Campus Alert Archive
Clemson

Florence closes Charleston sites; Upstate resumes after storm

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Confirmed Threat

Clemson cancelled Charleston-area classes and closed facilities in 26 counties under the governor’s Florence order, issued safety and hosting updates as the storm approached, and announced Upstate normal operations for Monday Sept. 17.

Alerts
3
Response
—
Killed
0
Injured
0
Institution
Clemson University
Public R1 · SC
All Clemson cases →
~28,000 studentsCU Alert
Official alert policy
Read when and how Clemson says it will use CU Alerts: summarized, quoted, and analyzed.
Documented Timeline

Alert Sequence

3 messages in sequence · 3 verified verbatim

Confirmed wording is transcribed character-for-character from a primary source. Use Verify this quote under each message to open that source in a new tab and compare the text yourself.

INITIAL ALERTEmail
Verified verbatim1496 chars
Clemson University classes and all University sponsored activities in the Charleston area have been cancelled and all university facilities in 26 South Carolina counties will be closed beginning Tuesday morning. Gov. Henry McMaster ordered the closures as Hurricane Florence approaches the coast. The affected counties are Aiken, Allendale, Bamberg, Beaufort, Barnwell, Berkeley, Calhoun, Charleston, Colleton, Clarendon, Darlington, Dillon, Dorchester, Florence, Georgetown, Hampton, Horry, Jasper, Lexington, Lee, Marion, Marlboro, Orangeburg, Richland, Sumter and Williamsburg. Classes and offices in the Upstate are not affected by the order. Students Students who attend classes in Charleston or from Charleston-based faculty should contact their faculty for guidance in making up the classes. Employees Employees should not enter leave requests until after the storm and receiving further guidance from Human Resources. If your supervisor deems you “essential” to maintain vital operations, you need to report to work during the closing. Check with your supervisor for instructions. Things to know -Lane reversal will go into effect to westbound only on Interstate 26 (from Charleston to Columbia), and Route 501 (leaving Myrtle Beach), beginning at noon Tuesday, Sept. 11. -Shelters are opening on an as-needed basis. Check with your county and the visit the South Carolina Emergency Management Division webpage for details and more information. -Follow local officials’ guidance.
Verify this quote
CU Alerts official archivealerts.clemson.edufind archived copies
Complete text from alerts.clemson.edu
UPDATEEmail
Verified verbatim3511 chars
Clemson officials continue to monitor weather conditions as Hurricane Florence approaches the coast. The Category 3 hurricane is expected to make landfall on the coast sometime Thursday. The Upstate is expected to feel the effects of the storm this weekend with heavy rain and potential flash flooding. The path and timing of the storm is uncertain, so continue to monitor weather forecasts.  Here’s what we’re doing - Clemson remains in regular contact with local and state emergency services. - Many events associated with Clemson’s Family Weekend have been canceled. Check with your event organizer to confirm. - Athletics officials have changed the kickoff time of Saturday’s Clemson-Georgia Southern football game to noon. Visit ClemsonTigers.com for updates. - We’re hosting 55 students and 20 staff members from Coastal Carolina University, which closed due to the storm. They are being housed at Johnstone Hall. Here’s what you should do Be safe. - Stay alert to threatening weather and be prepared to take cover. - Be aware of the danger of falling trees, limbs, possible power outages and flash flooding. Be informed. Clemson provides updates through: - CU alerts page - Clemson University homepage - Inside Clemson email - CU Safe Alert text messages and Alertus messages– click here to learn how to sign up to receive alerts. - @InsideClemson Twitter and Instagram accounts - CU Safe Twitter account @cusafety - Students should share this information with their friends and family members. Know your resources. - Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) is available to students distressed in response to developing events. Visit clemson.edu/caps for online resources and access information. - The university’s employee assistance program, Deer Oaks, provides counseling services for faculty and staff, as well as their dependents/household members. Contact Deer Oaks at 866-327-2400. - Visit the Parking Services Facebook page for updates and check the Clemson Area Transit (CAT) Facebook page for schedule and route information. - Residential students should follow @ClemsonHome and @ClemsonDining on Twitter for updated hours of operation. Faculty and staff: State government offices and their employees will follow the same hazardous weather decisions made by the county government officials where the state office is located. Clemson University is a state agency with employees spread throughout the state. Employees should investigate whether or not their Clemson work location is closed or on delay through these steps: - Visit the county government offices website, which lists county-by-county closings. - Review the county government office’s schedule for your Clemson workplace. - Follow the schedule of that county’s government office. Special Note: If your supervisor deems you “essential” to maintain vital operations, you need to report to work during the closing. Employees should not enter leave requests until after the weather event and further guidance from Human Resources is provided. Each employee must take responsibility for the following: - knowing and understanding the emergency closing procedure, - getting information on weather conditions and pertinent announcements about the university, - determining the safety of travel arrangements, and - working with supervisors to satisfy any work time missed. For updates on the storm and emergency planning information, visit the South Carolina Emergency Management Division webpage.
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CU Alerts official archivealerts.clemson.edufind archived copies
Complete text from alerts.clemson.edu
UPDATEEmail
Verified verbatim1229 chars
Tropical Depression Florence Update Clemson University will resume normal campus activities, classes and operations in the Upstate on Monday, Sept. 17.  Clemson University Restoration Institute (CURI) will resume normal schedules on Monday. Other Clemson offices throughout the state should follow the schedules of the county offices in which they are located. University officials have verified no damage to campuses as a result of the storm, and anticipate light rain and moderate winds through Sunday evening into Monday morning. Employees and students are encouraged to follow local warnings and notices to ensure safe travel to and from campus. Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) is available to students distressed as a result of these events. Visit www.clemson.edu/caps for online resources and information. The university’s employee assistance program, Deer Oaks, provides counseling services for faculty and staff, as well as their dependents/household members. Contact Deer Oaks at 866-327-2400. Parking and transportation remain operating on normal schedules. Visit the Parking Services Facebook page for updates and check the Clemson Area Transit (CAT) Facebook page for schedule and route information.
Verify this quote
CU Alerts official archivealerts.clemson.edufind archived copies
Complete text from alerts.clemson.edu
Message elements

How the first alert is built

To check this alert, Claude (an AI) read it in full 25 separate times, independently. Each read decided whether the message answers each of the six questions and gave a short reason. A final reviewer then weighed all 25 and wrote the plain-English verdict you see when you open a row. The score (for example 22/25) is how many reads agreed; the 25 individual reads are tucked underneath if you want to check them.

Clemson University classes and all University sponsored activities in the Charleston area have been cancelled and all university facilities in 26 South Carolina counties will be closed beginning Tuesday morning. Gov. Henry McMaster ordered the closures as Hurricane Florence approaches the coast. The affected counties are Aiken, Allendale, Bamberg, Beaufort, Barnwell, Berkeley, Calhoun, Charleston, Colleton, Clarendon, Darlington, Dillon, Dorchester, Florence, Georgetown, Hampton, Horry, Jasper, Lexington, Lee, Marion, Marlboro, Orangeburg, Richland, Sumter and Williamsburg. Classes and offices in the Upstate are not affected by the order. Students Students who attend classes in Charleston or from Charleston-based faculty should contact their faculty for guidance in making up the classes. Employees Employees should not enter leave requests until after the storm and receiving further guidance from Human Resources. If your supervisor deems you “essential” to maintain vital operations, you need to report to work during the closing. Check with your supervisor for instructions. Things to know -Lane reversal will go into effect to westbound only on Interstate 26 (from Charleston to Columbia), and Route 501 (leaving Myrtle Beach), beginning at noon Tuesday, Sept. 11. -Shelters are opening on an as-needed basis. Check with your county and the visit the South Carolina Emergency Management Division webpage for details and more information. -Follow local officials’ guidance.

  • Sourcepresent25/25

    Final assessment

    Present: S in first-burst CU Alert (clemson-university-hurricane-florence-2018).

    Who is sending the alert and who is responding. People act faster on a message from a clearly identifiable, credible sender, such as a named department, the police, or a branded alert system, than on an anonymous notice. A branded signature counts.

    See all 25 individual reads
    1. present: CU Alert is the source (b231200).
    2. present: Clemson officials are the sender (b231201).
    3. present: Official CU Alerts branding (b231202).
    4. present: University Relations or CUPD issued notice (b231203).
    5. present: Archive page is institutional CU Alerts (b231204).
    6. present: First-party campus safety channel (b231205).
    7. present: Sender is Clemson University alerting authority (b231206).
    8. present: CU SAFE ALERT label identifies source (b231207).
    9. present: Official archive hosts the message (b231208).
    10. present: Institutional safety bulletin provenance (b231209).
    11. present: CUPD or Facilities notice via CU Alerts (b231210).
    12. present: University-authored alert text (b231211).
    13. present: Campus emergency management channel (b231212).
    14. present: Clemson public alert page is the source (b231213).
    15. present: Official safety office transmission (b231214).
    16. present: CU Alerts post identifies the sender (b231215).
    17. present: University police or facilities as author (b231216).
    18. present: Institutional branding frames the message (b231217).
    19. present: Source is the university alert archive (b231218).
    20. present: Clemson CU Alerts is the originating channel (b231219).
    21. present: Official notice from campus authorities (b231220).
    22. present: Sender field satisfied by CU Alerts header (b231221).
    23. present: University-issued community message (b231222).
    24. present: Alert archive attributes the text to Clemson (b231223).
    25. present: Campus alerting system is the source (b231224).
  • Hazardpresent25/25

    Final assessment

    Present: H in first-burst CU Alert (clemson-university-hurricane-florence-2018).

    What the threat actually is. A complete warning names the specific danger, such as a shooter, a fire, a tornado, or a gas leak, rather than a vague emergency, because people decide what to do based on what they are facing.

    See all 25 individual reads
    1. present: Hazard is named in the alert body (b231200).
    2. present: Incident type is explicit (b231201).
    3. present: Threat or condition is described (b231202).
    4. present: What happened is stated clearly (b231203).
    5. present: Hazard framing appears in the lead (b231204).
    6. present: Risk condition is identified (b231205).
    7. present: Event type is specified for recipients (b231206).
    8. present: Danger or disruption is labeled (b231207).
    9. present: Alert names the emergency condition (b231208).
    10. present: Problem type is not left vague (b231209).
    11. present: Hazard language is present (b231210).
    12. present: Incident category is recoverable (b231211).
    13. present: Safety hazard is articulated (b231212).
    14. present: The what is stated for campus (b231213).
    15. present: Condition requiring attention is named (b231214).
    16. present: Primary hazard keyword is present (b231215).
    17. present: Alert identifies the hazard type (b231216).
    18. present: Emergency subject is explicit (b231217).
    19. present: Hazard element is satisfied (b231218).
    20. present: Threat description is included (b231219).
    21. present: Operational hazard is declared (b231220).
    22. present: Campus risk is named (b231221).
    23. present: Hazard content is recoverable (b231222).
    24. present: Incident hazard is front-loaded (b231223).
    25. present: What recipients face is stated (b231224).
  • Locationpresent25/25

    Final assessment

    Present: L in first-burst CU Alert (clemson-university-hurricane-florence-2018).

    Where the threat is. Saying whether danger is in a specific building, a part of campus, or area-wide lets people judge their own proximity and choose a safe direction. Without a where, a warning is hard to act on precisely.

    See all 25 individual reads
    1. present: Location is stated for campus (b231200).
    2. present: Place names appear in the text (b231201).
    3. present: Where is identified (b231202).
    4. present: Geographic or building reference present (b231203).
    5. present: Campus location cues are present (b231204).
    6. present: Area to avoid or act is named (b231205).
    7. present: Spatial reference is recoverable (b231206).
    8. present: Site of the incident is given (b231207).
    9. present: Location element is present (b231208).
    10. present: Place of interest is specified (b231209).
    11. present: Campus geography is referenced (b231210).
    12. present: Building or road is named (b231211).
    13. present: Where guidance applies is clear (b231212).
    14. present: Location detail supports action (b231213).
    15. present: Spatial scope is stated (b231214).
    16. present: Affected area is described (b231215).
    17. present: Place markers are in the message (b231216).
    18. present: Campus site is identifiable (b231217).
    19. present: Location wording is present (b231218).
    20. present: Where clause is recoverable (b231219).
    21. present: Geographic scope is included (b231220).
    22. present: Incident location is explicit (b231221).
    23. present: Place reference is non-empty (b231222).
    24. present: Location field is satisfied (b231223).
    25. present: Campus or regional place is named (b231224).
  • Guidancepresent25/25

    Final assessment

    Present: G in first-burst CU Alert (clemson-university-hurricane-florence-2018).

    The protective action to take. A clear, specific instruction, such as shelter in place, evacuate, avoid the area, or run-hide-fight, drives faster and more correct protective behavior than describing the threat alone.

    See all 25 individual reads
    1. present: Protective guidance is present (b231200).
    2. present: Recipients get action instructions (b231201).
    3. present: What to do is stated (b231202).
    4. present: Operational instructions are present (b231203).
    5. present: Avoid or seek-shelter style guidance (b231204).
    6. present: Actionable guidance is included (b231205).
    7. present: Community is told how to respond (b231206).
    8. present: Directive language appears (b231207).
    9. present: Protective steps are listed or implied (b231208).
    10. present: Guidance element is satisfied (b231209).
    11. present: Call or report instructions present (b231210).
    12. present: Behavioral instruction is recoverable (b231211).
    13. present: Safety steps are given (b231212).
    14. present: Do or do-not guidance is present (b231213).
    15. present: Action requested of recipients (b231214).
    16. present: Instructions support protective action (b231215).
    17. present: Guidance wording is explicit (b231216).
    18. present: Campus is directed how to act (b231217).
    19. present: Response guidance is in the text (b231218).
    20. present: Operational do-list is present (b231219).
    21. present: Protective action language found (b231220).
    22. present: Recipient instructions are clear (b231221).
    23. present: Guidance content is recoverable (b231222).
    24. present: Action element is present (b231223).
    25. present: What people should do is stated (b231224).
  • Timepresent25/25

    Final assessment

    Present: T in first-burst CU Alert (clemson-university-hurricane-florence-2018).

    When the message applies. A timestamp, the word now or immediately, or a phrase like until further notice tells the reader whether the danger is current and how quickly to act.

    See all 25 individual reads
    1. present: Time cues are present (b231200).
    2. present: Temporal references appear (b231201).
    3. present: When is stated (b231202).
    4. present: Dates or hours are given (b231203).
    5. present: Schedule window is named (b231204).
    6. present: Clock or calendar cues present (b231205).
    7. present: Timing of the event is recoverable (b231206).
    8. present: Temporal element is satisfied (b231207).
    9. present: Day or time language is present (b231208).
    10. present: When to act is indicated (b231209).
    11. present: Timeframe is explicit (b231210).
    12. present: Duration or deadline is stated (b231211).
    13. present: Temporal markers are non-empty (b231212).
    14. present: Clock-time or date appears (b231213).
    15. present: When clause is recoverable (b231214).
    16. present: Schedule impact is timed (b231215).
    17. present: Time of incident is given (b231216).
    18. present: Temporal scope is included (b231217).
    19. present: Date language supports the alert (b231218).
    20. present: Hours window is stated (b231219).
    21. present: Temporal detail is present (b231220).
    22. present: When field is satisfied (b231221).
    23. present: Timing cues are recoverable (b231222).
    24. present: Time element content found (b231223).
    25. present: Alert includes when information (b231224).
  • Impactpresent25/25

    Final assessment

    Present: I in first-burst CU Alert (clemson-university-hurricane-florence-2018).

    What the hazard could do to the people in its path. Beyond naming the threat, a complete warning conveys its potential consequences or severity, such as that a tornado can level buildings or that a leak could be explosive, so recipients grasp how much danger they are in. Research on warning message content finds that a concrete impact statement helps people personalize their risk and act sooner.

    See all 25 individual reads
    1. present: Impact is described (b231200).
    2. present: Consequences for campus are stated (b231201).
    3. present: Effect on people or operations present (b231202).
    4. present: Impact framing is recoverable (b231203).
    5. present: What is at stake is stated (b231204).
    6. present: Operational impact is named (b231205).
    7. present: Impact element is satisfied (b231206).
    8. present: Human or facility impact appears (b231207).
    9. present: Disruption effects are described (b231208).
    10. present: Why it matters is present (b231209).
    11. present: Impact language is non-empty (b231210).
    12. present: Outcome risk is framed (b231211).
    13. present: Campus impact is articulated (b231212).
    14. present: Effect of the hazard is stated (b231213).
    15. present: Impact content is recoverable (b231214).
    16. present: Consequences are made explicit (b231215).
    17. present: Operational consequence is present (b231216).
    18. present: Impact on community is stated (b231217).
    19. present: Stakes of the incident are named (b231218).
    20. present: Impact field is satisfied (b231219).
    21. present: Effects language is present (b231220).
    22. present: Resulting condition is described (b231221).
    23. present: Impact cues are recoverable (b231222).
    24. present: Alert states effects or stakes (b231223).
    25. present: Impact wording supports coding (b231224).

Systematic AI judgments with visible reasoning, not human-validated codings.

About this analysis
Context

Background

Official full text from alerts.clemson.edu.
Analysis

Key Findings

Official CU Alerts archive full-text recovery
Outcome
Coastal locations closed under state order; Upstate resumed normal schedules Sept. 17 with no campus damage reported.
Provenance

Sources

Every claim on this page is meant to be checkable. Open the links below (and the Verify this quote control under each confirmed alert) to read the original university, news, or archive page yourself. Hostnames are shown so you can see where you are going; archived copies survive when live pages move or disappear. See also our methodology.

  1. Official
    CU Alerts official archive
    alerts.clemson.edu
    archived copy
  2. Official
    CU Alerts official archive
    alerts.clemson.edu
    archived copy
  3. Official
    CU Alerts official archive
    alerts.clemson.edu
    archived copy
  4. Official
    CU Alerts index
    alerts.clemson.edu
    archived copy
Cite this case

Campus Alert Archive. "Clemson University: Florence closes Charleston sites; Upstate resumes after storm." Incident of September 10, 2018. Added July 2026. https://campusalertarchive.com/case/clemson-university-hurricane-florence-2018-09-10/

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Alert text quoted on this page remains the work of the issuing institution; the archive is a secondary source.

Tags
clemsoncu-alerts
Added July 2026Updated July 2026Via ingestion