Hillsborough County Announces Friday School Decision as Hurricane Matthew Looms

BRADENTON, FL — Hillsborough County school kids hoping for a long weekend courtesy of Hurricane Matthew are in luck. The school district announced Thursday that classes are canceled on Friday, Oct. 7.

“There is a need to close all schools because the state has directed us to open some of our schools as shelters to help evacuees from neighboring counties,” the school district wrote in an email to media Thursday afternoon.

Extracurricular activities for Thursday, Oct. 6 are still on, as is HOST. The district said night school will go on Thursday as scheduled.

“Athletic events for Friday evening are still scheduled as of now, but we’ll keep you updated on a final decision,” the email noted.

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As of the National Hurricane Center’s 11 a.m. Oct. 6 update, Hurricane Matthew was positioned about 180 miles southeast of West Palm Beach, Florida. The storm's sustained winds were 140 mph, a significant rise from the 125 mph winds reported earlier in the day.

“Matthew is a Category 4 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale,” the hurricane center’s report said. "Some additional strengthening is possible, and Matthew should remain a Category 4 hurricane while it approaches the Florida coast."

Hurricane-force winds extended out up to 60 miles Thursday morning. Tropical storm-force winds extended out 160 miles, forecasters said.

On its current projected path, Matthew could make landfall somewhere along Florida’s east coast as a major hurricane. While the storm's outer bands were arriving near Florida Thursday morning, forecasters do not expect it to clear the Sunshine State until Friday afternoon or evening.

The storm’s possible track shifted to the east, but much of the Sunshine State remained under a hurricane warning. In the Tampa Bay area and along most of the west coast, a tropical storm watch is in place. A warning means conditions are likely within a designated area, generally within 48 hours. A watch means conditions are possible within a designated area. Tropical storm warnings had also gone up in from the Anclote River to the Suwanee River.

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