Hartselle students returned to classes two hours later than usual Tuesday morning after staying home Monday because of near-record cold temperatures. Sophomore Nathaniel King, left, and freshman Anthony Wick arrived at Hartselle High School at 9:30 a.m. with the thermometer reading eight degrees. | Clif Knight

Hartselle City Schools returned to the classroom Tuesday on a two-hour delay after a bitter cold snap closed school Monday.

The two-hour delay is still in effect for Wednesday morning.

School Superintendent Vic Wilson said the system came through the cold weather with very few issues.

The only issues were a pipe burst at J.P. Cain Stadium, a minor water leak at Barkley Bridge and a couple of school buses that had trouble starting due to single-digit weather Tuesday morning.

“I’d like to give the principals and the staff a shout-out for their hard work to help us get school going today without any problems,” Wilson said Tuesday. “Other than those issues, everything went well today.”

However, Morgan County Schools will be opening for the first time in 2014 on a two-hour delay today.

The threat of black ice prompted the schools to close Monday. The system also had issues with school buses not starting Tuesday morning, forcing the schools to close once again Tuesday.

Temperatures are expected to rise above freezing for the first time since Sunday today. High temperatures are expected to rebound as high as 61, as the arctic air lifts back toward the north pole.