Drone view of a snow covered southeast Wisconsin after snowstorm
Check out a view from a drone of a snow covered southeast Wisconsin after a snowstorm Nov. 29-30, 2025, that left several inches of snow across the area.
Most students appreciate a snow day or cold day, even when they’re in college.
Many are wishing for one this week after the National Weather Service issued an extreme cold watch across Wisconsin. Windchills between 30 and 40 below zero are expected beginning the night of Thursday, Jan. 22, into the morning of Friday, Jan. 23.
The forecast falls close to when the University of Wisconsin-Madison last canceled classes in 2019. But as of mid-afternoon Jan. 21, the university has made no weather-related announcements.
Here’s more on how UW-Madison decides to cancel class and how rarely this happens:
Who decides when to cancel UW-Madison classes?
Only the chancellor or someone authorized to act on their behalf has the authority to cancel classes, suspend services or close the campus or any campus building to the public, students and employees.
The university’s general philosophy? Remain open whenever possible.
What guidance does UW-Madison follow when deciding to cancel class?
There’s no temperature tipping point or snowfall amount that automatically prompts UW-Madison to cancel classes, UW-Madison spokesperson John Lucas said Jan. 21. The university takes weather warnings from the National Weather Service into account.
Campus rarely, if ever, fully closes, he said. Many operations are considered essential, such as heating/cooling, public safety, research involving animal subjects and food service.
When did UW-Madison last cancel classes?
The last time UW-Madison closed its campus came during the January 2019 “polar vortex.” Temperatures in Madison plunged to -26 degrees and the wind chill made it feel like -48, according to the National Weather Service.
UW-Madison partially shut down from 5 p.m. Jan. 29 through noon Jan. 31 that year, including canceling classes. It was the longest the university had ever closed, then-Chancellor Rebecca Blank said during a Faculty Senate meeting the following month.
At that meeting, Blank offered more insight on how the university decides to close campus. With snowfall, she said it depends on whether the city’s buses stop running.
“That almost never happens, so we almost never close when it snows a lot,” she said.
When extreme cold occurs, Blank said UW-Madison follows National Weather Service guidance, such as when the forecast predicts sustained wind chills below 35 degrees.
“We probably haven’t been as transparent about it as we should because it doesn’t happen very often,” Blank said.
When has UW-Madison previously canceled classes?
A UW-Madison list of other weather-related closures counts just 11 other times dating back nearly 40 years. Most closures were related to snow, not cold weather.
- Jan. 28, 2014 – UW-Madison canceled morning classes because of bitter cold temperatures. The campus, however, remained open.
- Dec. 20, 2012 – UW-Madison canceled and rescheduled final exams due to heavy snow.
- Feb. 2, 2011 – A winter storm prompted UW-Madison to cancel classes and campus events.
- Dec. 9, 2009 – More than a dozen inches of snow were dumped in Madison, leading to canceled classes.
- Feb. 6, 2008 – UW–Madison canceled all afternoon and evening classes because of deteriorating weather and road conditions.
- Dec. 11, 2000 – A men’s basketball game was rescheduled due to heavy snow and high winds.
- Jan. 18, 1994 – During winter break, Memorial and Steenbock libraries closed early because of extreme cold.
- Dec. 3, 1990 – Heavy snow and nearly impassable roads led then-Chancellor Donna Shalala to cancel classes around mid-morning. More than 17 inches fell over a 12 to 16-hour period.
- Dec. 15, 1987 – The university, along with state offices, closed around 2:30 p.m. due to a blizzard.
- January 26, 1978 — A snowstorm that included half a foot of snow and 40-mile-per-hour winds prompted the Governor’s Office to issue an order canceling classes. The chancellor’s office was notified of the order at 10 a.m., but it took until 2:30 p.m. for it to become official. Many students showed up for classes in the morning, but many faculty members did not.
- March 17, 1965 – A major snowstorm led to canceled classes.
Kelly Meyerhofer has covered higher education in Wisconsin since 2018. Contact her at [email protected] or 414-223-5168. Follow her on X (Twitter) at @KellyMeyerhofer.
