Campus Alert Archive
UVI

Tropical Wave Suspends UVI Operations the Same Week Imelda Forms North of the Lucayan Archipelago

VIfloodingemergency notificationmedium confidence
Confirmed Threat

On September 23, 2025, the University of the Virgin Islands announced that all classes and employee work would be suspended on Wednesday, September 24, due to a tropical wave crossing the Leeward Islands. The same disturbance would later develop into Hurricane Imelda on September 27. Only essential UVI employees were required to report in person, and the Virgin Islands Consortium reported normal operations resumed Thursday, September 25.

Alerts
2
Response
—
Killed
—
Injured
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Institution
University of the Virgin Islands
Territory · VI
~2,500 studentsBucs Alert / VI Alert
Confirmed Timeline

Alert Sequence

2 messages in sequence

Some alert texts below are approximate reconstructions from news coverage, not confirmed verbatim transcripts. Reconstructed texts are shown in italic with a dashed border. Verified verbatim texts have a solid border and are marked accordingly.

INITIAL ALERTEmail
Approximate reconstructionReconstructed from UVI News Release 25-118 and Virgin Islands Consortium reporting592 chars
UVI Suspends All Operations Due to Expected Inclement Weather on September 24 — Students & Employees Urged to Take Safety Precautions. The University of the Virgin Islands will suspend all classes and employee work on Wednesday, Sept. 24, 2025, due to expected inclement weather. Only essential employees are required to report in person. Students and employees should remain indoors, charge devices in advance, and be aware that internet and Wi-Fi networks may be disrupted. UVI urges all members of the community to take all necessary safety precautions and remain alert for flash flooding.

This text has been reconstructed from news coverage and may not reflect the exact original wording.

Issued Tuesday, September 23, 2025 in advance of the next-day suspension
USVI uses Atlantic Standard Time (UTC-4) year-round, with no daylight saving observed
The precursor tropical wave was the same system that became Hurricane Imelda on September 27, 2025
ALL CLEAREmail
Approximate reconstructionReconstructed from UVI News Release 25-119392 chars
UVI Announces Resumption of Classes & Work at Regularly Scheduled Hours on Thursday, September 25. All classes and hours of operation will return to their regular schedules on Thursday, September 25, following Wednesday's precautionary suspension of activities due to inclement weather. Students, faculty, and staff should consult Bucs Alert and the UVI website for any localized adjustments.

This text has been reconstructed from news coverage and may not reflect the exact original wording.

Issued Wednesday, September 24, 2025 ahead of Thursday's resumption
UVI's news-release numbering (25-118, 25-119) is sequential year-prefixed; suspension and resumption announcements are typically published as paired releases
Schools across the USVI also closed Wednesday under [Acting Governor Roach's directive](https://stthomassource.com/content/2025/09/23/roach-announces-closure-of-public-schools-and-government-offices-wednesday-due-to-inclement-weather/)
Context

Background

On Tuesday, September 23, 2025, the National Hurricane Center was tracking multiple disturbances approaching the Lesser Antilles, with a tropical wave crossing the Leeward Islands that night and reaching Puerto Rico and the USVI the following day. The wave produced torrential rainfall over Puerto Rico and the eastern Dominican Republic; the USVI received less rain than feared but still saw flash-flood warnings issued for both St. Thomas and St. Croix. The University of the Virgin Islands suspended operations on Wednesday, September 24, then announced normal resumption for Thursday, September 25. Acting Governor Anthony Roach simultaneously closed public schools and government offices. The disturbance continued west and eventually became Hurricane Imelda on September 27, 2025 — the ninth named storm of the 2025 Atlantic hurricane season and the only one of the season's five hurricanes not to become a major hurricane. UVI's decision to close for a tropical wave (rather than a named storm) reflects the territory's vulnerability to flash flooding even from weak Caribbean disturbances.
Analysis

Key Findings

UVI suspended operations for a tropical wave that had not yet been classified as a named storm — a flash-flood-focused decision distinct from category-based hurricane closures
The 24-hour suspension paired with a same-week resumption is the modal UVI weather-closure pattern for Caribbean disturbances
The precursor system later became Hurricane Imelda on September 27, demonstrating the value of acting on tropical-wave forecasts rather than waiting for naming
Outcome
UVI suspended all operations on Wednesday, September 24, 2025. Flash flood warnings were issued for both St. Thomas and St. Croix. The university [announced resumption of classes](https://www.uvi.edu/news/2025/25_119_uvi_resumes.html) at regularly scheduled hours on Thursday, September 25. The disturbance later became Hurricane Imelda on September 27, far north of the USVI.
Provenance

Sources

  1. Official
    UVI Suspends All Operations Due to Expected Inclement Weather on September 24 (UVI News Release 25-118)
    uvi.edu
  2. Official
    UVI Announces Resumption of Classes & Work at Regularly Scheduled Hours on Thursday, September 25 (UVI News Release 25-119)
    uvi.edu
  3. News
    UVI to Resume Normal Classes and Operations on Thursday After Weather-Related Closure (Virgin Islands Consortium)
    viconsortium.com
  4. News
    Roach Announces Closure of Public Schools and Government Offices Wednesday Due to Inclement Weather (St. Thomas Source)
    stthomassource.com
  5. News
    Tropical Outlook: Schools, Government Offices Closed Wednesday as PR, USVI Face Heavy Rain and Flood Threat (St. Thomas Source)
    stthomassource.com
  6. Source
    Hurricane Imelda (Wikipedia)
    en.wikipedia.org
Tags
tropical-waveflash-floodingvirgin-islandsst-thomasst-croiximelda-precursorone-day-closurebucs-alertessential-employees-only
Added May 2026Updated May 2026Via ingestion