Cold Weather Shelters Opening In Pinellas As Temperatures Drop

PINELLAS COUNTY, FL — With temperatures expected to drop into the 40s Tuesday night with a wind chill that may feel like the upper 30s, cold weather shelters are opening for those who need a warm place to stay overnight, according to a Pinellas County news release.

The pop-up shelters, which open when the temperature feels like it’s below 40 degrees, are located at:

• Allendale United Methodist Church, 3803 Haines Road N., St. Petersburg, 6 p.m. to 6 a.m.
• Boys and Girls Club, 7790 61st Street N., Pinellas Park, 6 p.m. to 6 a.m.
• Boys and Girls Club, 111 W. Lime Street, Tarpon Springs, 6 p.m. to 6 a.m.
• First United Methodist Church, 411 Turner Street, Clearwater, 6 p.m. to 6 a.m.
• Northwest Church, 6330 54th Ave. N., St. Petersburg, 6 p.m. to 6 a.m.
• Salvation Army, 1400 4th Street S., 6 p.m. to 7:30 a.m.
• Unitarian Universalist Church, 100 Mirror Lake Drive N., St. Petersburg, 6 p.m. to 6 a.m.
• WestCare Turning Point, 1810 5th Ave. M., 6 p.m. to 6 a.m.

Many sites also serve a meal, in addition to providing a warm and safe place to sleep. Guests are accepted until the shelter is full.

Families should call 211 for information about family shelters.

The county said residents and visitors should prepare for the cold by dressing appropriately, and protecting pets and sensitive plants from the cold temperatures.

Home heating is the second leading cause of home fires, and winter is when most home fires happen, the county added.