf Coast districts — including Harrison, Hancock, and Jackson counties — may close several days before a landfalling hurricane to allow for mandatory evacuations and shelter preparation.
Mississippi School Closings by City

Jackson School Closings

Jackson Public Schools is the primary district serving Mississippi's state capital, while Hinds County School District covers the surrounding suburban and rural communities. WLBT 3 (NBC), WAPT 16 (ABC), and WJTV 12 (CBS) are the main local TV sources for closings in the Jackson metro. Tornado warnings and winter ice events are the most common causes of school closures in Central Mississippi, with ice being especially disruptive given the region's limited road treatment resources.

Gulfport & Biloxi School Closings

The Gulf Coast is served by Harrison County School District, Gulfport School District, and Biloxi Public Schools — together enrolling over 25,000 students. WLOX 13 (ABC) and WXXV 25 (FOX) are the primary TV sources for closings along the Coast. Hurricanes and tropical storms are the most significant closure driver for this region, and districts typically close 24–48 hours before a projected landfall to facilitate mandatory evacuations along coastal Hancock, Harrison, and Jackson counties.

Hattiesburg School Closings

Hattiesburg Public School District and Lamar County School District together serve the greater Pine Belt region of South Mississippi. WHLT 22 (CBS) and WDAM 7 (NBC) are the local TV stations covering Forrest and Lamar County closings. Severe thunderstorms and tornado outbreaks are the primary closure causes in the Hattiesburg area, as the city sits along a frequently active severe weather corridor. Ice events, while rarer than in northern Mississippi, can still cause closures when temperatures drop below freezing.

Southaven & DeSoto County School Closings

DeSoto County Schools is Mississippi's largest school district by enrollment, serving the rapidly growing Memphis suburbs of Southaven, Olive Branch, Horn Lake, and Hernando. Local Memphis TV stations — including WMC Action News 5, WREG News Channel 3, and FOX13 — are the primary media sources for DeSoto County closings. Winter weather including ice and snow is the most common closure cause in this northern part of the state, which receives more winter precipitation than the rest of Mississippi.

Find Mississippi School Closings by ZIP Code

Use your ZIP code below to identify your school district, then check that district’s live status above.

North Mississippi · Memphis Suburbs
DeSoto County Schools
(Mississippi’s largest district by enrollment)

Southaven, Olive Branch, Horn Lake, Hernando, Walls, Nesbit, Byhalia, Lake Cormorant, Lewisburg
38601 · 38632 · 38637 · 38641 · 38654 · 38671 · 38672 · 38673 · 38680

Central Mississippi · Jackson Metro
Jackson Public Schools
(State capital — Hinds County city district)

Jackson (city limits) — downtown, Fondren, Belhaven, West Jackson, South Jackson, North Jackson
39201 · 39202 · 39203 · 39204 · 39205 · 39206 · 39207 · 39209 · 39210 · 39211 · 39212 · 39213 · 39216 · 39217 · 39232 · 39269 · 39272

Hinds County School District
(Suburban & rural Hinds County outside Jackson city)

Raymond, Clinton, Terry, Edwards, Bolton, Utica, Champion, Florence (partial), Byram
39041 · 39046 · 39056 · 39058 · 39078 · 39170 · 39174 · 39180 · 39192 · 39272

East Mississippi · Meridian Area
Meridian Public Schools
(Lauderdale County — East MS’s largest city district)

Meridian (city limits) — downtown Meridian, North Meridian, West Meridian, Valley Road corridor
39301 · 39302 · 39303 · 39304 · 39305 · 39307

Lauderdale County School District
(Rural Lauderdale County outside Meridian city)

Marion, Collinsville, Toomsuba, Bailey, Lauderdale community
39301 · 39302 · 39320 · 39335 · 39352 · 39401

South Mississippi · Pine Belt · Hattiesburg Area
Hattiesburg Public School District
(Forrest County — hub of South Mississippi)

Hattiesburg (city limits) — downtown, Oak Grove area, west Hattiesburg, USM corridor
39401 · 39402 · 39403 · 39404 · 39406

Lamar County School District
(Fast-growing district south and west of Hattiesburg — Oak Grove, Purvis, Sumrall)

Purvis, Sumrall, Lumberton, Petal (partial), Oak Grove community, Lumberton
39402 · 39451 · 39452 · 39459 · 39460 · 39461 · 39462 · 39475 · 39483

Forrest County School District
(Rural Forrest County outside Hattiesburg city — Petal, Rawls Springs)

Petal, Rawls Springs, McLain (partial), Brooklyn community
39401 · 39402 · 39465 · 39466

Gulf Coast · Harrison · Hancock · Jackson Counties
Gulfport School District
(Harrison County — Mississippi’s 2nd-largest city, separate city district)

Gulfport (city limits) — downtown Gulfport, Pass Road corridor, Courthouse Road area
39501 · 39502 · 39503 · 39507

Harrison County School District
(Countywide Harrison Co. excluding Gulfport & Biloxi city limits — Long Beach, D’Iberville, Pass Christian)

Long Beach, D’Iberville, Saucier, Orange Grove, Lyman, Pass Christian (partial), Woolmarket
39503 · 39520 · 39525 · 39529 · 39530 · 39532 · 39560 · 39571 · 39574

Biloxi Public Schools
(Harrison County — coastal city frequently impacted by Gulf weather & hurricanes)

Biloxi (city limits) — downtown Biloxi, Keesler AFB area, Back Bay, East Biloxi
39530 · 39531 · 39532 · 39533 · 39534

Hancock County School District
(Westernmost Coast county — Bay St. Louis, Waveland, Diamondhead, Kiln)

Bay St. Louis, Waveland, Diamondhead, Kiln, Pearlington, Lakeshore
39520 · 39521 · 39522 · 39525 · 39552 · 39556 · 39576

Jackson County School District
(Easternmost Coast county — Pascagoula, Moss Point, Ocean Springs, Gautier, Escatawpa)

Pascagoula, Moss Point, Gautier, Vancleave, Wade, Hurley, Escatawpa
39507 · 39556 · 39560 · 39562 · 39563 · 39564 · 39565 · 39566 · 39567 · 39571 · 39572 · 39573 · 39574 · 39576 · 39577

⚠️ ZIP Codes Shared Between Two Districts
39272 — straddles Jackson Public Schools & Hinds County School District (Byram/Terry boundary)
39401 / 39402 — split between Hattiesburg Public School District, Lamar County SD, and Forrest County SD (city limits do not align with ZIP boundaries in the Oak Grove / Petal corridor)
39302 — portions served by both Meridian Public Schools and Lauderdale County School District
39503 — spans the Harrison County SD and Gulfport SD boundary (D’Iberville / Gulfport fringe)
39530 / 39532 — split between Biloxi Public Schools and Harrison County School District (Back Bay / Woolmarket area)
39520 / 39525 — shared between Hancock County SD and Harrison County SD (Bay St. Louis / Lakeshore fringe)
39560 / 39571 / 39574 / 39576 — overlap between Harrison County SD and Jackson County SD along the county line

If your ZIP appears above, verify your district at mdek12.org or call your school directly.

🗺️ Neighboring-State Districts Commonly Searched With Mississippi
Shelby County Schools (TN) — Memphis metro residents in DeSoto County frequently cross-search Memphis & Collierville closings alongside DeSoto County Schools.
Memphis City Schools / Shelby County (TN) — WMC, WREG, and FOX13 Memphis all cover DeSoto County MS closings; their feeds are the primary source for North Mississippi.
Mobile County Public Schools (AL) — Jackson County MS residents near the Alabama state line sometimes search Mobile County closings during Gulf Coast storm events.
Baldwin County Schools (AL) — storms tracking east across the Gulf Coast prompt cross-searches between coastal Mississippi and Baldwin County AL.
St. Tammany Parish Schools (LA) — Hancock County MS residents near the Pearl River / Louisiana border sometimes search St. Tammany Parish closings during hurricane events.

All Mississippi School District ZIP Codes
38601 38632 38637 38641 38654 38671 38672 38673 38680
39041 39046 39056 39058 39078 39170 39174 39180 39192
39201 39202 39203 39204 39205 39206 39207 39209 39210 39211 39212 39213 39216 39217 39232 39269 39272
39301 39302 39303 39304 39305 39307 39320 39335 39352
39401 39402 39403 39404 39406 39451 39452 39459 39460 39461 39462 39465 39466 39475 39483
39501 39502 39503 39507
39520 39521 39522 39525 39529 39530 39531 39532 39533 39534
39551 39552 39556 39560 39562 39563 39564 39565 39566 39567 39571 39572 39573 39574 39576 39577

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