Hurricane Irma: Cartersville, Bartow Schools Closely Watching Storm's Path

CARTERSVILLE, GA -- Parents and guardians in the Cartersville City and Bartow County school systems are encouraged to monitor the respective district's websites and social media accounts to learn if classes will be cancelled due early next week to Hurricane Irma. Both systems said Friday that they are closely monitoring the most current weather updates from the Georgia Emergency Management Agency.

A weather briefing held at noon Friday by the National Weather Service indicates the path of the storm has shifted to the west and once it moves through Florida, it will continue churning through Georgia. The southern part of the state is expected to begin feeling the impact of the storm Sunday evening while north Georgia will begin experiencing tropical storm-force winds Monday morning.

"The safety of our students and staff is our utmost concern and will be the highest priority when making a decision on school closings," said Cartersville City Schools spokesperson Cheree Dye.

That decision is expected to be made around 2 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 10, Dye added. A call will go out through the system's automated notification system to inform parents and students about the status of classes and extra-curricular activities on Monday and Tuesday. Updates will also be posted on the system's website, and will be released to local media outlets (Get Patch's Daily Newsletter and Real Time News Alerts. Or, if you have an iPhone, download the free Patch app).

Bartow County Schools Superintendent Dr. John Harper added the system is communicating with staff members and the community, and it will also make a decision no later than 2 p.m. Sunday.

"The National Weather Services has done an outstanding job of keeping us informed and we are praying for Irma to move eastward or westward and miss north Georgia," he added. "It is too early to make the call at this time."

Hurricane Irma is steamrolling toward Florida and expected to hit Georgia as a tropical storm Sunday night, but it's already earned a state of emergency declaration from President Donald Trump to free up aid. Meanwhile, coastal residents left town Friday, Savannah grocery stores are closing tonight, highways and hotels are crowded from Macon to Atlanta, and long lines are reported at gas stations as residents heed warnings about the Category 4 storm.

The Savannah area is under a mandatory evacuation order. Evacuees can find Red Cross shelters open in Macon or camp at Lake Lanier; gas supplies around the Atlanta area are tight; and tropical storm-force winds are expected to blow into south Georgia by 8 p.m. Sunday and the metro Atlanta area by 8 a.m. Monday.

Click here for the latest details on Hurricane Irma's path towards the Peach State.

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