TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) — School districts, colleges and universities are announcing closures ahead of a possible hurricane that could hit Big Bend and South Georgia. Read our live blog with updates below.

WATCH THE STORM FORECAST IN THE VIDEO BELOW:

Tuesday morning: First weather forecast (24.09.2024)

SCHOOL NOTICES

FLORIDA A&M UNIVERSITY:

Out of an abundance of caution, classes will be canceled beginning at 12:15 p.m. today through Friday, September 27. All academic operations will be suspended to accommodate potential disruptions from the storm. All deans of students and faculty members are asked to work closely with students during this time and provide maximum flexibility.

Campus operations will be fully operational until 5:00 p.m. today (Tuesday). The university will be closed Wednesday through Friday. Essential personnel should report to their supervisors. Weekend activities such as the fall preview, FAMU football home game, and Parent and Family Weekend will be postponed.

The FAMU Developmental Research School (K-12) will close on Wednesday, September 25, and will remain closed Thursday and Friday for the safety of students, teachers, and staff. The FAMU Educational Research Center for Child Development (ERCCD) will close for the week as of 5:30 p.m.

While it is too early to determine the exact location and extent of the tropical weather system, the potential for life-threatening storm surge and damaging hurricane-force winds is increasing along the Florida Panhandle and west coast of Florida. Students, faculty, and staff should be aware that there is a great deal of uncertainty in the current forecast and the system’s track and intensity.

This system does not yet have a defined center. University administration will continue to closely monitor the storm and provide updates as needed. Students, faculty and staff are urged to stay informed and put their safety first during this time. Please use this time to prepare for your storms and review your hurricane safety plans prior to the onset of severe weather. Preparation resources can be found at: https://www.floridadisaster.org/disaster-updates/storm-updates/

For further updates, please visit FAMU Alert, famu.edu or FAMU’s official social media channels.

SCHOOLS IN FRANKLIN COUNTY:

Due to the approaching storm in the Gulf of Mexico and the increasing likelihood of significant impacts to Franklin County, we are taking precautionary measures to ensure the safety of our students, staff and families.

This afternoon, Governor Ron DeSantis declared a state of emergency for Franklin County and 41 other counties in Florida. After consulting with the Franklin County Emergency Operations Center and our neighboring school districts, we have made the following decisions:

School closure: There will be no classes on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday (25, 26 and 27 September).

Excused Staff: All staff are excused on these days to focus on their personal safety and preparations.

Postponed/Cancelled Sports Events: All sporting events scheduled for Wednesday through Friday have been postponed or cancelled.

Resumption of school operations: School operations will resume on Monday, September 30, conditions permitting.

Please check local emergency alerts and use this time to prepare for the potential impacts of the storm. We will keep you updated as more information becomes available.

Thank you for your understanding and cooperation. Stay healthy and take all necessary precautions. We look forward to welcoming you all back on Monday, September 30th.

TALLAHASSEE STATE COLLEGE:

TSC ALERT! Due to the potential impact of PTC 9, which is expected to develop into a major hurricane, TSC will cancel classes and close all locations from Wednesday, 25 September, until Friday, September 27th. Updates will be posted as more information becomes available.

THOMAS UNIVERSITY:

Due to the potential threat of the approaching storm, the Thomas University campus will be closed from Wednesday, 9/25/24 through Friday, 9/27/24. All in-person classes will be held online and all in-person activities will be canceled.