Beaufort, Jasper Co. schools to dismiss early for bad weather. What to expect after school

Beaufort County School District will be closing all 30 schools an hour early on Thursday due to a severe weather threat, district spokesman Jim Foster announced.

Elementary schools will dismiss at 1:45 p.m., and K-8, middle and high schools will dismiss at 2:45 p.m.

“All after-school activities and events (EXCEPT for school after-care programs) are cancelled,” Foster wrote in a press release. “We’re encouraging parents with children in school after-care programs to pick up their kids as soon as possible after dismissal.”

Jasper County Schools will also close early, spokesman Travis Washington announced Thursday. Elementary schools will dismiss at 12:30 p.m. and middle and high schools at 1:15 p.m. All after-school activities are cancelled.

Polaris Tech Charter School in Ridgeland announced it would close at noon and was canceling afternoon activities.

Meteorologists are expecting high wind and rain in Beaufort County Thursday night, according to previous reporting by the Island Packet and the Beaufort Gazette.

“We can expect strong, damaging winds, and an isolated tornado is not out of the question,” said Michael Stroz, meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Charleston.

Beaufort County forecast

Today: Cloudy. A slight chance of showers and thunderstorms this afternoon. Highs in the lower 70s. Breezy. South winds 15 to 25 mph with gusts up to 35 mph. Chance of rain 20 percent.

Tonight: Showers with a chance of thunderstorms. Some thunderstorms may produce damaging winds in the evening. Locally heavy rainfall possible in the evening. Lows in the lower 50s. Breezy. Southwest winds 15 to 25 mph. Gusts up to 40 mph in the evening. Chance of rain near 100 percent.

Friday: Partly sunny with a slight chance of showers in the morning, then sunny in the afternoon. Cooler with highs in the mid 50s. Breezy and less humid. West winds 15 to 25 mph with gusts up to 35 mph. Chance of rain 20 percent.

Friday night: Mostly clear. Lows in the upper 30s. West winds 10 to 15 mph.

Saturday: Sunny. Highs in the upper 50s. Northwest winds around 5 mph, becoming south around 5 mph in the afternoon.

Saturday night: Partly cloudy. Lows in the mid 40s.

Sunday: Sunny. Highs in the mid 60s.

Source: National Weather Service Charleston

This story was originally published February 6, 2020 at 12:05 PM.

Rachel Jones

The Island Packet

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Rachel Jones covers education for the Island Packet and the Beaufort Gazette. She attended the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and has worked for the Daily Tar Heel and Charlotte Observer. She has won awards from the South Carolina Press Association, Associated College Press and North Carolina College Media Association for feature writing and education reporting.