How to be notified of school closings in Oregon and Southwest Washington

Even for people without students in their families, school closure notices can help gauge how prepared the public should be for extreme winter weather.

Most schools provide notifications through various communication channels, including phone notifications, emails and social media posts. Public schools in Portland, for example, send direct text messages — to those who have opted in — as well as automated phone calls and emails when school is delayed, canceled or closed early, or when buses are on snow routes. People who are not yet receiving PPS alerts can learn more or sign up here.

PPS will also post banners on its homepage during weather-related closures, as well as natural disasters and other school emergencies. And the district will post this information on Facebook and X.

Most school districts, as well as in Oregon and Southwest Washington, are following similar protocols. For more information about individual districts and schools, see the Oregon and Washington school directories.

Related: What you should know before driving in snow, ice, and other slippery conditions

For a more comprehensive look at inclement weather closures, including businesses, public offices and events, FlashAlert Newswire covers most of Oregon and Southwest Washington. People can sign up to receive email or push notifications for their regions.

Anyone who does not wish to subscribe to the service can save and monitor FlashAlert emergency closures in the following areas:

Oregon residents can also sign up through OR-Alert to receive local emergency alerts based on zip codes. All live alerts statewide will also be posted here.

In Washington, residents can sign up for alarms and warnings through the Washington Emergency Management Division.

Related: Prepare your home for a winter storm