ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. – Hurricane Helene is on a path toward Florida and is expected to strengthen into a major hurricane.
The latest update from the National Hurricane Center takes Helene toward the Gulf Coast of Florida by Thursday into a major Category 3 hurricane.
[RELATED: CONE, MODELS, SATELLITE | Central Florida impacts | Watches vs warnings | COUNTY-BY-COUNTY: Sandbag locations | Here’s what the ‘dirty side’ of a storm means | DOWNLOAD: WKMG-TV free hurricane app]
Local impacts will be very dependent on what the official landfall is, so expect forecasts to evolve over the next 48 hours.
Here are the responses from Central Florida school districts ahead of the storm and updates for Friday, Sept. 27:
Friday, September 27, all schools and offices will be open, including after-school activities.
Flagler County schools will be closed on Thursday.
UPDATE: Given the latest forecast as of our 8 p.m. update from Flagler County Emergency Management, all schools will be closed on Friday.
Any extracurricular activities or athletic events taking place after school hours and into the weekend will take place as scheduled.
Lake County schools and district offices will be closed on Thursday.
School is back in session on Friday.
Marion County schools will be closed Thursday and Friday.
“Due to Hurricane Helene, Marion County Public Schools will be closed on Friday. Stay safe, and keep an eye on our page for more updates as the storm develops.”
“In light of the approaching storm, we will be canceling or rescheduling all after-school programs and sports activities. Please note that all after-school events will conclude by 6 p.m. on Wednesday. For specific information about rescheduled events, we encourage you to reach out to your child’s school directly”
“We have made the decision to close all PCPS schools and offices on Thursday, Sept. 26, and Friday, Sept. 27.”
OCPS was closed on Thursday, Sept. 26.
“Orange County Public Schools is continuing to monitor and track Hurricane Helene. Based on the current forecast all schools and facilities will reopen on Friday, Sept. 27.
The primary decision point to open schools and facilities is based on wind speeds and National Weather Service models that show winds will be significantly below our 35 mph threshold for buses to be on the road.
Please know that if there are significant changes to the storm between now and this evening we will immediately update you. Principals will also provide updates if there are campus concerns in the morning.
Due to the overnight impact of Helene, district and school administrators will begin addressing any school campus and facility issues by 5 a.m. Friday morning.
Changes to any Friday evening or weekend activities including sports will be determined on a case-by-case basis. Your principal will be communicating with you via Connect Orange and school social media pages.
Please also follow Orange County Public Schools on social media or check ocps.net for updates. As always we will send updates by phone, email and text messages.”
“Wednesday, September 25, 2024 — School will be held as normal. All school activities and events will also proceed as normal, including after-school activities and programs, Extended Day/Learning Program, and athletics.
Thursday, September 26, 2024 — All schools and district offices will be closed. Employees will not report to work unless deemed essential by their supervisor (i.e. Maintenance Department).”
Osceola County schools are closed Friday for a pre-scheduled student holiday.
“Due to the anticipated effects of Tropical Storm Helene in our area, Seminole County Public Schools will be closed on Thursday, Sept. 26, 2024 for students.
There will be no extracurricular activities, sporting events, or other school-based activities. This also includes KidZone & Beyond and 21st Century childcare services.
We will monitor the weather and evaluate campus conditions after the significant effects of the storm pass. At this time, we anticipate school being in session on Friday, Sept. 27, 2024, however, we will notify our families if there are any changes to this schedule.”
“Due to the potential hurricane, Sumter Schools will be closed on Thursday & Friday (Sept. 26-27). Any other school cancelations will be posted on our website, or communicated through our call-out system, school signs and TV/Radio media outlets.”
“Volusia County Schools continues to work with Volusia County Emergency Management Services to monitor Hurricane Helene. While rain, wind, and debris are expected, it is not anticipated to be severe enough in Volusia County to impact school operations tomorrow. All schools and offices are planned to reopen on Friday, Sept. 27. More information will be communicated in the future about making up Thursday’s lost instructional day.”
Universities and Colleges
College of Central Florida (Marion campus)
The College of Central Florida will close all campuses and sites for Tropical Storm Helene.
Because of the threat of severe weather, particularly in CF’s coastal counties of Citrus and Levy, the college will close all sites, including the Ocala Campus, Wilton Simpson Citrus Campus, Jack Wilkinson Levy Campus, Hampton Center, Appleton Museum and Vintage Farm, as well as online classes. Scheduled activities also have been cancelled.
The Wilton Simpson Citrus Campus and Jack Wilkinson Levy Campus both will close at noon on Wednesday, Sept. 25, to provide time to prepare for the storm. All other CF campuses and sites, including online, will close at 5 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 25, and will remain closed through Friday, Sept. 27.
The Sept. 25 District Board of Trustees meeting will be rescheduled for Wednesday, Oct. 2, at the CF Hampton Center.
The college plans to reopen Saturday morning for all business operations, weather permitting. Please continue to monitor the CF website (www.CF.edu), traditional media and social media for additional updates.
Eastern Florida State College
EFSC campuses will close on Thursday, Sept. 26, due to Helene, with all classes & events canceled. We plan to reopen on Monday, Sept. 30 at 8 AM. More info at https://efsc.edu/1h.
Florida State University
Florida State University announced it will close its Tallahassee campus Wednesday, Sept. 25, through Sunday, Sept. 29. It expects to reopen the following Monday.
Florida A&M University
Florida A&M University said it would close Tuesday at 12:15 p.m. through Friday, Sept. 27, out of an abundance of caution.
“All academic operations will be suspended to accommodate any potential disruptions caused by the storm. All academic deans and faculty members are asked to work closely with students and provide maximum flexibility during this time.
University of Central Florida
“Based on consistent forecasts that show Hurricane Helene moving away from Central Florida, UCF will resume normal classes and operations starting at 6 a.m. Friday, Sept. 27. Hurricane Helene is a major storm whose full impact has yet to be known, and we recognize that members of our UCF community may have loved ones who will feel the effects of the storm. We encourage compassion and support for those whose families and hometowns may be affected. All academic assignments and exams, including classes with online components, remain suspended until the university reopens.″
University of South Florida
“All #USF campuses will be closed from Wed. 9/25 through at least Fri. 9/27. All classes are cancelled starting Wed. 9/25 & will not resume until Mon. 9/30. Residence halls on our St. Pete campus will close beginning Wed. 9/25.” DETAILS
Seminole State College
“Taking into account the latest data available, we have every confidence in our announcement that we will be re-opening all Flagler Schools tomorrow, Friday, September 27.”
Valencia College
“Valencia College will be closed on Thursday, 9/26, due to the potential impact of Hurricane Helene.
In-person and online classes will be canceled, while Wednesday’s classes will continue as scheduled.
Follow us on social media or go to valenciacollege.edu/hurricane for regular updates.”
Embry‑Riddle Aeronautical University
“Embry‑Riddle will close its Daytona Beach Campus, Worldwide headquarters and university administrative offices in Volusia County on Sept. 26.
At this time, we expect the campus to reopen Sept. 27.” DETAILS
Rollins College
“In preparation for potential impacts from Hurricane Helene, Rollins will close and cancel all classes, including online classes, on Thursday, September 26. It is anticipated that normal operations will resume on Friday, Sept. 27, pending a damage assessment of the campus.” DETAILS
Stetson University
Stetson University will cancel classes on Thursday and close the DeLand campus for normal operations. However, the residential buildings will remain open. DETAILS.
Get today’s headlines in minutes with Your Florida Daily: