4 Things North Dakota Schools and Rinks Do Once It Hits 10 Below
Whether your kids get outdoor recess in North Dakota depends on where you live and what kind of weather conditions the school watches.
Here’s what changes once the thermometer drops, and where several towns draw different lines.
1. Gym Recess in Dickinson
At 10 below, Dickinson’s Heart River Elementary keeps students in the gym during the noon recess.
They go outside for only the last 15 minutes.
Before school, Heart River students wait in the gym until 8:10 anywhere between zero and -10.
Lincoln students wait in the gym until 7:50 in that range.
The Heart River gym is open for warming whenever the temperature or wind chill is below zero.
Lincoln students stay in their classrooms for recess once the temperature and wind chill fall below -10.
If your child goes to Jefferson, recess still happens outside at 10 below.
Jefferson’s winter weather page says students stay in the building once the temperature and wind chill hit -11 degrees or lower.
Students are expected to bring headgear, gloves and coats.
Why Wind Chill Matters at 10 Below
Dickinson’s schools count the wind chill along with the temperature.
The National Weather Service (NWS) defines wind chill as how cold people and animals feel when outside.
At 0 degrees with a 15 mph wind, the wind chill is -19, and exposed skin can freeze in 30 minutes.
When you check the forecast before school, look at the wind chill as well as the temperature.
2. Grand Forks Warming House Closures
Grand Forks Park District warming houses may close earlier than scheduled once the temperature reaches -10 degrees or colder.
A wind chill of -20 or colder can trigger an early closure as well.
Warming houses are scheduled to run 4 to 8 p.m. on weekdays and noon to 8 p.m. on weekends, weather permitting.
So a 10-below evening may cut into your skating time.
Psst! How much do you know about blizzards, record lows and studded tires? Take our quiz and see how many you can get right.
Quiz
Deep Freeze Trivia
Answer these questions on blizzards, record lows and studded tires. We bet you can’t get them all right. Prove us wrong?
On the morning of the Schoolchildren’s Blizzard in January 1888, what was the weather like in Dakota Territory before the storm hit?
3. Bismarck's Wind Chill Cutoff
Bismarck Public Schools doesn't normally hold outdoor recess for elementary students once the wind chill drops below -10 degrees.
The district bases those wind chill figures on the National Weather Service website.
Your child's health and safety are the major consideration when students go outside in extremely cold weather.
The guideline can vary depending on how open or protected your child's school site is.
A Bismarck television station reported in January 2018 that students went outside unless the wind chill hit 15 below.
The district's current page sets the line five degrees warmer.
4. Fargo Warming House Cutoffs
Fargo Park District's outdoor rink warming houses have one cutoff for the temperature and another for the wind chill.
Warming houses close earlier than scheduled in the evenings at -10 degrees or colder.
They do the same at wind chills of -30 or colder.
If you're skating in Fargo on a 10-below night, the warming house will close earlier than scheduled.
The district listed the same two numbers in a January 2024 announcement.
Minot and Mandan Policies
Not every school sets its cold line at 10 below.
Edison Elementary in Minot posts a notice with two numbers.
The notice says Minot Public Schools policy allows outdoor recess as long as the actual temperature is -5 or above, or the wind chill is -15 or above.
Minot's temperature number sits five degrees warmer than Lincoln's in Dickinson, and its wind chill number sits five degrees colder than Bismarck's.
Mandan Public Schools takes a different approach.
Its winter weather page says the district won't close school solely because of cold temperatures.
Its school buildings are described as warm, safe and secure during extremely cold weather.
Families always have the option to keep their child home during periods of extreme cold.
If you do, notify the school on the day of the absence.
Students are responsible for completing any missed work.
Rink Closures in a Warm Spell
Cold isn't the only thing that closes an outdoor rink.
Fargo Park District posted a March 9, 2026, notice closing all of its outdoor skating rinks for the season.
Warm temperatures create standing water and rotting ice that are unsafe for skating.
Grand Forks went the same way in February 2024, when the city closed its outdoor rinks and warming houses.
The city's crews need temperatures consistently below zero for five to seven or more days to make safe ice.
Grand Forks Park District says outdoor rink opening and closing dates depend on weather and ice conditions.
Before you lace up, check the park district's page for current dates.
In a February 12, 2024, release, Fargo Park District said its outdoor skating rinks would remain closed for the season, with one exception.
The SCHEELS Skating Rink at Broadway Square in downtown Fargo would remain open at that time.
That's thanks to the rink's refrigerated coil system.
9 Things North Dakotans Keep in Their Car From October On
North Dakota law lets drivers put metal studs on their tires from October 15 to April 15.
These are the things North Dakotans keep in their car from October on.
