As extreme cold temperatures and wind chills continue, a few options are available for Centre County community members in need of a place to warm up.
Trinity Bellefonte, 128 W. Howard St., is staying open 24 hours as a warming center for anyone to get out of the cold and enjoy a cup of coffee.
Howard Fire Company will also open its banquet hall, the J.K. Yearick Center at 341 Walnut Street, for people in need of a warming station. Anyone who wants to utilize the center as a warming shelter can message the fire company on Facebook or call the Centre County non-emergency line at (800) 479-0050.
Other shelter services are available beyond ad hoc warming stations, Centre County Government advised in a press release, including:
• Housing Transitions’ Centre House for individuals and families – (814) 237-5508
• Centre Safe’s domestic violence shelter – (814) 234-5050
• Youth Services Bureau’s runaway and homeless youth shelter and Stormbreak Home – (814) 234-2100
According to the county release, residents should contact Centre Helps, the local 24-hour information and referral hotline, at 800-494-2500 for information and questions about accessing shelter.
A cold weather advisory issued by the National Weather Service at State College has been in effect for Centre County since Monday evening and continues until noon on Wednesday.
Temperatures dropped to -2 during the early morning hours in the State College area with wind chills as low as -13, before reaching a daytime high actual temperature of 15 degrees.
The forecast for Wednesday is similar, according to AccuWeather, with a low of -3 expected around 7 a.m. before temperatures rise to a high of about 14 degrees in the late afternoon. AccuWeather’s forecasted RealFeel for early Wednesday morning is -6 degrees.
“Frostbite and hypothermia are possible if precautions are not taken,” according to the NWS advisory. “If you must go outside, dress in layers. Cover exposed skin to reduce your risk of frostbite or hypothermia.”
Though very cold temperatures will continue into Wednesday night with a low of 6 degrees, wind chills will lessen. Thursday’s anticipated high is 30 degrees, and highs will continue to range from the upper 20s to low 30s into next week, according to AccuWeather.
