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Florida severe weather: Schools closed, after-school activities canceled, government offices shutter early

By FOX 35 News Staff
Updated  January 9, 2024 1:51pm EST
Severe Weather
FOX 35 Orlando

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ORLANDO, Fla. - Several school districts canceled classes and after-school activities on Tuesday ahead of severe storms expected to make their way across Central Florida. A powerful cold front is forecast to move through the state, bringing heavy rain, intense and damaging winds, frequent lightning, and the possibility of a tornado. 

Live weather updates: Click here to view latest storm watches, warnings, damage reports, live radar, and continuing coverage. 

Florida severe weather: 12:30 p.m. update

FOX 35 Storm Team Meteorologist Ian Cassette provides an update on the line of powerful storms headed to Central Florida.

A complete list of counties can be seen below.  This list includes public schools, colleges, and universities organized by county in alphabetical order. We will continue to update this list if needed, so check back for any changes. 

LATEST WEATHER UPDATES: 

ALACHUA COUNTY

  • The school district said classes and after-school activities are CANCELED for Tuesday, Jan. 9.
  • Officials at the University of Florida and Santa Fe College continued monitoring the weather and said that classes were still scheduled for Tuesday, Jan. 9.

BREVARD COUNTY

  • Classes are still scheduled for Tuesday, Jan. 9. All after-school activities, athletics, and extracurricular, however, are canceled, the district announced Tuesday morning. After school care will remain open and operate on a normal schedule.

DIXIE COUNTY

  • The school district said classes and after-school activities are CANCELED for Tuesday, Jan. 9.

FLAGLER COUNTY

  • Classes are still scheduled for Tuesday, Jan. 9, but the school district is canceling all after-school activities, including athletics. Schools will observe regular classroom hours and release them at their regularly scheduled time. The G.W. Carver Center and the Flagler County Youth Center will observe their regular hours of operation. Extended Day also will operate under regular hours. Bus routes will remain in place as scheduled.

GILCHRIST COUNTY

  • The school district said classes are CANCELED for Tuesday, Jan. 9

LAKE COUNTY

  • Classes are still scheduled for Tuesday, Jan. 9, but the school district said it will follow its Wednesday early-dismissal schedule on Tuesday. Additionally, all after-school activities, games, and night-school classes are canceled.
  • Lake-Sumter State College will close on Tuesday, Jan 9, at 2 p.m. All classes & activities are canceled.

LEVY COUNTY

  • The school district said classes and after-school activities are CANCELED for Tuesday, Jan. 9.
  • Due to severe weather warnings, the College of Central Florida will be closed on Tuesday, Jan. 9. The closing is for all sites, including the Ocala Campus, Citrus Campus, Levy Campus, Hampton Center, Appleton Museum and Vintage Farm, as well as online classes. Scheduled activities have also been canceled.

MARION COUNTY

  • The school district said classes and after-school activities are CANCELED for Tuesday, Jan. 9.
  • Due to severe weather warnings, the College of Central Florida will be closed on Tuesday, Jan. 9. The closing is for all sites, including the Ocala Campus, Citrus Campus, Levy Campus, Hampton Center, Appleton Museum and Vintage Farm, as well as online classes. Scheduled activities have also been canceled.

ORANGE COUNTY

  • Classes are still scheduled for Tuesday, Jan. 9, but all after-school athletic events and extracurricular activities have been CANCELED.
  • UCF is actively monitoring severe weather, but plans to remain open on Tuesday.
  • The FAMU College of Law campus and law library will close at 3 p.m. on Tuesday. All evening classes and afternoon classes ending after 3 p.m. will be rescheduled for a later date. Normal operations will resume Wednesday. (Florida A&M University's main campus in Tallahassee, and the Quincy and Jacksonville satellite campuses will be closed late Monday through Tuesday.) Main campus dining services will close at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday. The Hub and Main Dining Hall will be open, alongside residence halls.

OSCEOLA COUNTY

  • Classes are still scheduled for Tuesday, Jan. 9, but all after-school athletic events and extracurricular activities have been CANCELED.

POLK COUNTY

  • Classes are still scheduled for Tuesday, Jan. 9, but all after-school athletic events and extracurricular activities have been CANCELED.

SEMINOLE COUNTY

  • Classes are still scheduled for Tuesday, Jan. 9, but all athletics and after-school activities are CANCELED. Kidzone and 21st-century programs will run as usual.
  • Middle schools are encouraging parents to pick up their kids as they are able. Walkers and bikers will be released at 3:30 p.m. and school buses will run as usual.

SUMTER COUNTY

  • Classes are still scheduled for Tuesday, Jan. 9.
  • Lake-Sumter State College will close on Tuesday, Jan 9, at 2 p.m. All classes & activities are canceled.

VOLUSIA COUNTY

  • Classes at Volusia County Schools are still scheduled for Tuesday, Jan. 9, but the district continues to monitor weather conditions. After-school extracurricular and athletic activities, however, have been canceled. Extended Day Enrichment Programs will operate as usual and will not have any outdoor activities.

The front is expected to move from west to east on Tuesday, first impacting the Gainesville and Ocala areas before expanding across much of Central Florida. The Orlando metropolitan area can expect severe weather between 5 p.m. and 7 p.m.

Download the FOX 35 News and FOX 35 Storm Team weather apps to receive up-to-the minute alerts.