UPDATE: 3:45 p.m. CT
More Houston-area schools have announced the canceling of after-school activities in light of severe weather pushing through the region on Tuesday. On Twitter, Pearland ISD officials wrote that all after-school, extracurricular and athletic activities were canceled for the day, though the district plans to follow its regular bus schedule at dismissal time. “Safety is our number one priority and we will continue to monitor the weather,” the announcement read.
All after-school, extracurricular and athletic activities are canceled for today, Tuesday, January 24. We will follow our regular bus schedule at dismissal time. Safety is our number one priority and we will continue to monitor the weather. pic.twitter.com/o6wTIKPmyT
— Pearland ISD (@PearlandISD) January 24, 2023
Out of an abundance of caution, Alief ISD officials have also canceled all after-school activities on Tuesday, including Extended Day Programs & UIL events, on-campus meeting and staff trainings, due to the inclement weather conditions.
Katy ISD stopped short of canceling classes and after-school activities altogether, and clarified via email that its campus dismissal would remain on its regular schedule Tuesday. However, district officials noted transportation services could be delayed due to weather conditions in various areas. “Any changes regarding specific after school practices, activities, and events will be communicated by district coaches, directors, and sponsors,” officials told parents and staff in an email Tuesday afternoon.
Lamar CISD is still monitoring weather conditions, but has canceled all outdoor practices and UIL events for Tuesday. “Any updates regarding dismissal, fine arts, or other activities will be shared directly from campuses and programs,” district officials wrote in an announcement. Other Houston area school districts that have canceled after school activities include Galena Park ISD, Santa Fe ISD, YES Prep, Crosby ISD, Spring ISD, and Spring Branch ISD.
— End of Update —
As the Houston area braces for severe weather on Tuesday, which could include heavy rain, strong storms and winds and potential tornadoes, some local school districts are taking precautions to keep students, parents and staff safe. Houston ISD officials announced they are canceling all after-school activities on Twitter around 11 a.m. Tuesday, adding they will make additional announcements as they continue to monitor inclement weather conditions.
?”️WEATHER UPDATE!?”️All HISD after-school activities are cancelled today January, 24th due to inclement weather forecast. Please check back at https://t.co/7hIAJ9OvZ8 for more updates. pic.twitter.com/CRIoCjvmtT
— Houston ISD (@HoustonISD) January 24, 2023
The announcement follows a tweet late Monday from district officials saying they would be following updates on weather conditions due to the current forecast. However, Houston ISD stopped short of cutting classes early. In anticipation of the inclement weather, Hull-Daisetta ISD has announced it is dismissing students at 1 p.m. Tuesday. So far, no other districts have announced school closures of early dismissals for Tuesday.
Around the same time as HISD’s announcement, a tornado warning was issued for Katy, Brookshire and Simonton until 11:30 a.m. However, Katy ISD officials have not announced whether they would dismiss students early due to the warning. A tornado warning indicating imminent tornado formation has also been issued for the Tomball, Texas area including Kohrville.
According to KHOU, Klein ISD and Waller ISD students were ordered to shelter in place inside district buildings around 11:45 a.m.
— KleinISD Twitter
Katy ISD also issued a notice saying it is sheltering in place in light of severe weather warnings in the area. These adjustments could affect students’ lunch schedules across the district. All campuses and district buildings in Hempstead ISD are also under a shelter-in-place due to severe weather conditions.
— katyisd Twitter
The strongest of severe thunderstorms are expected to hit the Houston area between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. as an area of low pressure followed by a strong cold front pushes through southeast Texas, according to the National Weather Service (NWS). The storms are expected to produce strong, damaging winds with 30-50 mph gusts, heavy rainfall of one-to-three inches, potential large hail and minor flooding. The NWS has also issued a tornado watch for Harris County and the surrounding region, which is set to expire at 6 p.m. Tuesday.
This is an ongoing story. Please follow for more updates.