South Carolina Snow Day Calculator: Make-Up Days and eLearning

Snow is rare in most of South Carolina. Greenville averages 3.1 inches a year and Rock Hill 1.7, while Columbia averages 0.9 and Charleston, North Charleston and Mount Pleasant 0.3. By our rule of thumb, schools close about half the time at 1 inch of overnight snow in Greenville and at half an inch in the other five cities. Ice can do it too: about 0.08 inch, by our rule.

Type your ZIP code above to see the chance for your school, worked out from the National Weather Service forecast for your own spot.

When schools close, the law is clear: days missed because of snow or extreme weather must be made up, and every district sets aside at least 3 make-up days a year (South Carolina Code 59-1-425). Approved districts can also use up to 5 eLearning days.

How much snow closes school in South Carolina?

About half an inch to 1 inch of overnight snow, by our rule of thumb. The calculator sets each city’s usual closing point from its normal snowfall, so the snowier the town, the more it takes.

South Carolina's six largest cities: normal snowfall a year (NOAA 1991–2020) and the snowfall and wind chill at which, by our rule of thumb, schools there usually close.

Our rule of thumb: the usual closing point is 0.5 × (normal snowfall a year)^0.7, the cold point the normal December–February low minus 45°F. How the calculator works.

Greenville (3.1 inches a year) sits at 1 inch, and Rock Hill (1.7) rounds to half an inch. Columbia (0.9) and Charleston, North Charleston and Mount Pleasant (0.3 each) are at the rule’s floor, half an inch.

When it falls matters. The calculator counts snow and ice fully overnight (9 p.m. to 6 a.m.) and while buses run (6 to 10 a.m.), and less from the afternoon before. Snow that falls while the air is above freezing counts for less, because roads stay wet. The National Weather Service usually issues an Ice Storm Warning for around a quarter inch of ice or more (NWS winter alerts), and a warning out for your area raises the calculator’s chance.

Where does South Carolina get the most snow?

Up high, and even there it is only a few inches. Of NOAA’s 54 South Carolina stations with a snowfall normal for 1991–2020, the snowiest, Caesars Head, is also the highest, at about 3,200 feet, with 7.3 inches a year. Greer (3.9 inches), Jocassee (3.5, at about 2,540 feet), Santuck (2.9), Long Creek (2.8), Catawba (2.6), Clemson University (2.2) and Walhalla (2.2) follow.

Normal snowfall a year and normal December to February low at each of the 54 weather stations in South Carolina with a snowfall normal in NOAA's U.S. Climate Normals for 1991–2020, with each station's location, elevation and how complete its record is.

The 10 snowiest and 5 least snowy of 54 stations in South Carolina

Download “Normal snowfall at South Carolina weather stations, 1991–2020” (CSV, opens in Excel)

Built from: U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020 (National Centers for Environmental Information).

The middle of the list is 0.7 inch a year, and 7 of the 54 stations, among them Moncks Corner, Walterboro and Beaufort, average none. The calculator blends the NOAA stations nearest your ZIP code, so its numbers follow your own part of the state.

Do snow days have to be made up in South Carolina?

Yes. The state’s school term is 190 days, with at least 180 instructional days and 1,080 instructional hours (South Carolina Code 59-1-425, amended effective July 1, 2025). The law says days missed because of snow, extreme weather or other disruptions that close schools “must be made up,” and every district must set aside at least 3 make-up days in its calendar each year.

Once those are used, the local board can lengthen school days by at least 1 hour, hold school on Saturdays, or forgive up to 3 days by majority vote. A school can get that waiver only after it has made up 3 full days, or the hours, in the same school year, and the waiver also covers charter schools in the district and approved home-schoolers (South Carolina Code 59-1-425).

Beyond that, the State Board of Education may waive up to 3 more days, but only if the local board asks by majority vote. So at most 6 days can be forgiven: 3 by the district and 3 by the State Board (South Carolina Code 59-1-425).

A plan to make up days by lengthening the school day needs the Department of Education’s approval first, and a day closed early can count to the extent State Board policy allows. The department reports to the General Assembly each year on the days missed, made up and waived (South Carolina Code 59-1-425).

Can South Carolina schools switch to remote learning instead?

Yes, in approved districts, for up to 5 days. A state budget proviso lets approved eLearning districts use up to 5 eLearning days “to allow for the make-up of short-term disruptions to in-person teaching and learning” (eLearning Days District Handbook, July 2026).

The handbook sets the rules. The district must be approved by the state Department of Education. An eLearning day may not be scheduled in advance or put on a professional development day or teacher workday, so it is used on the day school would otherwise close, or on a make-up day. Lessons must be online meetings or videos, not packets, and 5 days is the most any district may use; an eLearning day used on a scheduled make-up day counts toward the 5 (eLearning Days District Handbook).

How cold does it have to be to close school in South Carolina?

We found no state cold rule and no South Carolina district’s cold number in our research. Our rule of thumb watches the wind chill from 5 to 9 a.m. and sets cold points of about −2°F in Mount Pleasant, −3°F in Charleston, −4°F in North Charleston, −8°F in Columbia, −11°F in Greenville and −12°F in Rock Hill. Each is the city’s normal December–February low, from 33.5°F in Rock Hill to 42.9°F in Mount Pleasant, minus 45 degrees.

The alert to watch is the Extreme Cold Warning, which means extremely dangerous cold or wind chills are expected or occurring (NWS cold alerts). Each local Weather Service office sets its own thresholds (NWS wind chill chart), and the calculator raises the chance when a warning is out for your area.

Who decides, and when do families hear?

Your local school board decides on closures and on the calendar. The state Department of Education approves eLearning districts (eLearning Days District Handbook) and any plan to make up days with longer school days (South Carolina Code 59-1-425).

We did not find a South Carolina district’s closing clock in our research, so check your district’s website, app or local news. The calculator reads snow and ice from 6 a.m. the day before to 3 p.m. on the school day, so look the evening before and again early in the morning, since forecasts change.

Snow days in South Carolina

• Closing snow
  • Charleston half an inch
  • Columbia half an inch
  • Greenville 1 inch
• School year
  • 180 days and 1,080 hours
  • 3 make-up days a year
• Waivers
  • 3 days by the local board
  • 3 more by the State Board
• eLearning
  • Up to 5 days
  • Approved districts only
  • Never planned ahead
• Snowiest spots
  • Caesars Head 7.3 inches
  • Greer 3.9 inches

Questions people ask

Does South Carolina make up snow days?

Yes. Days missed because of snow or extreme weather must be made up, starting with the 3 or more make-up days each district builds into its calendar (South Carolina Code 59-1-425).

How many snow days can South Carolina forgive?

Up to 6: the local board may waive 3 days by majority vote once 3 full days have been made up, and the State Board of Education may waive 3 more at the local board’s request (South Carolina Code 59-1-425).

How many eLearning days can South Carolina schools use?

Up to 5 a year, in districts the state has approved. They cannot be scheduled in advance, and one used on a make-up day counts toward the 5 (eLearning Days District Handbook).

How much snow does it take to close school in Greenville?

By our rule of thumb, about 1 inch overnight. Greenville averages 3.1 inches of snow a year, the most of South Carolina’s 6 map cities. Only the district decides, so check its website, app or local news.

Sources: South Carolina Code 59-1-425 (the school term and make-up days), eLearning Days District Handbook (July 2026) and National Weather Service winter alerts.

Facts checked October 29, 2026.

Updated October 29, 2026