Freezing Weather Shelter Opens in Baltimore County

Baltimore County has activated its freezing weather shelter through Friday.

The National Weather Service is calling for 1 to 2 inches of snow, issuing a winter weather advisory that is in effect from 6 p.m. Thursday to 5 a.m. Friday.

Snow will start falling at 7 p.m. on Thursday, according to Baltimore County officials, who said crews are preparing for the first accumulation of the season.

To accommodate those in need, the county's freezing weather facility will be open from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. at the North Point Government Center in Dundalk. The shelter is activated on nights when temperatures reach 32 degrees or lower and there are no beds available in other homeless shelters, county officials say.

People looking to warm up can call 410-853-3000 (select option 2 when prompted) to find the closest available shelter.

During the day, Baltimore County has several “warming centers." The Baltimore County Public Library invites people to get away from the cold at its 19 branches open Monday through Thursday, from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., Friday and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., and Sunday from 1 to 5 p.m. Baltimore County Senior Centers are also open to the general public, regardless of age, Monday through Friday, from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. For information on the 20 senior centers, call 410-887-2594.

Other "Warming" Places

There are other places to warm up in Baltimore County:

• Community centers
• Churches
• Malls
• Movie theaters
• Museums
• Neighbor's home with heat
• Restaurants

The freezing weather shelter will be open from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m., Jan. 4 to Jan. 6. It is located at the North Point Government Center, near Wise Avenue and Merritt Boulevard in Dundalk. The entrance is near the loading dock.