Winter Storm Brings School Closures Across the Jacksonville Area

Several counties across the First Coast, including Duval County and Jacksonville, are under a Winter Storm Watch as a weather system is expected to bring wintry precipitation and possibly snow to the area.

School districts are closely monitoring the situation, with some districts and universities already announcing closures due to the potential for snow and icy roadways.

Weather models indicate a significant cold snap, with high temperatures dropping into the 40s and lows falling into the 30s and 20s. A brisk northerly wind could produce wind chills in the 30s, raising concerns about icy conditions on bridges and overpasses, particularly in inland southeast Georgia.

School districts in Nassau County, as well as Ware and Camden counties in Georgia, are actively assessing the conditions before making final decisions. Here's the latest from school districts and universities

Duval County Public Schools In a message to parents on Monday, DCPS announced that schools will remain open as usual on Tuesday, Jan. 21. However, a decision has not yet been made regarding closures for Wednesday, Jan. 22, when the bulk of the winter weather is expected to impact the First Coast.

Nassau County School District Schools will operate as normal on Tuesday, Jan. 21, 2025. Officials, in collaboration with Nassau Emergency Management, are monitoring the forecast for potential winter weather and will determine school operations for Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2025, based on updated conditions.

Camden County Public Schools will be open on Tuesday, Jan. 21. However, due to forecasted winter weather conditions, including a potential wintry mix, icy roads, below-freezing temperatures, and low wind chills, all schools will be closed on Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2025.

All afterschool activities on Tuesday and Wednesday are canceled. Residents are encouraged to sign up for CodeRed for timely updates.

Glynn County Schools will remain open on Tuesday, Jan. 21, though all extracurricular activities and after-school programs will conclude by 4 p.m. that day.

As a precaution, schools will be closed on Wednesday, Jan. 22, due to potential hazards such as black ice on roads, freeze advisories, and possible impacts on power lines and trees.

Ware County Schools will dismiss students and staff 90 minutes early on Tuesday, Jan. 21. All schools will remain closed on Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2025. Additionally, all afterschool activities scheduled for Tuesday and Wednesday are canceled.

DAFFODIL Pre-K will dismiss at 12:45 p.m., followed by elementary schools at 1 p.m., the high school at 1:38 p.m., and both middle schools at 2 p.m.

Charlton County Schools will follow their regular schedule on Tuesday, Jan. 21, but all after-school activities are canceled. On Wednesday, Jan. 22, all schools will be closed for students and staff, with operations expected to resume on Thursday.

Brantley County Schools have canceled after-school activities on Tuesday, Jan. 21. Schools will dismiss early at 2 p.m. on Tuesday and remain closed on Wednesday, Jan. 22.

Florida State University’s Tallahassee and Panama City campuses will cancel all classes and suspend normal operations on Tuesday, Jan. 21, and Wednesday, Jan. 22. This includes the FAMU-FSU College of Engineering.

Florida A&M University (FAMU) will close all campuses—including those in Tallahassee, Quincy, and Crestview—for the entire day on Tuesday, Jan. 21. This closure affects all students, faculty, staff, and non-essential personnel.

All operations within the Coastal Health District will be suspended starting at 12 p.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 21, and will remain closed throughout Wednesday, Jan. 22. A delayed reopening is planned for Thursday, Jan. 23, at 11 a.m. This closure includes all health department clinics and offices in Bryan, Camden, Chatham, Effingham, Glynn, Liberty, Long, and McIntosh Counties.

Anyone with previously scheduled appointments during this time will be contacted to reschedule.