Cumberland County Schools will be closed Thursday and all schoolwork will be remote because of the threat of stormy weather related to Tropical Storm Idalia, according to a statement on the school system’s website.
The school system has implemented its asynchronous learning policy, which means that students will work on their own schedules and from their individual locations.
All athletic and after-school activities scheduled for Wednesday evening and Thursday have been canceled or rescheduled.
A roundup of closures, service interruptions.
District offices and school buildings will be closed on Thursday, and employees will work remotely.
Methodist University also said Wednesday that has canceled all on-campus classes and activities. Offices will close at 5 p.m. Aug. 30 and remain closed Thursday. Online classes will meet as scheduled, and campus police, maintenance, and housekeeping employees will be on campus Thursday, a news release said.
The National Weather Service in Raleigh has issued a tropical storm warning for Cumberland County ahead of Tropical Storm Idalia.
Idalia, which made landfall in Florida just before 8 a.m. today as a Category 3 hurricane, could bring heavy rain, strong winds and flash flooding to the Cape Fear region beginning Wednesday evening and through early Thursday afternoon.
Idalia weakened to a Category 2 storm by 9 a.m. and to a Category 1 by 11 a.m. and is making its way up the Georgia coast toward the Carolinas. Storm surges along the N.C. coast are expected to be at least 3 feet.
The Cumberland County region can expect rainfall amounts of between 2 and 4 inches and wind gusts of up to 45 mph, according to the latest update from the National Weather Service. Isolated areas in and around Fayetteville and Fort Liberty could see up to 7 inches of rain.
NWS Raleigh meteorologist Andrew Kren said the saturated ground may favor more downed trees that could lead to power outages. He also advised residents to stay off of flooded roadways, especially at night. Flooding is likely in areas with poor drainage, but worries of river flooding remain low. The NWS flood watch for Cumberland County remains in effect through Thursday evening.
With Cumberland schools closed, students will work independently on assignments that are uploaded to the Canvas learning management platform or provided by teachers, the statement said. Elementary and middle school students will have five days to submit their assignments, and high school students will have three days.
CCS students enrolled in classes at Fayetteville State University, Fayetteville Technical Community College and College Connections should contact their instructors for guidance.
The district’s Prime Time Before & After School Program will be closed Thursday. All athletic and after-school activities scheduled for Wednesday evening and Thursday have been canceled or rescheduled.
District offices and school buildings will be closed on Thursday, and employees will work remotely.
Visit the district’s website at https://www.ccs.k12.nc.us/ and social media pages for updates.
Fayetteville Regional Airport has not announced plans to close.
Both the city of Fayetteville and Cumberland County issued statements encouraging residents to prepare for the storm and sign up for the emergency alert email and text system – Cumberland Alerts – to stay informed about Idalia’s potential threats.
Cumberland County plans to open two emergency shelters starting at 7 p.m. Wednesday. The shelters will be at Smith Recreation Center at 1520 Slater Ave. and Kiwanis Recreation Center at 352 Devers St. For more information visit the Emergency Services website.
PWC customers can call 910-483-1382 to report outages, service interruptions and downed power lines.
For more information about weather alerts for Cumberland County, visit weather.gov/rah/ .
Contact reporter Char Morrison at cmorrison@cityviewnc.com.
