UPDATE: South Georgia schools closing for rough weather Tuesday

Terry Richards, The Valdosta Daily Times, Ga.
Updated ·1 min read

Jan. 8—Originally posted 2:33 p.m. Jan. 8, 2024

Updated 6:01 p.m. Jan. 8, 2024

UPDATE: At approximately 6 p.m. Monday, Valdosta State University announced it is moving all business remote and all classes will be moved online Tuesday.

VALDOSTA — A squall line of thunderstorms will move through South Georgia early Tuesday, causing many school systems to close for the day.

Gusty winds as high as 50 mph are expected ahead of the squall line Monday night through Tuesday morning, said Wright Dobbs, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service's Tallahassee, Fla., office.

The squall line itself should move through Lowndes County between noon and 4 p.m. Tuesday, bringing with it the possibility of tornadoes, sustained winds of 50-60 mph and gusts as high as 75 mph, he said.

Winds that high could bring widespread power outages, downed trees and structure damage, especially to poorly designed or mobile homes, Dobbs said.

"The public should pay attention to weather alerts, especially in the early morning," he said.

Valdosta can expect 1 to 2 inches of rain with the storm system, Dobbs said.

Schools that have announced closures for Tuesday include:

— Valdosta City Schools;

— Lowndes County Schools;

— Brooks County Schools;

— Georgia Christian School in Lowndes County;

— Open Bible Christian School in Lowndes County;

— Echols County schools;

— Scintilla Charter Academy in Lowndes County;

— Wiregrass Georgia Technical College in Lowndes County;

— Valwood School in Lowndes County; and

— Cook County schools.

Terry Richards is the senior reporter for The Valdosta Daily Times.