Hurricane & Storm Updates

Storm updates, watches & warnings for West Palm Beach or Orlando, FL.

Hurricane Milton

Update 7

Friday, October 11, 2024 | 1:10 p.m.
Dear PBA Community,
We continue to hold in prayer all of those who have been impacted by both Milton and Helene. Thankfully, after thoroughly assessing the West Palm Beach campus yesterday, we reopened for regular operations today, Friday October 11, 2024.
Our Orlando campus is an area that felt greater impacts from the storm. After an assessment of our Orlando campus this morning, we have determined that it will reopen for regular business Monday, October 14. Employees, please come to work as usual on Monday. For those who may still be facing challenges because of the storm’s impact, please contact your supervisor.
We are grateful for a caring community that has asked how they can support students in need after the storm. Please find a link below if you’d like to contribute to students needing financial support due to unexpected travel and other impacts from the storm, etc.
PBA Student Hurricane Relief
This concludes communication regarding Hurricane Milton.
This message has been distributed on behalf of the Department of Public Safety and the Emergency Management Team.

Update 6

Thursday, October 10 | 5:15 p.m.

Dear PBA Community,

We hope that you and your loved ones are safe and weathered Hurricane Milton well. We continue to pray for those impacted by both Hurricane Milton and Helene.

We are grateful to report that the West Palm Beach campus fared the storm well, and will reopen for regular business tomorrow, Friday, October 11. Students are welcome to return to housing at 8 a.m. Employees, please come to work as usual. For those who may still be facing challenges because of the storm’s impact, please contact your supervisor.  Remote academic instruction continues on Friday, as previously scheduled.

The Orlando campus remains closed. We will provide an update on Orlando operations on or before 7 p.m. on Friday, October 11.

Thank you for all that you do to care for our community. We have heard many beautiful examples of how you have helped each other and our students. Many have also asked how they can support students in need. Please find a link below if you’d like to contribute to students needing financial support due to unexpected travel, etc. PBA Student Hurricane Relief

This message has been distributed on behalf of the Department of Public Safety and the Emergency Management Team.


Update 5

Tuesday, October 8, 2024 | 2 p.m.
Dear PBA community,
Based on the latest forecast, the West Palm Beach campus will remain closed until Thursday, October 10. All other operational changes are consistent with the earlier update as detailed below:

West Palm Beach

  • The West Palm Beach campus will close today at 5 p.m., Tuesday, October 8 and remain closed through Thursday, October 10.
  • After 5 p.m. on Tuesday, all campus operations, including dining services, will end. All athletic-related activities are canceled. All university events are canceled until the campus re-opens.
  • Residence halls will close at 5 p.m. today.  Residence Life staff are available until that time to help those who need it. Residential students, please review the instructions Residence Life provided on Monday, October 7.
  • All academic instruction is continuing. Classes have transitioned to remote instruction from today, Monday, October 7, to Friday, October 11, 2024.
  • Employees, please ensure you take all the necessary equipment with you when you leave at 5 p.m. in order to work from home. Please see Human Resources and ITS emails sent yesterday (Monday, October 7) for further instructions.
Important Note: There will be no access to the campus when it is closed. 

Orlando

  • The Orlando campus which closed yesterday (Monday, October 7) at 2 p.m., will remain closed through Friday, October 11. All classes scheduled for this week have been transitioned to remote instruction.
Following the storm, we will assess the campuses and determine when normal operations will resume. An update on campus operations will be sent by 8 p.m. on Thursday, October 10. Please only return to the West Palm Beach/Orlando campus when advised that the campus has re-opened.
We continue to pray for the safety of everyone affected by the storm and encourage you to take all the necessary measures to prepare and remain safe.

Update 4

Monday, October 7 | 2:25 p.m.
Dear PBA community,
PBA continues to monitor Hurricane Milton. A hurricane warning has been issued for Orange County. A flood watch remains in effect for Palm Beach and Orange counties, which have been placed under a state of emergency. Please see the following update to our Orlando campus operations:

Orlando

  • The Orlando campus will close at 5 p.m. today, Monday, October 7, and remain closed on Tuesday, October 8 and Wednesday, October 9. Classes will transition to remote instruction for this evening at 5 p.m. through Wednesday.
West Palm Beach operational changes are consistent with our earlier update, please see below.

West Palm Beach

  • The West Palm Beach campus will remain open until 5 p.m. Tuesday, October 8. After 5 p.m. all campus operations including dining services will end. All athletic-related activities are canceled. All university events are canceled until the campus re-opens.
  • Residence halls will close at 5 p.m. on Tuesday, October 8.  Residential students will receive further instructions from Residence Life staff with help available to those who need it.
  • All academic instruction is continuing. Classes have transitioned to remote instruction from today, Monday, October 7 to Friday, October 11, 2024.
  • Employees should report to work as usual on Tuesday. Please ensure you take all the necessary equipment with you when you leave at 5 p.m. in order to work from home. Employees can expect an email from Human Resources with further instructions.
  • We anticipate we will be closed only on Wednesday but will need to evaluate campus after the storm passes. Please note that the campus is not able to be accessed when it is closed.   
Following the storm, to the best of our ability, we will assess the campuses and determine when normal operations will resume. The Emergency Management Team will issue an update on campus operations by 8 p.m. on Wednesday, October 9. Please only return to the West Palm Beach/Orlando campus when advised that the campus has re-opened.
We encourage you to take all the necessary precautions to remain safe during the passage of Hurricane Milton. Please continue to pray for the safety of everyone affected by this hurricane.
This message has been distributed on behalf of the Department of Public Safety and the Emergency Management Team.

Update 3

Monday, October 7 | 11:55 a.m.

Dear PBA community,

PBA continues to monitor Hurricane Milton. A hurricane warning and flood watch remain in effect for Palm Beach and Orange counties, which have been placed under a state of emergency. With Hurricane Milton projected to make landfall on Wednesday and the potential impact from the wind and rain, we are taking the following additional measures:

West Palm Beach

  • The West Palm Beach campus will remain open until 5 p.m. Tuesday, October 8. After 5 p.m. all campus operations including dining services will end. All athletic-related activities are canceled. All university events are canceled until the campus re-opens.
  • Residence halls will close at 5 p.m. Tuesday, October 8.  Residential students will receive further instructions from Residence Life staff with help available to those who need it. If you have questions, please stop by the table outside the bookstore from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. today, Monday, October 7.
  • All academic instruction is continuing. Classes have transitioned to remote instruction from today, Monday, October 7 to Friday, October 11, 2024.
  • Employees should report to work as usual on Tuesday. Please ensure you take all the necessary equipment with you when you leave at 5 p.m. in order to work from home. Employees can expect an email from Human Resources with further instructions.
  • We anticipate we will be closed only on Wednesday but will need to evaluate campus after the storm passes. Please note that the campus is not able to be accessed when it is closed.

Orlando 

  • The Orlando campus will close at 2 p.m. on Tuesday, October 8 and remain closed on Wednesday, October 9.

Following the storm, to the best of our ability, we will assess the campuses and determine when normal operations will resume. The Emergency Management Team will issue an update on campus operations by 8 p.m. on Wednesday, October 9.Please only return to the West Palm Beach/Orlando campus when advised that the campus has re-opened.

We encourage you to take all the necessary precautions to remain safe during the passage of Hurricane Milton. Please continue to pray for the safety of everyone affected by this hurricane.

This message has been distributed on behalf of the Department of Public Safety and the Emergency Management Team.


Update 2

Sunday, October 6 | 6:25 p.m.

Dear PBA Community,

We continue to actively monitor Hurricane Milton, and a hurricane warning and flood watch are now in effect for parts of Florida, including Palm Beach and Orange counties.  Both counties are now under a state of emergency.

With fall break beginning after classes this Friday, October 11, and as PBA has the ability to move in-person instruction to remote instruction, we thought the below made the most sense for students, if they wished, to be able to get to their fall break destination early. For those who aren’t traveling, campus has not closed but may do so as Hurricane Milton progresses.

West Palm Beach

Monday, October 7:

  • All academic instruction is continuing. Classes will transition to remote instruction from Monday, October 7 to Friday, October 11, 2024.
  • Students, please refer to your faculty member for any updated deadlines and academic instructions.
  • Faculty, please check your email from the Provost regarding important information on academic instruction.
  • Residence Hall students please check your email for important instructions from Residence Life. There are specific check-out procedures that you will need to follow if you choose to leave campus.
  • All other campus operations including offices, student services, and dining services will continue as normal on Monday, October 7. We will continue to watch Hurricane Milton’s path to determine if we do close campus in the upcoming days.
  • Employees, please come to work as normal.

Orlando

Monday, October 7:

  • All classes will continue as normal on Monday, October 7.

Tuesday, October 8:

  • Classes and business operations will continue in-person until 2 p.m. Tuesday, October 8. All operations and businesses will transition to remote after 2 p.m. The Orlando campus will close at 2 p.m. on Tuesday.

As always, our Emergency Management team closely monitors weather systems affecting any PBA campus. We will provide further updates before or by noon tomorrow, Tuesday, October 8. Communications will be sent via email and the storm updates page.

Please continue to pray for safety for all who may be impacted by this hurricane, as well as those who are working through harm caused by Hurricane Helene.

This message has been distributed on behalf of the Department of Public Safety and the Emergency Management Team.

 


Update 1

October 5, 2024 | 8:45 p.m.

We are closely monitoring the progress of Tropical Storm Milton, which could impact weather in Orlando and West Palm Beach for the next several days. At this time, the University is operating normally. Palm Beach Atlantic’s Emergency Management Team will continue to observe this weather system and update you if conditions change and affect campus operations in Orlando or West Palm Beach.

The University’s Emergency Management Team is in contact with the National Weather Service and local, state, and federal officials about the system and any potential impacts. We will update the PBA community via emails, and the storm updates page on pba.edu which can be found at https://www.pba.edu/campus-life/health-safety/storm-updates/

This message has been distributed on behalf of the Department of Public Safety and the Emergency Management Team.

Hurricane Preparedness