Warming centers and shelters are opening across the Pittsburgh area ahead of bitter and extreme cold temperatures
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- Cities and organizations throughout the Pittsburgh area are going to be opening warming centers as the region is bracing for the arrival of extremely cold temperatures over the next several days.
The National Weather Service has issued a cold weather advisory that is in place through 1 p.m. on Wednesday. Temperatures are expected to be at or below zero degrees at times with extremely cold wind chills as low as 20 below zero being possible.
Parts of the area may not see temperatures rise above the 10 degree mark for three straight days.
The extreme cold can have severely harmful effects on the body, including hypothermia and frostbite. The latter can lead to irreversible damage, including losing fingers, ears, and hands. To help avoid that, you should dress to protect yourself when outside in extreme cold temperatures.
Anyone in Pennsylvania needing help finding an extreme cold warming center can dial 211 or look online for help.
Pittsburgh CitiParks activating warming centers
Starting Monday, six facilities will be open as warming shelters. The centers will be open Monday from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. and will be open Tuesday and Wednesday from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Only the centers in Beechview, Brighton Heights, Greenfield, Homewood, Sheraden, and on the South Side will be open Monday due to the Martin Luther King Day holiday. The remaining centers (Ammon, Arlington, Brookline, Jefferson, Magee, Ormsby, Paulson, Warrington, and West Penn) will be open on Tuesday.
Shaler North Hills Library opening as a warming center
The Shaler Township Police Department says the library along Mt. Royal Boulevard will be open as a warming center on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday.
The facility will be open each day from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Pitcairn fire station opening as warming shelter
The Pitcairn Police Department says the fire department's station along South Center Avenue is being opened as a warming shelter starting at 8 a.m. on Monday. The center will remain open through 12 p.m. on Wednesday.
Free coffee will be provided at the center and the facility will be monitored by the police department and the fire department.
Charleroi Fire Department opening as warming center
The fire department located along Fallowfield Avenue says it will be open as a warming center starting at 8 a.m. on Monday.
Anyone needing more information is asked to call 724-483-7311 or message the department on Facebook.
Washington Salvation Army opening warming center
The Salvation Army in Washington says a warming center will be open daily from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday at the Worship and Service Center along East Maiden Street.
The Salvation Army says they will have hot and cold drinks and snacks along with a place to stay out of the cold.
Beaver County warming centers
Three warming centers will be open in Beaver County from 9 a.m. through 4 p.m. when the temperature is below 32 degrees.
The centers are at The Cornerstone in Beaver Falls, at the New Brighton Municipal Building, and at the Uncommon Grounds Cafe in Aliquippa.
South Connellsville Fire Company opening as emergency warming center
The fire station along South Pittsburgh Street says it will be available to anyone who needs it as a warming center during the bitter cold weather.
People in need are asked to call 724-322-4834. If no one answers, the department says to call 911 and they will be able to get in touch with a police officer.
Westmoreland County shelters available in Greensburg and Latrobe
The county's Department of Human Services says you can call 211 to be connected to a cold weather shelter and find out if they're open on any given night.
The shelters are located along South Maple Avenue in Greensburg and along Harrison Avenue in Latrobe.
Winter Warming Center open in Butler County
Glade Run Lutheran Services said last year that its Winter Warming Center located along 123 E. Diamond Street would be available and open seven days per week for overnight housing.
The organization says that showers, laundry, and snacks are available.
