Omaha area schools cancel Friday classes as metro braces for winter blast

OMAHA, Neb. (WOWT) – Council Bluffs students will move to remote learning Friday to avoid the extreme cold as Omaha Public Schools joins the ranks of several districts canceling classes.

Temperatures in much of Nebraska are expected to plummet Friday through Monday according to First Alert 6 Weather.

At 5:50 p.m., Omaha Public Schools announced they would be closed Friday.

Elkhorn Public Schools has also announced closure.

Westside Community Schools announced their schools would be closed Friday.

Bellevue Public Schools Superintendent Jeff Rippe posted on social media that there will be no school on Friday.

Lewis Central, Atlantic CSD, and Missouri Valley CSD have also announced closures.

Council Bluffs CSD will shift to remote learning on Friday.

A running list of closings and cancellations can also be found here.

Warming centers open

The Salvation Army will have three warming centers open this weekend:

• North Corps (2401 Manderson) 8:30 a.m. – 4 p.m. Friday
• Heritage Place at Renaissance Village (3612 Cuming St) 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. Friday
• Kroc Center Omaha (2825 Y St) 7 a.m. – 8 p.m. Friday and 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. Saturday

There are three other warming centers open in Douglas County:

• Open Door Mission’s Garland Thompson Men’s Center (2705 N. 20th St. E #249) open 24/7
• Siena Francis House (1401 N. 18th St.) 11 a.m. – 4 p.m. Friday and Saturday
• Youth Emergency Services (2602 Harney St.) 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. Friday, must be 25 years old or younger

Check road conditions

The Nebraska Department of Transportation also announced Thursday morning an update to its legend for the state traffic map.

Ice jams along the Platte

Near Columbus, an ice jam in the Platte and Loup rivers have caused flood advisories.

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