DENVER — With temperatures forecasted to be dangerously cold due to a front bringing arctic air into Colorado on Wednesday night, several cities around the Denver metro area are opening doors as warming centers.
Denver Mayor Michael Hancock encouraged "everyone to stay inside, to seek shelter and to limit time outdoors." He said the city will open a 24/7 warming shelter at the Denver Coliseum and that Denver recreation centers and libraries will also be available during regular hours for people to warm up.
Here are other emergency warming centers across the Denver metro area:
Aurora
The City of Aurora said it will have a warming center at the Aurora Day Resource Center and that libraries open during business hours can also be used to keep out the cold.
The Aurora Day Resource Center at 13387 E. 19th Place will be activated as a 24-hour space through Thursday. This center can accommodate 186 individuals per night and is managed by Mile High Behavioral Healthcare. Staff at the center will provide referrals to families for family-designated shelters.
The city’s Aurora Cold Weather Outreach Team (ACOT), which provides resources and transportation to shelters, will be activated beginning Wednesday. This team conducts outreach to individuals experiencing homelessness at encampments on cold weather nights to encourage them to access shelter.
The Colfax Community Network from Mile High Behavioral Healthcare will also offer transportation to the Aurora Day Resource Center on Wednesday and Thursday.
Boulder
The City of Boulder announced it will open a 24-hour emergency warming center at the East Boulder Community Center at 5660 Sioux Drive starting at 2 p.m. Wednesday. The warming center will be open until Saturday morning and is available to anyone who needs a place to warm up or spend the night.
Denver
Denver opened a 24/7 warming shelter at the Denver Coliseum, at 4600 Humboldt St., beginning at 3 p.m. Wednesday for those experiencing homelessness, for migrants arriving in Denver and for the general public.
The Coliseum warming center can accommodate 225 people and will remain open at least through Saturday. City officials said they were working with partners on overflow centers if the Coliseum reaches capacity.
The Downtown Denver YMCA, 25 E. 16th Ave., will be open as a 24-hour warming center for up to 100 people from Thursday at 7 a.m. to Saturday at noon.
Denver recreation centers and libraries will also be available during regular hours for people to warm up. Recreation center hours and locations can be found online. Hours may change due to holidays.
Evans
The City of Evans announced that three shelters will be open in the City of Greeley and said all rides are free on GET Transit Wednesday through Friday.
- The United Way located at 870 28th St.
- Salvation Army located at 1119 6th St.
- Guadalupe Center for women located at 1442 N 11th Ave.
Lakewood
Jefferson County announced that Lakewood United Methodist Church will open as an overnight shelter starting at 7 p.m. Wednesday. At 7 a.m. Thursday, visitors will be transported via shuttle bus to Saint Bernadette Catholic Parish, which will act as the day shelter until 7 p.m.
Loveland
The City of Loveland will keep the Loveland Resource Center (LRC) and Overnight Shelter located at 137 S. Lincoln Ave. open for anyone over the age of 18 seeking shelter. The center has declared inclement weather operations from 3 p.m. Wednesday through 9 a.m. Saturday.
Westminster
The City of Westminster will operate a temporary warming shelter at The MAC recreation center at 3295 W. 72nd Ave. for residents experiencing homelessness or an emergency loss of power. The shelter opens at 4:30 p.m. Wednesday and will close Saturday.
State emergency agencies created the Google map below showing all the warming shelters in the state.
Extreme temperatures are dangerous, especially combined with other health conditions and can lead to a higher risk of hypothermia, frostbite and carbon monoxide poisoning.
Severe weather poses a particularly serious danger to anyone spending an extended period of time outside, including people experiencing homelessness who are unsheltered. The Department of Housing Stability and its partners are conducting outreach to unhoused residents.
The Denver Department of Public Health & Environment offers these tips to prepare for extremely cold temperatures:
- Prepare for power outages. Gather supplies in case you need to stay home for several days without power. Keep in mind each person’s specific needs, including medication. Have extra batteries for radios and flashlights.
- If you lose heat at your home, consider visiting a warming center to stay warm.
- If you must be outdoors, dress in multiple layers of warm clothing, including hat, mittens, scarves and boots.
- Keep refrigerators and freezers closed in the event of a power outage. If your power is out for more than four hours, discard perishable food like meat, poultry, fish, eggs and leftovers.
- Create an emergency supply kit for your car. Include jumper cables, sand, a flashlight, warm clothes, blankets, bottled water and non-perishable snacks. Keep the gas tank full.
- Listen for emergency information and alerts.
- Avoid carbon monoxide poisoning. Only use generators and grills outdoors and away from windows. Never heat your home with a gas stovetop or oven.
SUGGESTED VIDEOS: Severe Weather