Seattle School Closings Today β Live Status & Delays (Washington)
Are Seattle schools closed today? Check live status below β updated every 10 minutes.
Live status monitored for Seattle Public Schools (SPS), Bellevue School District (BSD), Renton School District (RSD), and Lake Washington School District (LWSD).
How Seattle School Closures Are Announced
Seattle Public Schools (SPS) announces closures and delays primarily through its official website at seattleschools.org and via the ParentSquare app, which sends push notifications and emails directly to enrolled families. The district also notifies local television stations β KING 5 (NBC), KIRO 7 (CBS), and KOMO 4 (ABC) β which broadcast closure information continuously during winter weather events. When a closure decision is made the evening before, families can expect notifications between 9:00 PM and 11:00 PM. For same-morning decisions, announcements typically go out between 5:00 AM and 6:00 AM, before most families begin their morning routines.
Because Seattle is a large urban district spanning diverse neighborhoods β from sea-level Rainier Valley to the steep hills of Queen Anne and Capitol Hill β SPS sometimes implements partial closures or delays that affect only certain schools or bus routes. Families should always verify the status of their specific school on the SPS news page rather than relying solely on a district-wide status. Surrounding suburban districts including Bellevue, Renton, and Lake Washington each operate their own notification systems and may make independent closure decisions, even when SPS remains open.
Weather Risks That Trigger Seattle School Closings
- Snow and ice on steep hills: Seattle’s dramatic topography β with neighborhoods rising 200β400 feet above sea level β means even 1β2 inches of snow causes dangerous road conditions. School buses cannot safely navigate routes on Queen Anne Hill, First Hill, Beacon Hill, and similar slopes when ice forms, making closures frequent even during modest snowfall events that would be unremarkable in flatter cities.
- Freezing rain and black ice: The Puget Sound lowlands are susceptible to freezing rain when Arctic air slides under warmer Pacific moisture. Black ice forms quickly on roads and sidewalks and is particularly hazardous because it is invisible. SPS and surrounding districts treat freezing rain events as among the most dangerous closure triggers, often announcing delays or full closures the evening before when freezing rain is forecast.
- Dense freezing fog: Seattle experiences thick morning fog that, during cold snaps, can freeze on road surfaces and car windshields. Visibility drops to near zero in some valley corridors, making safe bus operation impossible. The National Weather Service issues Dense Fog Advisories for the Puget Sound area multiple times per winter, and school districts monitor these closely for late-start or closure decisions.
- Atmospheric rivers and heavy rainfall flooding: Seattle’s wet season (OctoberβApril) occasionally brings atmospheric river events with exceptionally heavy rainfall. When rainfall intensity causes road flooding, mudslides on hillside routes, or unsafe pedestrian conditions, districts may implement delays or closures β particularly for schools with outdoor walkways or located near slide-prone hillsides.
- Windstorms and downed power lines: The Pacific Northwest is prone to strong windstorms, sometimes called “Puget Sound Convergence Zone” events. Wind gusts of 50β70 mph can topple trees, down power lines, and close roads. Schools without power, or located near downed lines, may close on short notice even when the storm itself has passed.
- Arctic blasts and hard freezes: Occasionally, Arctic air spills over the Cascades and plunges Seattle temperatures well below freezing for multiple days. Extended hard freezes (below 25Β°F) stress the city’s limited road treatment infrastructure, and districts may implement extended delays or multi-day closures until conditions improve.
Frequently Asked Questions β Seattle School Closings
How early does Seattle Public Schools announce school closures?
Seattle Public Schools (SPS) typically announces closures and delays by 5:30β6:00 AM on the morning of the decision. When a snow or ice event is forecast well in advance, SPS aims to announce closures the evening before β usually between 9:00 PM and 11:00 PM β so families can arrange childcare. The district posts to its official website at seattleschools.org, sends ParentSquare alerts to enrolled families, and notifies local TV stations including KING 5, KIRO 7, and KOMO 4. Because Seattle’s hilly terrain can make bus routing dangerous even with minor snowfall, the district errs toward early announcements when freezing temperatures are in the forecast.
Can SPS close individual schools while others stay open?
Yes. Seattle Public Schools is a large urban district and occasionally closes or delays individual schools or clusters of schools rather than issuing a district-wide closure. This typically happens when a specific neighborhood has unusually dangerous road conditions β for example, ice on the steep streets of Queen Anne Hill β while lower-elevation schools remain accessible. Always check the SPS news page or your ParentSquare notification for the status of your specific school, rather than assuming a district-wide status applies to your child’s building.
Why do Seattle schools close β it doesn’t snow that much?
Seattle’s hilly geography is the primary reason even modest snowfall triggers school closures. Ice forms rapidly on steep residential streets, making school bus routing unsafe β buses simply cannot stop safely on grades that are common across Seattle neighborhoods. The region also lacks the road treatment infrastructure (large fleets of salt trucks and plows) common in snowbelt cities. Additionally, Seattle experiences freezing rain, black ice, and dense freezing fog that create hazardous conditions even without significant snowfall accumulation. A thin glaze of ice on Queen Anne Hill or Beacon Hill can be more dangerous than six inches of snow in a flat Midwest city.
Which Seattle TV stations report school closings?
KING 5 (NBC Seattle), KIRO 7 (CBS Seattle), and KOMO 4 (ABC Seattle) are the primary local television stations reporting Seattle and King County school closings. All three maintain dedicated school closure pages on their websites during winter weather events and broadcast closure lists continuously on air. This page automatically monitors all three alongside official district websites and district notification feeds, giving you the fastest available status without needing to check multiple sources yourself.
Do Bellevue, Renton, and Lake Washington districts close at the same time as SPS?
Not necessarily. Each district makes independent closure decisions based on road and weather conditions in their specific service area. Bellevue School District (BSD), Renton School District (RSD), and Lake Washington School District (LWSD) may close, delay, or remain open independently of Seattle Public Schools, even during the same weather event. This page monitors all four districts simultaneously so you can see each district’s status at a glance without visiting four separate websites.
How often is this Seattle school closings page updated?
Status checks run automatically every 15 minutes under normal conditions, and every 5 minutes during active weather alerts affecting King County. The page pulls data from official district websites, local TV station closure feeds, and the National Weather Service simultaneously. During active snow or ice events affecting the Seattle metro, background data refreshes more frequently. You can also tap the “Refresh now” button on the live dashboard above to force an immediate status check.
Seattle-Area School Roster
This page monitors the following schools across Seattle Public Schools, Bellevue School District, Renton School District, and Lake Washington School District.
Seattle Public Schools (SPS) β High Schools
- Ballard High School
- Chief Sealth International High School
- Cleveland High School STEM
- Garfield High School
- Hale High School
- Ingraham International High School
- Lincoln High School
- Nathan Hale High School
- Rainier Beach High School
- Roosevelt High School
- West Seattle High School
- Franklin High School
- Middle College High School
Seattle Public Schools (SPS) β Middle Schools
- Aki Kurose Middle School
- Denny International Middle School
- Eckstein Middle School
- Hamilton International Middle School
- Jane Addams Middle School
- Madison Middle School
- McClure Middle School
- Mercer International Middle School
- Robert Eagle Staff Middle School
- Whitman Middle School
- Washington Middle School
Seattle Public Schools (SPS) β Elementary Schools
- Adams Elementary
- Arbor Heights Elementary
- Beacon Hill International Elementary
- Brighton Elementary
- Bryant Elementary
- Cascadia Elementary
- Cedar Park Elementary
- Coe Elementary
- Concord International Elementary
- Dearborn Park International Elementary
- Dunlap Elementary
- Emerson Elementary
- Fairmount Park Elementary
- Gatewood Elementary
- Graham Hill Elementary
- Greenwood Elementary
- Hawthorne Elementary
- Highland Park Elementary
- John Muir Elementary
- Kimball Elementary
- Lafayette Elementary
- Laurelhurst Elementary
- Lawton Elementary
- Leschi Elementary
- Linden Elementary
- Lowell Elementary
- Loyal Heights Elementary
- Maple Elementary
- Martin Luther King Jr. Elementary
- McDonald International Elementary
- McGilvra Elementary
- Montlake Elementary
- Northgate Elementary
- Olympic Hills Elementary
- Orca K-8 School
- Pathfinder K-8 School
- Queen Anne Elementary
- Rainier View Elementary
- Rogers Elementary
- Sand Point Elementary
- Schmitz Park Elementary
- Seattle World School
- Thornton Creek Elementary
- Van Asselt Community School
- View Ridge Elementary
- Viewlands Elementary
- West Woodland Elementary
- Whittier Elementary
Bellevue School District (BSD) β High Schools
- Bellevue High School
- Interlake High School
- Newport High School
- Sammamish High School
- Eastside Preparatory School (contract)
- International School
Bellevue School District (BSD) β Middle Schools
- Chinook Middle School
- Highland Middle School
- Odle Middle School
- Tillicum Middle School
- Tyee Middle School
Bellevue School District (BSD) β Elementary Schools
- Ardmore Elementary
- Bennett Elementary
- Cherry Crest Elementary
- Clyde Hill Elementary
- Eastgate Elementary
- Enatai Elementary
- Jing Mei Elementary
- Lake Hills Elementary
- Medina Elementary
- Newport Hills Elementary
- Phantom Lake Elementary
- Puesta del Sol Elementary
- Sherwood Forest Elementary
- Spiritridge Elementary
- Stevenson Elementary
- Wilburton Elementary
- Woodridge Elementary
Renton School District (RSD) β High Schools
- Hazen High School
- Lindbergh High School
- Nelsen Middle School (9th Grade Center)
- Renton High School
- Talley High School
Renton School District (RSD) β Middle Schools
- Dimmitt Middle School
- McKnight Middle School
- Nelsen Middle School
- Risdon Middle School
Renton School District (RSD) β Elementary Schools
- Benson Hill Elementary
- Cascade Elementary
- Hazelwood Elementary
- Highlands Elementary
- Kennydale Elementary
- Lakeridge Elementary
- Maplewood Heights Elementary
- Nelsen Elementary
- Renton Park Elementary
- Sierra Heights Elementary
- Sartori Education Center
- Talbot Hill Elementary
- Tiffany Park Elementary
Lake Washington School District (LWSD) β High Schools
- Eastlake High School
- Juanita High School
- Lake Washington High School
- Redmond High School
- Tesla STEM High School
Lake Washington School District (LWSD) β Middle Schools
- Finn Hill Middle School
- Inglewood Middle School
- Kirkland Middle School
- Redmond Middle School
- Rose Hill Middle School
- Timberline Middle School
Lake Washington School District (LWSD) β Elementary Schools
- Alcott Elementary
- Bell Elementary
- Blackwell Elementary
- Carson Elementary
- Clara Barton Elementary
- Einstein Elementary
- Emerson K-12
- Explorer Elementary
- Franklin Elementary
- Frost Elementary
- Grass Lake Elementary
- Juanita Elementary
- Kamiakin Elementary
- Keller Elementary
- Kirk Elementary
- Lakeview Elementary
- Mann Elementary
- Muir Elementary
- Rachel Carson Elementary
- Redmond Elementary
- Rush Elementary
- Sandburg Elementary
- Wilder Elementary
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