Arctic Blast Warning: Salem To Open Warming Shelter, Homeless Concerns

SALEM, MA — Salem police are asking residents to alert them if they see anyone who appears in distress outside during the upcoming arctic blast as they seek to protect homeless citizens with temperatures forecast to fall below zero with wind chills up to -30 degrees Friday night into Saturday.

Salem will also open a warming shelter at Life Bridge at 54 Margin Street for anyone who is struggling with the cold or lacks sufficient heat in their homes.

"Officers assigned to the Community Impact Unit, along with patrol officers, will be checking on the well-being of unhoused individuals who live in our community," Salem police said. "The Salem Police Department asks residents, and visitors, to call 911 if they see someone in distress outside. This will allow officers, and other first responders, to check on our neighbors."

The warming shelter will open at 9 a.m. Friday morning and stay open as necessary through Sunday. Beverages and meals will be available on-site for those in need.

The city said other sites may be opened as well, as necessary, and that nobody will be turned away because of lack of space.

(Read on Patch: Deep Freeze Alert: Protect Your Pets During This Week's Arctic Blast)

The National Weather Service said Friday will start off bitterly cold with temperatures in the mid-teens or lower across most of the state. At 10 a.m., rare wind chill warnings will go into effect across the entire state with winds pushing temperatures down to -30 between Worcester and Boston — ditto for the South Shore and Cape Cod.

The worst of the arctic air will hit areas like Fitchburg and North Adams with wind chills at -40 possible.

High wind gusts could reach 50 mph in Provincetown and Gloucester. Gusts will only be slightly weaker from Boston to all points west at between 35 and 45 mph, according to forecasts.

(Scott Souza is a Patch field editor covering Beverly, Danvers, Marblehead, Peabody, Salem and Swampscott. He can be reached at Scott.Souza@Patch.com. Twitter: @Scott_Souza.)