SOUTHEASTERN NC — New Hanover and Brunswick county schools will be closed on Tuesday, Jan. 9, due to the threat of severe weather, while Pender moved from a half day to virtual attendance.
According to the National Weather Service, a severe storm system will move through the region on Tuesday, with gusts up to 55 miles per hour; the highest winds are anticipated for Tuesday afternoon and evening. There could be tornadoes and flash flooding from heavy rain, with 1 to 2 inches expected in the tri-county area. Coastal regions may see 15-foot seas and 6-foot surf, with flooding increased during high tide.
New Hanover County previously planned to have a half day on Jan. 9, with elementary schools releasing at noon and middle and high schools releasing at 1 p.m. But Monday evening director of communications Christina Beam issued a notice the schools will close for all New Hanover County students after consultation with emergency management and learning about the intensifying forecast storm.
NHCS Pre-K centers (Dorothy K. Johnson, Mary Washington Howe, and College Road Early Childhood Center) will be closed Tuesday. All after-school activities for Tuesday will be canceled and athletic events will be rescheduled. NHCS plans to resume normal operations on Wednesday, January 10.
Cape Fear Community College in New Hanover County is closing all campus locations at 12:30 p.m. This includes the downtown Wilmington campus, North Campus (Castle Hayne), Alston W. Burke Center in Surf City, and the Burgaw Center. CFCC will plan to return to normal business hours on Wednesday, January 10.
Brunswick County at first announced elementary schools will release at 12:45 p.m., middle schools at noon, and high schools at 11:45 a.m. However, by the end of day Monday, it changed to canceling all classes; it’s an optional workday for faculty and staff.
All afterschool activities have been canceled, though the Brunswick County Board of Education meeting scheduled for 6 p.m. on Tuesday is still on schedule.
Pender County originally was scheduled for early release but switched to virtual attendance around 10 p.m. Tuesday evening. All after school activities have also been canceled on Tuesday, including the regularly scheduled board of education meeting which has been rescheduled for Jan. 23.
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