As severe rain and thunderstorms sweep across the state on Thursday, both Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools’ and Orange County Schools’ students will be released early from classes.

A spokesperson for the CHCCS system announced Thursday morning that all schools will be dismissing students two hours earlier than normal today because of the weather.

Shortly after, Orange County Schools also decided to follow suit and release students two hours early, with Orange High School sharing it on its Twitter page.

Earlier on Thursday, the National Weather Service issued a flood watch for Orange County, as well as a tornado watch for many parts of North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia as a result of the storm system.

The decisions accompany Wake County Public Schools and Durham County Schools also releasing students two hours early on Thursday.

The Chapel Hill and Carrboro area is projected to get more than two inches of rain on Thursday.

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