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Updated: Roanoke will be open Tuesday 9/18

September 17, 2018

student with boots walking past puddle of water

Monday, Sept. 17. 12 noon

The campus has weathered Tropical Storm Florence well so far. Some rain could occur this afternoon. Flood warnings expire today at 5:30 pm. The Market Street parking lots will reopen at that time as long as there are no problems.


Roanoke College will be open on Tuesday, September 18 with classes on the regular schedule.  All offices will open and employees will report to work as usual.

By Monday evening when all parking lots reopen, all relocated vehicles should be parked in marked spaces in the appropriate lots. Please avoid blocking fire lanes.

Sunday, Sept. 16 7:45 pm

A flood warning is now in effect for the rivers in the Roanoke Valley and Salem area. Rainfall from now Tropical Depression Florence over the next 24 to 36 hours. Another 2 to 4 inches of rain are forecast overnight and into tomorrow.

 If you should encounter flood waters, do not walk or drive through flood waters. College officials continue to monitor the campus and will do so through the night and tomorrow. 

Students are reminded of the following safety tips as the storm approaches:

In addition to Maroon Alerts, Roanoke College will share updates throughout the storm via the following:

The Constitution Day lecture has been postponed and will be rescheduled. 

Check out the latest on Maroon athletic events. 

Friday, Sept. 14, 1 pm.

The latest forecast for Hurricane Florence shows rain in the Roanoke Valley Friday and Saturday, with potential flash flooding on Saturday. Rains are expected to be heavier on Sunday and Monday. Recent rains have saturated the ground, and additional rain is likely to bring flooding to the Salem and Roanoke Valley region. Power outages are possible.

For the safety of the College community, Roanoke College will cancel classes and events on Monday, Sept. 17. Most offices will be closed, but essential services will be provided (security, dining, health, etc.). We will continue to monitor the storm as it develops and will update you on when classes will resume.  The Market Street and Bast parking lots (P4, P7, P25) will be closed starting at midnight tonight, Friday, Sept. 14. Please move your car to any other lots on campus. Tonight's FOTQ will continue in Colket as scheduled. A reminder that all students are automatically signed up for Maroon Alerts on the mobile phone number provided to the College.

Students who leave campus

Students who wish to return home or travel away from the storm may leave campus but should do the following before departing from campus:

  1. Move car out of the Market/Bast area parking lots if leaving a car on campus.
  2. Check forecast for your destination to ensure you have time to arrive before the storm hits.
  3. Make contact with your parents and share your plans with them.
  4. Check out from campus by filling out this quick form.  This allows College officials to know the status of all students during the storm.
  5. Monitor Roanoke.edu/Florence for any updates.

Taxi vouchers are available at the Colket Center Info Desk for those needing transportation to the airport or train station.

Students who stay on campus

Students who plan to stay on campus should know that essential services will be provided. Employees from across the campus have been planning all week for the possibilities of flooding and power outages. The Commons will remain open but hours and options may be limited. Student Health and Counseling Services will be available for first aid needs and illnesses. Res Life will be working with students in the dorms. Maintenance, and Buildings and Grounds workers will be out in full force to respond to the storm. Campus Safety is coordinating with local emergency management officials and will be monitoring the campus as the storm comes through. Many others will be working to coordinate services and communications to students.

Students who do stay on campus should do the following:

  1. Check in via this quick form. This helps the College to know who is on campus and the form automatically tells Res Life staff the student's room number.
  2. Move car out of the Market/Bast area parking lots if leaving a car on campus.
  3. Make sure your phones, laptops and tablets are all fully charged.
  4. Monitor Roanoke.edu/Florence for any updates.

Be aware that you may be relocated on campus if the campus is impacted by floods. Power outages are possible. Students who live off campus

  1. Check in via this form.
  2. Ensure items outside your home are secured.
  3. Fill bottles, bathtubs, pots and pans, and any other containers with extra water. If power goes out, this water can be used as drinking water and to flush toilets, wash hands, etc.
  4. Monitor any streams nearby and check your basement, if applicable.
  5. Monitor Salem and Roanoke College communications. Reliable sources are listed below along with our Facebook, Twitter and website.
  6. Students may sign up for City of Salem alerts.

Employees

Essential employees will report to work as assigned. Consult with your supervisor to understand your status and whether you will be expected to work. Reminder that all employees with a mobile phone on their employee file are automatically signed up for Maroon Alerts.

Wednesday, Sept. 12, 4 p.m.

Roanoke College continues to monitor the forecast for Hurricane Florence. As of now, the forecast for the Roanoke Valley region has improved somewhat and it appears the path of the storm has shifted to the south. This means the heavier rainfall is now forecast to arrive in Salem next week (Tuesday and Wednesday) rather than this week as was previously thought. Please remember these forecasts change as the storm track moves and changes in the path and severity of the storm may continue to occur.

The current forecast from the National Weather Service in Blacksburg, Va. shows some rain and storms over the weekend but not excessive amounts of rain. Heavier rain is expected for Tuesday and Wednesday, Sept. 18-19.

Roanoke College and the City of Salem will continue to monitor the storm throughout the week and the weekend. Maroon Alerts will be used for urgent communications but email and web communications will be used otherwise. Please check Roanoke.edu/Florence regularly for the latest updates.

We know many in our community have family and friends in the path of the storm and are likely to be concerned about them. If you need support from the Counseling Center, please reach out to them. 

Some athletic events for the weekend have been postponed due to weather or travel issues for both teams. See the complete list here. 

Students are reminded of the following safety tips as the storm approaches:

In addition to Maroon Alerts, Roanoke College will share updates throughout the storm via the following:

Follow roanoke.edu/florence for the latest storm-related updates from Roanoke College. 

Tuesday, Sept. 11, 1:30 p.m.

Several athletic events have been postponed. See athletic updates. 

Monday, Sept. 10, 8:50 p.m.

Roanoke College and City of Salem officials are monitoring Hurricane Florence and its potential path through the east coast later this week. Students, faculty and staff are encouraged to monitor news and weather sources as the storm develops.

Roanoke College will share updates throughout the storm here at Roanoke.edu/Florence and on College social media profiles (Facebook & Twitter). 

In Virginia, Governor Ralph Northam has declared a state of emergency for the entire state.  

At this time, it is still too early for a detailed and accurate forecast. Be aware of changing weather conditions and monitor local news sources as the storm moves into Virginia.  

Maroon Alerts

Maroon Alerts text messages will be used as necessary to communicate urgent information to the campus community. Students, faculty and staff are automatically enrolled for Maroon Alerts with the cellphone number the College has on record.  

Resources

College updates will be posted here (Roanoke.edu/Florence) and on College social media profiles (Facebook & Twitter).

Athletics updates

The National Weather Service is a good resource as well as the National Hurricane Center.  

The Roanoke Times has compiled this page of useful information - cancellations, local self-storage deals, emergency resources

Locally, The Roanoke Times weather blog is a good resource, along with the local TV stations: WDBJ7, WSLS10, WSET13 (Lynchburg) and WFXR.