Bundle up, Southwest Pa.
These two snow-covered plastic flamingos stand near a pond outside of Johnstown Wednesday. Weather forecasters are calling for an Arctic blast coming to Western Pennsylvania today and lasting through Friday.
The City Mission in Washington is prepared to offer shelter to the homeless as single-digit temperatures are forecast over the next two days.
“You’re going to lose, easy, 20 degrees over the next 12 hours,” Pat Herald, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Pittsburgh, said Wednesday afternoon.
He predicted wind chills would dip to about minus 10 degrees, which could cause school delays.
Sally Mounts, City Mission’s director of development, said the organization operates a men’s cold weather shelter whenever temperatures are at or below freezing.
The cold-weather shelter logged about 1,700 overnight stays during the winter of 2015-16.
“So we know that there are plenty of people out there who could really use that type of support,” Mounts said.
The 22 beds are at the nonprofit’s men’s shelter, 84 W. Wheeling St., and available starting 7 p.m. on a first-come, first-serve basis.
Space is more limited at the Avis Arbor Women’s Shelter next door, said Wendy Barbeau, but the shelter does have two beds that can be made available to women in cold weather if they’re not otherwise being used.
Herald expected temperatures in the area to climb back into the 20s Friday afternoon. He said the forecasted weather isn’t unusual for this time of year.
Jeff Yates, Washington County public safety director, said Wednesday his office didn’t have plans to set up any temporary shelters for those who need to get out the cold, but could do so if needed.
In the past, he said, shelters set up around the county have been pretty sparsely attended. In some cases, they haven’t even been occupied.
“That’s happened a couple of times, that there have been more shelters than people,” Yates said.