Waking up at 5:00 AM to a pitch-black room and a layer of ice on the window is a specific kind of Virginia stress. You’re immediately reaching for your phone. You need to know: am I driving the kids to school, or am I scrambling for a last-minute babysitter while I take Zoom calls from the kitchen table? This is where CBS 6 school closings alerts become the most important thing in your world for about fifteen minutes.
Honestly, the "Closing Scroll" on the bottom of the TV screen is a Richmond tradition as old as the James River. But in 2026, the way we get that info has shifted. It’s no longer just waiting for your county to pop up alphabetically on WTVR. It’s a mix of apps, social media feeds, and behind-the-scenes decisions that are way more complicated than just "is there snow on the ground?"
The Chaos Behind the CBS 6 School Closings List
People often think there’s just one person at the news station hitting a giant "CLOSE SCHOOLS" button. It’s definitely not that simple. Every winter, I see the same complaints on Reddit or Facebook: "The roads are fine in Midlothian, why is Chesterfield closed?"
Here is the thing—Central Virginia school districts are massive. Hanover, Henrico, and Chesterfield cover hundreds of square miles. A superintendent might see clear pavement in one neighborhood, but five miles away, a rural bus route is basically an ice rink.
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How the Call is Actually Made
By the time you see the update on the CBS 6 school closings list, a whole "road assessment team" has already been out since 3:30 AM. They are literally driving the backroads, checking if the yellow buses can make those tight turns on slick hills.
- The Temperature Factor: Sometimes it’s not even about snow. If the temperature doesn't rise above freezing by 7:00 AM, any moisture from the day before stays as black ice. That's a death trap for a 15-ton school bus.
- Staffing Issues: This is the part nobody talks about. If the teachers and bus drivers live in a different county that is iced in, the school can't open even if the school parking lot is bone dry.
- The "Boiler" Problem: We saw this happen recently with Richmond Public Schools. It wasn't even weather—it was a water main break or a boiler failure. WTVR tracks these "operational" closures too, not just the "Snow Days."
Why Your App Might Be Faster Than Your TV
If you’re still waiting for the TV scroll, you’re kinda living in the past. The WTVR (CBS 6) News app usually pushes those notifications out the second the district confirms it.
I’ve noticed a weird quirk lately where the "Weather" app and the "News" app from the same station sometimes have a 2-minute lag between them. If you are a parent trying to be the first to know, keep both open. Or better yet, follow the local reporters on X (formerly Twitter). They often post the "unofficial" word before the graphics team can even update the master list on the website.
Where to look for CBS 6 school closings updates:
- The Official WTVR Website: They keep a running text list that is much easier to read than a moving scroll.
- The "6 On Your Side" App: It’s free, but the ads can be a bit much. It’s worth it for the push alerts.
- Local Radio Partners: If the power goes out (which it does every time a tree looks at a power line funny in Richmond), 93.9 WMEV and other local stations often read the CBS 6 list over the air.
The "Delayed Opening" Trap
Nothing is more frustrating than a 2-hour delay that turns into a full closing at 8:30 AM. You’ve already gotten the kids dressed, fed them breakfast, and then—ping—the update changes.
Why does this happen? Usually, it's because the "refreeze." The sun comes up, melts the top layer of ice, and then a cloud moves in and everything turns into a sheet of glass again. The superintendents try to give it two hours for the salt trucks to work, but sometimes the Virginia humidity just wins.
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When you see a delay on the CBS 6 school closings feed, treat it like a "Soft Closing." Prepare for the day to be cancelled, because about 40% of the time, that delay is just a precursor to a "No School" alert.
Beyond Snow: Heat, Water, and Safety
In recent years, we've seen schools close for things that have nothing to do with a blizzard.
- Excessive Heat: If the AC in some of these older Richmond buildings fails during a September heatwave, CBS 6 will list those as individual school closures.
- Boil Water Advisories: We had a big one in 2025 that shut down nearly ten buildings because students couldn't wash their hands or use the fountains safely.
- Safety Threats: Sadly, we see more "precautionary" closures now. These usually show up as "Closed" without much detail initially, until the news team can get a reporter on the ground.
How to Stay Sane This Winter
If you're a parent in Henrico, Chesterfield, or the City of Richmond, don't just rely on one source. The CBS 6 school closings list is a gold standard, but the school’s own "ParentSquare" or email system is your backup.
Pro Tip: Check the Louisa County and Goochland updates first. They are further west and usually get hit by the weather earlier. If they close, there is a very high chance Richmond and Henrico will follow suit within the hour. It’s like a weather-warning system for the suburbs.
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Your Actionable Checklist for the Next Storm
- Download the WTVR app tonight and enable "Breaking News" alerts.
- Bookmark the WTVR Closings page on your mobile browser so you don't have to Google it while half-asleep.
- Set a "Favorite" location in your weather app for your specific school district's zip code.
- Have a "Day B" plan. If the scroll says "Closed," know exactly who is watching the kids before you even finish your first cup of coffee.
The weather in Central Virginia is unpredictable. One day it's 60 degrees, the next we're looking at an ice storm that shuts down I-95. Staying glued to the CBS 6 school closings list isn't just a habit; it's a survival strategy for the Richmond winter. Keep your phone charged, keep the salt bucket by the door, and maybe, just maybe, you'll get that "Code Red" day you've been hoping for.