diff --git a/backend/src/routes/rides.ts b/backend/src/routes/rides.ts
index 50b6c82..19799f3 100644
--- a/backend/src/routes/rides.ts
+++ b/backend/src/routes/rides.ts
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@ import { Hono } from "hono";
 import { PARK_MAP } from "../../../lib/parks";
 import { QUEUE_TIMES_IDS } from "../../../lib/queue-times-map";
 import { getCoasterSet } from "../../../lib/coaster-data";
-import { getTodayLocal, isWithinOperatingWindow } from "../../../lib/env";
+import { getTodayLocal, getOperatingStatus } from "../../../lib/env";
 import { fetchLiveRides } from "../../../lib/scrapers/queuetimes";
 import { scrapeRidesForDay } from "../../../lib/scrapers/sixflags";
 import { fetchFastLaneWaits, lookupFastLane } from "../../../lib/scrapers/sixflags-waittimes";
@@ -21,9 +21,10 @@ app.get("/:id/rides", async (c) => {
 
   const today = getTodayLocal();
   const todayData = getDayData(id, today);
-  const withinWindow = todayData?.hoursLabel
-    ? isWithinOperatingWindow(todayData.hoursLabel, park.timezone)
-    : false;
+  const operatingStatus = todayData?.hoursLabel
+    ? getOperatingStatus(todayData.hoursLabel, park.timezone)
+    : "closed";
+  const withinWindow = operatingStatus !== "closed";
 
   const queueTimesId = QUEUE_TIMES_IDS[id];
   let liveRides: LiveRidesResult | null = null;
@@ -90,8 +91,13 @@ app.get("/:id/rides", async (c) => {
     }
   }
 
+  // Only flag weather delay during scheduled hours — during the post-close
+  // wind-down buffer, all-rides-closed is just normal closing, not weather.
   const isWeatherDelay =
-    withinWindow && liveRides !== null && liveRides.rides.length > 0 && liveRides.rides.every((r) => !r.isOpen);
+    operatingStatus === "open" &&
+    liveRides !== null &&
+    liveRides.rides.length > 0 &&
+    liveRides.rides.every((r) => !r.isOpen);
 
   let scheduleFallback = null;
   if (!liveRides) {