Anderson school district announces eLearning day as Hurricane Michael nears

Hurricane Michael slammed into the Florida Panhandle with 155 mph winds Wednesday, making landfall near Panama City before racing across Georgia toward South Carolina as a dangerous Category 2 storm, according to the National Hurricane Center.

The Upstate was expected to feel impact from the storm soon after midday Thursday, forecasters say.

The Midlands, Lowcountry and the Pee Dee, still recovering from Hurricane Florence, were expected to be impacted more. 

At least one school district had adjusted its schedule Wednesday night. "Due to the likelihood of severe inclement weather," Anderson School District 5 will be observing an eLearning Day Thursday, said Kyle Newton, a spokesman for the district. 
 
All after-school activities have also been cancelled, Newton said. 

Students can access assignments via their Chromebooks in the eLearning program, which allows the school district to operate on a firm calendar, with no inclement weather makeup days.  

Anderson School Districts 1, 2 and 4 will be on a normal schedule and the districts will meet at 5 a.m. to determine if there will be any changes Thursday, District 4 Superintendent Joanne Avery said in a Facebook post.

Anderson School District Three announced Thursday morning it would be operating on a two-hour delay.

Meanwhile, the University of South Carolina-Columbia has cancelled all classes ahead of the storm, and its campus will be closed Thursday, the university announced on Twitter.

The Anderson County Sheriff’s Office Emergency Management Division has upgraded its operational readiness level to OPCON 4 in anticipation of Hurricane Michael’s impact on the county.

OPCON 4 is an indication that the possibility of an emergency or disaster situation is occurring, said Stephen Combs, media relations coordinator. 

"In addition, a partial activation of the Emergency Operations Center will begin at 10 p.m. (Wednesday) and remain in effect for the duration of the storm," Combs said in a release. 

Anderson and the Upstate can expect three to four inches of rain beginning overnight into Thursday and lasting through Thursday evening, according to Justin Lane, meteorologist with the National Weather Service at Greenville-Spartanburg International Airport. 

All 10 counties in the Upstate were under a flash flood watch through Thursday evening. 

More:Hurricane Michael set to bring rain and fall weather to Anderson

More:Hurricane Florence: Everything you need to know about the dangerous Category 1 storm

Lane said even minor shifts in the storm's track could mean a significant change in rainfall totals for the area.

The Upstate could see frequents gusts of 25 to 35 mph through the daylight hours on Thursday, Lane said. The winds and rain are expected to add up to the usual risk of toppled trees and utility poles, said Lt. David Baker of the Anderson County Sheriff's Office Emergency Management Division. Additional support staff will be ready for power outages and other problems that are expected, he said.

Meteorologist Jeffery Taylor, also from the National Weather Service station in Greer, said the system is expected to move fairly quickly. And after it passes, the area will experience a real fall feel, with high temperatures in the low 70s starting Saturday, Taylor said.

- The Associated Press contributed to this report.