Flood Warning, Wind Advisory in effect. Greenville, Spartanburg, Anderson schools closed
A Tornado Watch has been issued for parts of Spartanburg, Laurens, Gaffney, Union and eastern Greenwood, according to reporting by TV station WYFF 4.
A severe Thunderstorm Warning remains in effect for southeastern Spartanburg and northwestern Union counties, according to the National Weather Service. At 1150 a.m., severe thunderstorms were located along a line extending from 5 miles southeast of Spartanburg to 12 miles west of Union to 8 miles northeast of Laurens, moving northeast at 45 mph.
Rainfall will total between three to three-and-a-half inches, said Jeffrey Taylor with the National Weather Service at Greenville-Spartanburg Airport on Monday.
Upstate residents can expect wind gusts between 35 to 45 miles per hour. There will also be a potential for downed trees and power outages.
"There will be more gusty winds on Wednesday. They shouldn't be as strong," Taylor said. "So it's a prolonged period of gusty winds that we're expecting."
Greenville County schools to close on Tuesday
Greenville County Schools will have an eLearning day on Tuesday, Jan. 9, according to a Greenville County Schools release.
Schools and office buildings will be closed and all activities, including athletic events and field trips, will be canceled.
The District’s ICE (Inclement Conditions Evaluation) Team evaluated the forecasts, and the decision was made based on the potential for flooding and high wind conditions, which may result in unsafe road conditions, downed power lines, and loss of electrical services. Winds are predicted to exceed the parameters for safely operating buses as determined by the South Carolina Department of Education.
Because GCS is an approved eLearning district, this day will not have to be made up and instruction will be provided through Google Classroom. Students will complete eLearning assignments later if they are unable to participate due to power outages, lack of internet service, or other barriers. Once operations resume, school personnel will begin rescheduling events as appropriate. Schools will be in contact with specifics on the eLearning process.
Spartanburg County schools to close on Tuesday
Spartanburg County school districts will close and have an e-learning day on Tuesday, Jan. 9, because of the potential for damaging winds and flooding.
The National Weather Service at Greenville-Spartanburg International Airport calls for rainfall between three to three-and-a-half inches.
Upstate residents can also expect wind gusts between 35 to 45 mph. There will be a potential for downed trees and power outages.
Beth Lancaster, chief communications officer for Spartanburg School District 7, said e-learning is the best course of action for tomorrow's forecast.
"Our school districts work collaboratively to decide the best course of action whenever the National Weather Service issues a warning for our area," Lancaster said. "In this case, with high winds and wind gusts predicted, the safe operation of school buses is the primary factor in the decision to hold an e-learning day."
Anderson County schools closed on Tuesday
District 2 of Anderson's website let parents know that Tuesday, Jan. 9 will be an eLearning day for its students.
”The SC Department of Transportation strongly advises that school buses should not be on the road in conditions in which sustained winds exceed 30 mph or wind gusts which exceed 40 mph," according to the D2 message. "As always the safety of our students and staff is of the utmost importance. Your child's teacher(s) will communicate your child's eLearning assignments for tomorrow."
Wednesday, January 10, will be a normal instruction day for our schools.
D4 in Anderson wrote: “Out of an abundance of caution (with potentially damaging winds and rain), all Anderson 4 schools will move to an eLearning school day on Tuesday, January 9th.“
D3 in Anderson wrote: “Due to our area's forecasted potential for severe weather, Anderson 3 will observe an eLearning Day on Tuesday, January 9.“
D1 in Anderson wrote: “Anderson School District One will be having an E-Learning Day on Tuesday, 09, 2024.""As per the SC Department of Education, operating buses when wind forces of 30 mph or greater strike the side of a school bus, the forces exerted can exceed 500 pounds. Forces of this magnitude can greatly impact steering control and tracking of school buses in motion. This is true for sustained winds of 30 mph or greater or wind gusts greater than 40 mph."As a reminder for parents, the following guidelines are in place to complete eLearning lessons:Elementary School:Assignments will be posted in Seesaw. Students have five school days to complete work.Middle School:Assignments will be posted in Google Classroom. Students have five school days to complete work.High SchoolAssignments should be posted in Google Classroom. Students have five school days to complete work.Teachers will be available during the following office hours: 9-10:30 a.m. and 1:30-3 p.m. During this time, teachers will be available to answer questions via Seesaw messenger or email.There will be no after-school events on Tuesday.
Limestone in Gaffney closes on Tuesday
Out of an abundance of caution, Limestone University officials, in cooperation with Limestone’s Campus Safety Department, have decided to close the campus on Tuesday, Jan. 9 due to the potential for severe weather.
All Limestone University classes are canceled for Tuesday. Students should check their emails and Canvas for any potential communications from their professors. All Limestone University faculty and staff offices will be closed on Tuesday.
What a Wind Advisory means. What to know.
A Wind Advisory will remain in effect from 10 a.m. until 10 p.m. Tuesday. The advisory is for portions of northeast Georgia, Piedmont of North Carolina and the Upstate. Wind gusts up to 45 mph are expected.
Gusty winds will blow around unsecured objects, tree limbs could be blown down and a few power outages may result, according to an advisory on Weather.com.
Wind Advisory precautions and preparedness actions
Wind Advisory tips from the National Weather Service:
Secure outdoor objects.
Stay tuned to NOAA Weather Radio or your favorite source of weather information for the latest updates.
Additional details can be found at www.weather.gov/gsp.
A Wind Advisory means that winds of 35 mph or greater are expected. Winds this strong can make driving difficult, especially for high-profile vehicles. Use extra caution.
Duke Energy preparing for storm, shares homeowner tips
High winds, severe storms and saturated ground may lead to downed trees, limbs and power lines, according to a news release from Duke Energy. Duke Energy is monitoring and preparing for the winter storm.
“There have been many severe weather systems across the nation in recent weeks. Duke Energy meteorologists have been tracking them, and our crews are prepared to respond if needed,” said Jason Hollifield, Carolinas Storm Director, in a release.
Below are some general storm tips courtesy of Duke Energy:
Have a plan in place for what you will do if you lose power. Consider keeping a storm emergency supply kit handy, in case it is needed. A typical kit might include medicines, water, nonperishable foods and other supplies that might be hard to find after a storm hits. You can keep the kit handy year-round for when severe weather strikes.
Maintain a plan to move family members – especially those with special needs – to a safe, alternative location in case an extended power outage occurs.
Charge cellphones, computers and other electronic devices in advance of storms to stay connected to important safety and response information. Consider purchasing portable chargers and make sure they are fully charged as well.
Keep a portable radio or TV or a NOAA weather radio on hand to monitor weather forecasts and important information from state and local officials.
After the storm
Stay away from power lines that have fallen or are sagging. Consider all lines energized, as well as trees, limbs or anything in contact with lines.
If a power line falls across a car that you are in, stay in the car. If you MUST get out of the car due to a fire or other immediate life-threatening situation, do your best to jump clear of the car and land on both feet. Be sure that no part of your body is touching the car when your feet touch the ground.
If you are driving and come across a utility crew working along the road to repair power, move over or slow down to keep the crew and yourself safe.
Outage reporting
Customers who experience an outage during a storm can report it the following ways:
Visit duke-energy.com on a desktop computer or mobile device.
Use the Duke Energy mobile app – Download the Duke Energy App from a smartphone via Apple Store or Google Play.
Text OUT to 57801 (standard text and data charges may apply).
Call the automated outage-reporting system, at: 800.POWERON (800.769.3766).
Visit our interactive outage map to find up-to-date information on power outages, including the total number of outages systemwide and estimated times of restoration.
Nina Tran covers trending topics. Reach her via email at ntran@gannett.com. Staff writers Joanna Johnson, Ken Ruinard and Jose Franco contributed to this article.
This article originally appeared on Greenville News: Flood Warning and Wind Advisory in effect for Upstate on Tuesday.
