USF Extends Hurricane Irma Closure

TAMPA, FL — University of South Florida students are getting a few days off courtesy of Hurricane Irma. The university on Sept. 6 announced its intention to close down ahead of the storm, and that has been extended to at least Tuesday, Sept. 12, although damage to the campus could push that back.

The campus now says it is closed through Tuesday. Only USF System employees who are classified as essential personnel and those identified by their supervisors as vital to campus operations should report to work on Tuesday, the school website says.

"We anticipate inspection of over 350 buildings across our campuses by damage assessment teams once conditions are safe. Based on these inspections, if it is determined that additional closures are needed beyond Tuesday, updates will be posted on the university’s website, official social media channels, MyUSF and shared through email," the school message says.

The university has 50,000 students and 15,000 faculty and staff. The school intends to keep operations closed at USF St. Petersburg and USF Sarasota-Manatee; all classes are cancelled. (For more hurricane news or local news from Florida, click here to sign up for real-time news alerts and newsletters from Tampa Patch, and click here to find your local Florida Patch. If you have an iPhone, click here to get the free Patch iPhone app.)

USF Tampa’s residence halls and dining areas will remain open. The Marshall Student Center, USF Library, Campus Recreation Center and the Counseling Center closed for the weekend. For more information, visit USF on Facebook.

Watch: Hurricane Irma Pummels The Caribbean; Florida Could Be Next

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Hurricane Irma, the most powerful Atlantic storm ever recorded, was passing over the northernmost Virgin Islands Wednesday afternoon, packing maximum sustained winds of 185 mph. The potentially catastrophic Category 5 storm’s track shifted in the overnight hours to include almost the entire Florida Peninsula.

• Also see: Hurricane Irma Closing In On Florida

By Wednesday afternoon, hurricane-force winds extended out from Irma by 50 miles from the center. Tropical storm-force winds were extending outward by 185 miles.

While it’s still too early to tell the precise impacts Irma might have on Florida or the United States, forecasters say she bears close monitoring. Irma is expected to remain a major hurricane through the week. The threat Irma poses to Florida prompted Gov. Rick Scott to declare a state of emergency on Monday. The declaration includes all 67 counties within the Sunshine State.

Image via the USF Facebook page