How does USC decide to cancel classes for weather? Here are 3 times they did
As winter weather moves into the Midlands, students might be hoping for a day off.
The latest forecast shows that South Carolina won’t likely see any snow this weekend, according to the National Weather Service. But other cold precipitation is expected. It will likely rain Saturday morning, and could turn into sleet and freezing rain Saturday night through Sunday, and possibly Monday. The ice and cold is a threat to road conditions, and some worry about losing heat in their homes.
Gov. Henry McMaster has declared a state of emergency.
Could this cold weather cause the University of South Carolina to classes? That remains to be seen.
State agency closures in Richland County, including USC, are determined by the governor’s office, not county officials as it was the past, university spokesman Jeff Stensland said. But USC is monitoring the situation and will send updates when they become available.
Here are three times the university decided to cancel classes due to weather.
Last year’s snow
USC canceled classes in Columbia in January 2025 when the Midlands received snow for the first time in a few years. Several inches of snow fell and many government agencies and businesses closed.
Officially had originally announced the campus would close after 2:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 21, and the closure lasted until noon on Thursday, Jan. 23.
USC events, like the groundbreaking ceremony for the School of Medicine Columbia’s new facility, were rescheduled.
Hurricane Helene
In September 2024, Hurricane Helene battered the Carolinas, and it later became the deadliest storm in South Carolina’s modern history, surpassing the infamous Hurricane Hugo. The storm caused significant flooding and fallen trees, and it left millions without power.
Prior to the storm, USC closed campus before the storm from 5 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 26 through the next day, and made classes virtual. Campus remained open for essential employees.
Hurricane Ian
Hurricane Ian caused the university to cancel classes in September 2022, both in-person and virtual, though operations like dining halls and health services remained intact.
Ian was later downgraded to a tropical storm once it reached South Carolina, but is one of the costliest storms Florida has ever seen.
