USC cancels classes for Hurricane Irma

University of South Carolina students will not have class Monday.

The downtown Columbia school announced Friday it has called off Monday classes in preparation for Hurricane Irma.

The school plans to re-open for class at 10 a.m. Tuesday. Classes before 10 a.m. Tuesday are canceled.

Recent forecasts have the powerful storm shifting west of South Carolina.

But starting Monday, South Carolina could face tornadoes and heavy rainfall, with wind gusts as strong as 70 mph in some parts of the state, experts say.

USC follows Richland County government’s lead in deciding when to cancel classes. The county’s offices also will be closed Monday.

USC does not see a need for its students to leave Columbia for the storm.

In a press release Friday, it urged students, faculty and staff to stay at home and off roads on Monday.

This story was originally published September 8, 2017 at 3:19 PM with the headline "USC cancels classes for Hurricane Irma."