Aiken County Public Schools will close two hours early Thursday due to severe thunderstorms and high winds expected to reach the Aiken County area.
According to the National Weather Service, a strong cold front will cross the area Thursday afternoon into Thursday night. There is an enhanced risk of severe thunderstorms ahead of the front, and heavy rainfall with localized flooding may occur.
Winds will be strong and gusty Thursday and Friday, according to the National Weather Service.
"In an effort to protect the safety of all students and families, as well as our staff, district administration has made the decision, in consultation with Emergency Management Professionals, to dismiss all students and staff members early on Thursday," a statement by the ACPSD said in a statement.
All Aiken County Public Schools will operate on our early dismissal schedule.
Elementary schools will dismiss at 12:30 p.m., middle schools at 1:10 p.m. and high schools at 1:30 p.m.
Aiken Scholars Academy will dismiss at 1 p.m.
Dismissal times for schools in the Ridge Spring-Monetta and Wagener areas are as follows:
- Ridge Spring-Monetta ES will dismiss at 12:45 p.m.
- Ridge Spring-Monetta MS will dismiss at 1:05 p.m.
- Ridge Spring-Monetta HS will dismiss at 1:15 p.m.
- Busbee Elementary will dismiss at 12:55 p.m.
- Corbett MS will dismiss at 12:52 p.m.
- Wagener-Salley HS will dismiss at 1:10 p.m.
All after school activities, practices, games and events will be cancelled. The Aiken County Scripps Spelling Bee, planned for Thursday night at the AECOM Center for the Performing Arts has been postponed.
The National Weather Service in Columbia has issued a Flash Flood Watch and will be in effect Thursday morning to late Thursday night. It includes the following areas in South Carolina: Aiken, Chesterfield, Edgefield, Fairfield, Kershaw, Lexington, McCormick, Newberry, Northern Lancaster, Richland, Saluda and Southern Lancaster.
