Orange County Public Schools will be closed on Wednesday, August 30, as the area prepares for landfall by Hurricane Idalia.
According to a statement issued by OCPS on Tuesday morning, there will be no school for students on Wednesday.
“Based on this morning’s forecast, sustained wind speeds will exceed 35 mph on the west side of Orange County and, as a result, there will be no school for students,” reads a statement from OCPS.
All after-school activities must end by 8 p.m. tonight and will be cancelled for Wednesday.
The school district says it plans to resume school on Thursday, August 31.
“Information regarding make-up days will be forthcoming,” reads the statement from OCPS.
The school district is “strongly encouraging families and employees” to continue their preparations for impacts from the hurricane and says it will continue to communicate updates through phone calls, emails, text messages, and OCPS social media pages.
As of 11 a.m., Hurricane Idalia is currently maintaining maximum sustained wind speeds of up to 85 mph.
The National Hurricane Center says that the hurricane is producing “life-threatening storm surge” and hurricane conditions are expected along portions of the gulf coast of Florida later tonight.
“Rapid intensification is expected before landfall, and Idalia is forecast to be a major hurricane when it reaches the Gulf coast of Florida Wednesday morning,” says the NHC.