Centre County schools make changes to graduation plans with storms in the forecast
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- State College postponed graduation to Saturday due to thunderstorms in forecast.
- Penns Valley moved its ceremony indoors to avoid weather disruptions.
- The National Weather Service forecasts storms on Friday but better conditions on Saturday.
Rain and thunderstorms in the forecast have forced two Centre County schools to change their plans for graduation ceremonies.
Both the State College Area School District and Penns Valley Area School District announced changes to their commencement ceremonies as inclement weather lingers in the forecast. Celebrations for Bald Eagle and Philipsburg-Osceola graduates have already passed without changes, while Bellefonte’s ceremony is still set for 10 a.m. Saturday.
According to the National Weather Service, the State College area can likely expect showers and scattered storms Friday afternoon before thunderstorms become more likely in the evening.
Here’s what soon-to-be graduates and their families should know about the latest commencement ceremony changes, plus a look at the latest forecasts.
State College Area School District
State College Area High School’s 617 students will need to wait one more day before walking the stage at Memorial Field.
The district announced Friday morning it would postpone its Friday commencement ceremony and push it to 6 p.m. Saturday, the scheduled rain date. Moving graduation back one day was necessary because Friday’s forecast still held a high chance of rain and thunderstorms, even past the planned 6:30 p.m. start time, the district said.
“The forecast for tomorrow evening looks much better than what we see for tonight,” the district wrote in a message to district families and employees. “Thank you for your understanding as we worked through this situation. We can’t wait to celebrate our 617 graduates tomorrow!”
Students should arrive at Memorial Field by no later than 5 p.m. to line up for the ceremony’s procession, the district said.
A livestream will be available online for those who can’t attend in person.
Penns Valley Area School District
Though Penns Valley declined to postpone its commencement ceremony, the district is moving its graduation indoors due to projected inclement weather.
“This decision allows us to safely celebrate our graduates without weather-related concerns and ensures that families can keep any weekend commitments as planned,” the district wrote on Facebook.
Penns Valley Area High School’s ceremony is now scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Friday inside the high school’s new large gymnasium, the district said. Exterior doors and gymnasium doors will open starting at 5:30 p.m.
Tickets are not required for the ceremony, which offers seating on a first-come, first-served basis. The district said it would share a link to a livestream of the ceremony for those who can’t attend in person.
Handicapped parking is available in the small lot closest to the gymnasium ramp. Graduating students must park in the rear lot, while general parking for families and other guests is available in the new front lots at the high school. Overflow parking will move to available spaces across the street at Penns Valley Elementary and Intermediate School.
Taking a look at the forecast
The National Weather Service is calling for an overall wet and stormy weekend in the State College and Penns Valley areas.
The agency expects a 90% chance of rain Friday, with new precipitation potentially totaling up to half an inch. Showers and storms are still likely in the evening before 8 p.m., which could produce an additional quarter- or half-inch of rain.
Saturday’s forecast in State College and Penns Valley is milder, the NWS projects. A chance of showers and thunderstorms is possible before 2 p.m., but conditions should become mostly sunny with a high temperature reaching around 78 degrees Fahrenheit.
Rainy conditions should continue Sunday, when the NWS is calling for showers and a chance of a thunderstorm.
This story was originally published June 6, 2025 at 10:29 AM.
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