In anticipation of the effects of Tropical Storm Debby across the Triangle, several local government operations and the school districts announced either closure or delays for Thursday.

Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools announced several closures for the remainder of the week on Wednesday before the inclement weather began. CHCCS athletics and other student activities from Wednesday through Friday are cancelled or postponed, with a decision on events scheduled for Saturday to be made at a later date. In addition, all schools and offices are closed on Thursday, and offices are already closed Friday due to the normal CHCCS summer schedule. The district will wait until Friday to make a decision on whether to hold athletics activities on Saturday.

The bond project community meetings scheduled for Thursday have been cancelled and summer meal service will not be offered. The Board of Education’s virtual closed session on Thursday for student transfer appeals will take place as scheduled.

In addition, Orange County Schools and Chatham County Schools are closed to students and staff on Thursday — with OCS extending the closure through Friday.

UNC also announced it would move to slightly more limited operations on campus during the storms. The university transitioned to Condition 1 beginning at midnight on Thursday, meaning classes would continue but non-mandatory employees have the option to not report to campus. UNC added that it could rescind the status or reduce operations further depending on the severity of the inclement weather.

Additionally, Durham Technical Community College shared its students and staff are operating remotely on Thursday and Friday to avoid the inclement weather, with only essential personnel reporting to campus.

For the local governments, both Orange County and the Town of Hillsborough operated their employees on delays Thursday. The various offices opened at 10 a.m. to give staff ample time to either travel to work or assess the risks caused by rainfall. Orange and Chatham County Courts are both closed for Thursday and will not hold any court sessions.

The National Weather Service in Raleigh forecasts approximately 5-10 inches of rain to fall in the Triangle on Thursday and Friday as a result of the tropical storm system, which made landfall in Florida as a hurricane before dipping back into the Atlantic Ocean to regain strength. North Carolina and Orange County have declared states of emergency, and the Triangle region is under a flood watch until Friday night.

 

Featured photo via Johnny Andrews/UNC-Chapel Hill.

Chapelboro.com does not charge subscription fees, and you can directly support our efforts in local journalism here. Want more of what you see on Chapelboro? Let us bring free local news and community information to you by signing up for our newsletter.

Related Stories
‹
CHCCS, Orange County Schools to Hold Remote Learning Friday As Region Thaws From Winter Weather
After several inches of snow fell Wednesday, many local schools are turning to remote learning options Thursday for their students and staff.
Orange County Schools Closed, CHCCS Declares Remote Learning for Thursday As Cold Temps Keep Snow and Ice
Thanks to a light snow that fell Tuesday night, the Orange County community saw its schools cancel instruction on Wednesday.
The Morning News: Vehicle Break-Ins, CHCCS Redistricting
In today's news: Chapel Hill officials warn about a recent string of vehicle break-ins, and CHCCS moves ahead on elementary redistricting.
Local Government Meetings: September 14-18, 2026
This week in local government: a greenway network in Chapel Hill, and busing concerns and elementary school redistricting for CHCCS.
Orange and Chatham County School Districts Celebrate Performance Milestones for 2025-26 Year
The Orange County, Chatham County and Chapel Hill-Carrboro City school districts are celebrating positive performance trends demonstrated in the latest accountability report from the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction. All 13 Orange County Schools earned a performance grade of “C” or higher for the 2025-26 school year, marking the first time since 2017 that […]
Here’s What You Need to Know Before CHCCS, Orange County High Schools’ 2026 Graduations
Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools and Orange County Schools will celebrate its high school graduates across three days this weekend. 
Facing Pressures In All Directions, Orange County Commissioners Near Budget Decision
Orange County Commissioners are holding a public hearing on next year's budget Thursday, May 28, with major decisions yet to be made.
Orange, Chatham County School Districts Closed Monday Due To Hazardous Weather
Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools, Orange County Schools and Chatham County Schools will all be closed on Monday, Mar. 16, due to forecasted hazardous weather conditions. The trio of local school districts sent out alerts to their families on Sunday night to share their decisions and warn of the impending weather. “Monday’s weather forecast calls for […]
CHCCS, Orange County Schools on 2-Hour Delay for Thursday as Districts Monitors Overnight Precipitation
With the threat of wintry mix and freezing temperatures on Wednesday night, Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools announced it will operate on a two-hour delay for Thursday morning.
CHCCS on Remote Learning, Chatham and Orange County Schools Closed After Weekend Winter Storm
After Winter Storm Gianna dumped several inches of snow across central North Carolina Saturday, school districts across the community have announced closures for Monday, Feb. 2. Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools will have a remote learning day on Monday. Middle and high schoolers will use synchronous instruction, meaning teachers will meet with students through live virtual sessions. […]
›