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Hurricane Irma update: University opening at 10 a.m. Tuesday


Last updated September 12, 2017

By News administrator

 

*** Update … Monday, September 11, 2017, 9:30 p.m.

Furman will delay opening the campus until 10 a.m. Tuesday to give crews time to clear as much as debris as possible due to Monday’s storm. All classes before 10 a.m. will be canceled; any non-essential employees should not report to campus before 10 a.m.

The Dining Hall will open at 7:30 a.m. Tuesday. The Library Cafe will open at 9:30 a.m. and the other food venues at 11 a.m.

The Physical Activities Center will open at 5:30 a.m.

The safety of students, faculty and staff is the university’s first priority, and officials will continue to monitor and consult multiple sources for the latest information. All decisions about whether to close the campus are based on the best information available, the expert advice of emergency management officials and the fact that nearly all Furman students live on campus.

Tuesday does not appear to bring the same level of risk from wind as Monday afternoon. The most severe winds are forecast to pass through the area around midnight, after which conditions are expected to improve significantly throughout the early morning.

While the university plans to be open Tuesday after the delay, officials will monitor the weather throughout the night and make adjustments as necessary. All updates will be posted here.

*** Update … Monday, September 11, 2017, 3 p.m.

Because of high winds Monday evening due to Hurricane Irma, all student activities occurring after 6 p.m. have been cancelled and students are advised to remain indoors until the winds have calmed. Non-essential employees will be notified by their supervisors of when they may leave campus early today (Monday). All normal operations and class schedules will resume Tuesday morning.

The Dining Hall will close at 7:30 p.m., and other food venue locations are likely to be closed.

The Physical Activities Center will close at 6 p.m. The pool is closed.

All Monday evening UES courses are cancelled, but are expected to resume as scheduled tomorrow evening.

*** Update … Monday, September 11, 2017, 9:30 a.m.

Furman is operating on a normal schedule Monday and Tuesday.

University employees should continue to check local forecasts throughout the morning and use caution while commuting to and from campus.

The strongest winds are expected to occur later in the evening Monday so students are advised to limit their travel outside.

As a safety precaution, the Furman mall will be closed on Monday and university police will be directing traffic through other areas of campus.

Shuttle services on campus will be increased on Monday and Tuesday to help students get to and from class.

Here’s the latest Weather Channel forecast for the Greenville area:

Monday will be windy with periods of rain that will be accompanied by heavy downpours and strong wind gusts at times. Highest winds expected after 5 p.m. High 63. Winds NE at 25 to 40 mph. Chance of rain 100%. 1 to 2 inches of rain expected. Winds could occasionally gust over 50 mph. Tuesday will be overcast with rain showers at times. High 73. Winds ESE at 15 to 25 mph. Chance of rain 60%.

According to the National Hurricane Center, Irma has weakened to a tropical storm and its strength will continue to dissipate as its moves on a northwest track.

Furman officials will continue to actively monitor the situation and provide any necessary updates here.

 

*** Update … Sunday, September 10, 2017, 7:30 p.m.

After continuing to monitor the track of Hurricane Irma throughout early Sunday evening, university officials have announced the university will operate on a normal schedule Monday and Tuesday with classes to be held as scheduled.

University employees should continue to check local forecasts throughout the morning and use caution while commuting to and from campus.

As a safety precaution, the Furman mall will be closed on Monday and university police will be directing traffic through other areas of campus.

Shuttle services on campus will be increased on Monday and Tuesday to help students get to and from class.

Here’s The Weather Channel forecast for the Greenville area:

Monday will be windy with periods of rain that will be accompanied by heavy downpours and strong wind gusts at times. Strongest winds expected after 5 p.m.  High 64. Winds NE at 25 to 40 mph. Chance of rain 100%. 2 to 3 inches of rain expected. Winds could occasionally gust over 50 mph.  Light rain early on Tuesday, then remaining cloudy with showers in the afternoon. High 73. Winds ESE at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 60%.

Up-to-date information on Irma’s track is available at the National Hurricane Center.

Furman officials will continue to actively monitor the situation and provide any necessary updates here.

*** Update … Saturday, September 9, 2017, 3 p.m.

After continuing to monitor the track of Hurricane Irma throughout the day, university officials still expect Furman to operate on a normal schedule Monday and Tuesday with classes to be held as scheduled.

Forecasts have the track of Irma moving even farther west of Greenville, with the area beginning to feel the effects of Irma on Monday afternoon.  Local forecasters are expecting winds of 35-40 miles per hour and 3-4 inches of rain.

Furman officials will continue to actively monitor the situation and provide updates here.

*** Update … Friday, September 8, 2017, 2:30 p.m.

As of Friday afternoon, the university expects the campus to operate on a normal schedule Monday and Tuesday, with classes to take place as scheduled. Because the latest projected path of Hurricane Irma has the storm moving farther west than originally expected, university officials believe students are safer staying on campus than traveling elsewhere.

Shuttle services on campus will be increased on Monday and Tuesday to help students get to and from class.

The latest forecast from local weather officials for Monday and Tuesday calls for winds around 35 mph and 2 to 4 inches of rain.

Because the track of Irma could still change for the Southeast, Furman officials will continue to actively monitor the situation and provide updates here.

Furman University is monitoring the forecast for Hurricane Irma and will provide regular updates at this site about how the storm could impact the university and Greenville area.

While Greenville is approximately 200 miles from the South Carolina coast, it is possible that Furman could experience heavy rain and high winds from the storm. University officials will consult with state and local officials to ensure the safety of the students, faculty and staff, and are taking steps to prepare for the possibility of severe weather.

Students will also receive text and email alerts in emergency situations. For up-to-date weather alerts and other emergency notifications, follow Furman on Twitter and Facebook.

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Clinton Colmenares
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