Austin officials announced that cold weather shelters will be opened Saturday night, as temperatures are expected to drop to the 20s overnight and in the early hours of Sunday morning.
Gusty winds are expected to drop temperatures to 20s and 30s with a light freeze possible overnight, the National Weather Service said. Normal temperatures in the high 70s are expected to resume Tuesday through Thursday.
The current forecast by the National Weather Service at Camp Mabry shows the low on Sunday — with a wind chill — will be 38 degrees. Temperatures are expected to start rising Monday morning from mid-40s to high 60s, with clear skies.
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For anyone looking to register for overnight shelter, visit the One Texas Center at 505 Barton Springs Road from 6 to 8 p.m. Saturday evening. People who register will then be bused to the shelter from the center.
Cold weather shelters will open overnight Saturday, Feb. 17.
Go to One Texas Center (OTC), 505 Barton Springs Road from 6 p.m. – 8 p.m. to register for overnight shelter.
More information at https://t.co/MKRUn6cg0D or call the Cold Weather Shelter Hotline – (512) 972-5055. pic.twitter.com/z2cvtxHhmR— City of Austin (@austintexasgov) February 17, 2024
Capital Metro offers free rides to anyone looking to get to a cold weather shelter. Bus routes 1, 7, 10, 20, 30, 105, 142 and 801 can get you to the One Texas Center.
In a press release sent Saturday, the city stated community partners who work with the homeless population have been notified and that a text was sent to people experiencing homelessness who are registered to Austin’s alert system.
The Homeless Strategy Office generally decides to activate a cold weather shelter in the morning based on whether temperatures at Camp Mabry are forecast by the National Weather Service to be 32 degrees or colder, or 35 degrees and below with precipitation or a wind chill of 32 degrees or below.
Austin’s cold weather shelters are available to anyone in need. More information can be found by calling 512-972-5055.
The city said it does not publicly release the locations of the shelters due to a “variety of reasons” because the primary people using the shelters are homeless.
This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Austin to open cold weather shelters Saturday ahead of freezing temps
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