KEY WEST, Fla. – Monroe County Public Schools announced all of the schools and districts’ offices will be closed on Thursday as part of preparations for Hurricane Helene’s impact in Florida.
The district announced the Thursday closures after Helene became a threat in the Caribbean and reported schools are to “remain open through normal dismissal” on Wednesday afternoon.
Local 10 News Weather Authority forecasted the hurricane in the Gulf of Mexico would affect the Florida Keys early Thursday morning. The large hurricane — with tropical storm winds extending nearly 430 miles — will also affect Miami-Dade and Broward counties, as it moves north toward Florida’s Big Bend.
While Monroe will close public schools, Broward and Miami-Dade will not be closing schools. The districts did announce that “in an abundance of caution” outdoor activities are canceled Thursday.
The hurricane is set to strengthen into a Category 3 on Thursday afternoon.
The Weather Authority’s hurricane specialist expects landfall between Mexico Beach to the west and Cedar Key to the east.
For more information about Monroe County Public Schools schedule changes, visit this page.