School districts adjust schedules ahead of Helene

CHARLOTTE — School districts in our area are announcing closures ahead of the possibility of severe weather due to Hurricane Helene.

Forecasters are warning that huge Hurricane Helene will intensify as it crosses the Gulf of Mexico on a path to Florida.

The U.S. National Hurricane Center said Wednesday that the hurricane is about 110 miles northeast of Cozumel, Mexico, with sustained winds of 80 mph.

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Forecasters say it is expected to become at least a Category 3 hurricane with its center making landfall in the Big Bend area of Florida’s northwestern coast as soon as late Thursday.

Locally, the major impacts of Helene will be felt Thursday night into Friday.

Heavy rainfall, flooding, wind, and the potential for tornadoes are in the forecast.

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Ashe County Schools

Ashe County Schools will be closed for students on Thursday and Friday. Both are optional workdays for staff.

Avery County Schools

Avery County Schools will be closed on Thursday and Friday. They will be optional teacher workdays.

Alexander County Schools

School is closed on Friday.

Burke County

Will operate on a remote learning day on Thursday and Friday.

Cabarrus County Schools

Will be closed Friday. It will not be a makeup day.

Catawba County Schools

Catawba County Schools will be closed for students on Friday. It will be an optional workday for all teachers. QUEST childcare will also be closed.

Caldwell County Schools

Three-hour early release for all schools on Thursday and no school on Friday.

Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools

No after-school events Thursday and remote learning on Friday.

Chester County Schools

Chester County School District will move to an eLearning day on Friday. All after-school activities and athletic events scheduled for Thursday and Friday will also be canceled.

Chesterfield County Schools

All after-school activities and athletic events scheduled for Thursday have been suspended. Class will be held remotely on Friday.

Clover School District

Clover School District will have eLearning on Friday.

Fort Mill Schools

Fort Mill schools and district facilities will be closed on Friday and will transition to eLearning for the day.

Gaston County Schools

All afterschool and evening activities, including athletics, are canceled for Thursday. Classes will be held remotely on Friday.

Hickory Schools

On Friday, students in grades K-8 will not have school; however, it will be a work day for teachers. Students in grades 9-12 will have a remote learning day.

Kannapolis City Schools

School is canceled for Friday. All after-school activities are canceled for Thursday.

Lincoln County Schools

School canceled for Friday. Before and after school care is canceled.

Rock Hill-York District 3

Thursday will be on a normal schedule. Friday will be an e-Learning day.

Stanly County Schools

Students will learn remotely on Friday.

York District 1

YSD1 will utilize an e-Learning Day on Friday. All after-school activities and athletic events for Friday are canceled.

Union County Public Schools

After-school activities on Thursday are canceled. Classes and events are canceled on Friday with no makeup day needed.

University of North Carolina at Charlotte

The university will move to Condition 1 starting at 5 p.m. Thursday. It will last until 11:59 p.m. Friday. The change means all classes that start at 5 p.m. Thursday or later are being moved to online learning.

Watauga County Schools

Watauga County Schools will be closed for students on Thursday. It will be an optional teacher workday, and staff will operate on a two-hour delay. On Friday, schools will be closed for students and staff.

Check back with wsoctv.com for updates.

VIDEO: Wednesday night forecast update

Wednesday night's forecast with Chief Meteorologist John Ahrens

The AP contributed to this report.

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