The Houston area hasn’t been affected by a tropical storm yet this year, but HISD administrators are already fine-tuning their preparations in case one does hit the Texas coast.
Members of the Hurricane Emergency Response Committee gathered at the district’s headquarters on June 27 to take part in a tabletop preparedness exercise. The exercise was designed to let them review their current plans of action and to identify ways of improving them based on lessons learned from previous storms.
Due to heavy downpours and thunderstorms across Houston, HISD took precautionary measures to ensure the safety of all students and has cancelled all after-school athletic activities. HISD has been monitoring the weather and providing updates throughout the day. A full list of weather-related cancellations is available below: Continue reading
The following parent nights, meetings and workshops have been canceled due to severe weather expected this week. Continue reading
All Houston ISD middle school soccer games and high school baseball and softball games scheduled for today are being cancelled because of rain.
Heavy rains are expected to render outdoor field unplayable.
UPDATE 9:35 a.m.:
After-school athletics activities (including baseball, softball, soccer, and track and field) scheduled for today at all HISD schools are canceled because of heavy rains.
UPDATE 9:08 a.m.:
Houston ISD officials are closely monitoring the storm system that has brought heavy rains into the region today. So far, no HISD schools have reported any significant weather-related problems. District officials will be keeping a close eye on weather conditions as we approach dismissal time to determine whether any action is necessary to protect the safety of our students and employees. HISD will be posting any weather-related updates here, so be sure to check back often for updates.
UPDATE 9:04 a.m.:
The National Weather Service has just issued a Tornado Warning for Harris County until 8:15 AM. At 7:41 AM NWS Doppler radar indicated a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado. This storm was located near Bunker Hill and moving NE at 30 mph.
UPDATE: 8:05 a.m.:
NWS has issued a Flood Advisory for Harris County until 10:45 AM. NWS Doppler radar indicated very heavy rain was falling over SW Harris County to Jersey Village to the Woodlands. An inch of rain has fallen in last 30 minutes and another 1 to 2 inches will fall in next 90 minutes.
Per Transtar there are no current road closures due to high water of the major thoroughfares.
All Houston Independent School District after-school events scheduled for today are cancelled because of heavy rains and potential flooding. This includes, but is not limited to, athletics events, club activities, and tutorials. School administrators will decide at a later date whether those events will be cancelled or rescheduled.
HISD schools will conduct dismissal at their regular time today. Teachers and staff will be released once dismissal is completed.
Employees in the Hattie Mae White Educational Support Center will be dismissed from work at 4 p.m. The HISD Transportation Department is monitoring the weather and road conditions to ensure that students return home safely. Here is a clip from our conversation with Chester Glaude, senior manager of transportation operations.
HISD schools will dismiss at regular times. All after-school activities, tutoring sessions, and athletic events are cancelled. Teachers are free to leave after students are dismissed. Central Office staff will be dismissed at 4:00 p.m.
Strong storms are expected to move through the Houston area. Click on these WeatherBug cameras to see current conditions at some HISD schools.
HISD is monitoring a line of strong to severe thunderstorms that is expected to move through the Houston area. The district has eight safety investigators stationed across the city to watch for flooding. If water starts to rise, HISD’s transportation department will be ready to take students to neighboring schools outside the flooded area. Dispatchers closely track weather conditions and street closures. They also have immediate access to maps and data from the National Weather Service and the Harris County Flood Control District. The information is shared with bus drivers to help them avoid flooded areas and ensure students’ safety.