Campus Alert Archive
UF

Milton Bears Down on Gainesville: UF Shuts Down for Two Days as Category 3 Hurricane Crosses Florida

FLhurricaneemergency notificationhigh confidence
Confirmed Threat

The University of Florida closed its campus and canceled all classes, including online instruction, from October 9 through October 10, 2024 as Hurricane Milton made landfall in Florida as a Category 3 storm. Residence hall students were instructed to shelter in place on the Gainesville campus with no evacuation ordered, while UF Facilities Services assessed damage from fallen trees across campus.

Alerts
3
Response
—
Killed
0
Injured
0
Institution
University of Florida
Public R1 · FL
~60,000 studentsUF Alert
Confirmed Timeline

Alert Sequence

3 messages in sequence · 3 verified verbatim

INITIAL ALERTEmail
Verified verbatimUF News official announcement October 7, 2024203 chars
Due to Hurricane Milton, the University of Florida will close its offices and cancel classes, including online classes, beginning at 12:01 a.m. Wednesday, Oct. 9 and continuing through Thursday, Oct. 10.
Verbatim opening sentence from the official UF News announcement issued October 7, 2024
The university explicitly suspended online classes in addition to in-person instruction, an unusual step
No evacuation was ordered for residence hall students on the Gainesville campus
UPDATEEmail
Verified verbatimUF Emergency Weather Updates — 'Commonly asked questions regarding Hurricane Milton' (Oct 8, 2024)219 chars
There are no plans to evacuate student residents of the Gainesville campus, and those who live in residence halls on campus should shelter in place. Florida Fresh Dining will serve the campus community during the storm.
Verbatim text from the UF Emergency Weather Updates 'Commonly asked questions' post that served as the central reference page during the storm
The shelter-in-place strategy for the inland Gainesville campus avoided the mass-evacuation logistics that USF, USF St. Pete, and other coastal Florida campuses faced during Milton
Florida Fresh Dining (the campus dining contractor) remaining open is mentioned by name — a community-reassurance detail unusual in storm alerts
ALL CLEAREmail
Verified verbatimUF Emergency Weather Updates official post 'UF to resume normal operations on Friday'209 chars
The University of Florida will return to normal operating status effective at 12:01 a.m. Friday, Oct. 11. Classes and all academic and student-related activities, including online classes, will resume as well.
Verbatim opening sentence from the UF Emergency Weather Updates resumption post — also cross-posted to UF Statements as 'UF to resume normal operations on Friday'
Uses the same '12:01 a.m.' cutover convention UF used two months earlier for Hurricane Debby, signaling the institution's standardized closure-reopening language
The explicit 'including online classes' phrasing distinguishes this reopening message from many peer institutions that resume in-person and online classes on different timelines
Context

Background

Hurricane Milton made landfall on Florida's Gulf Coast on October 9, 2024 as a Category 3 hurricane after rapidly intensifying in the Gulf of Mexico. The University of Florida announced on October 7 that the Gainesville campus would close and all classes would be canceled through October 10. Unlike many Florida universities closer to the coast, UF did not evacuate its residence halls; instead, students were instructed to shelter in place on the inland Gainesville campus. Florida Fresh Dining remained open to serve the campus community throughout the storm. The Florida Alligator student newspaper reported that faculty faced challenges adjusting syllabi and exam schedules around the two-day closure. UF Facilities Services crews worked to clear fallen trees and address power outages across the Gainesville campus. The university reopened on Friday, October 11. Hurricane Milton was the third named storm to impact UF operations in 2024, following Hurricane Debby in August and Hurricane Helene in September.
Analysis

Key Findings

UF's decision to cancel online classes in addition to in-person instruction was notable, as many universities maintain virtual instruction during weather closures
Hurricane Milton was the third named storm to affect UF campus operations in the 2024 hurricane season
The shelter-in-place strategy for residence hall students on the inland Gainesville campus avoided the logistical challenges of mass evacuation
Outcome
The Gainesville campus experienced widespread power outages and several fallen trees but no significant structural damage. The university reopened on Friday, October 11 and resumed normal operations. No campus injuries were reported.
Provenance

Sources

  1. Official
    UF to close offices, cancel classes Wednesday and Thursday due to Hurricane Milton (UF News)
    news.ufl.edu
  2. Official
    UF to close offices, cancel classes Wednesday and Thursday (UF Emergency Weather Updates)
    updates.emergency.ufl.edu
  3. Student Paper
    UF cancels classes Wednesday and Thursday ahead of Hurricane Milton (Florida Alligator)
    alligator.org
  4. Student Paper
    Faculty weigh in on UF's hurricane response (Florida Alligator)
    alligator.org
Tags
hurricanenatural-disastercampus-closureshelter-in-placefloridapublic-universityweatherhurricane-milton
Added May 2026Updated May 2026Via ingestion