Calls to open Austin cold weather shelters grow ahead of expected subfreezing temperatures

Austin city leaders and community advocates are calling for cold weather shelters to be opened in advance of a strong Arctic cold front expected to sink overnight temperatures to the teens and 20 as it rolls through Thursday.

The city, however, typically keeps cold weather shelters in Austin closed until the day those locations will be used. Austin Public Health makes its shelter activation decisions based on if the weather forecast calls for overnight temperatures of 32 degrees or less, 35 degrees with rain, or 35 degrees with a windchill of 32 degrees or colder.

"The decision to activate is made by 9 a.m. each day to allow the time required to activate and mobilize all the required resources," Austin Public Health says in its cold weather shelter activation information. "Camp Mabry has been selected as the official National Weather Service location for assessing temperatures due to its central location and proximity to Downtown, where a significant number of people experiencing homelessness live," the department says.

City Council Member Vanessa Fuentes said Tuesday that the city could do more to help people prepare in advance for cold weather as the current practice lends too little time.

"The issue here is WHY wait until day of to activate the shelters? We already know we are expecting freezing temperatures starting Thursday," Fuentes tweeted. "We need to give our community time to make arrangements."

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The city is anticipating to open shelters on Thursday and keep them active Friday and Saturday, according to a city email on upcoming activation plans the Statesman obtained.

Selena Xie, president of the Austin EMS Association, also tweeted Tuesday about the human cost associated with opening shelters too late.

"As first responders, we see what happens when we wait until day of. People scramble to get help, never hear of how to get help," Xie tweeted. "We respond and taking care of patients with devastating injuries. We had patients during 2021 ice storm who ended up needing amputations."

Forecasters expect multiple freeze warnings and wind chill advisories this week for South Central Texas, especially with subfreezing temperatures expected to sink into the teens and 20s on Thursday and Friday nights.

"Low temperatures Friday and Saturday mornings will be in the teens north to around 20 degrees south," the weather service said Tuesday in a hazardous weather outlook. "High temperatures Friday likely will not rise above freezing across the Hill Country and across portions of the I-35 corridor. Now is the time to prepare for this bitterly cold air."

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Preparing for frigid temperatures

The Williamson County Office of Emergency Management issued a statement Tuesday encouraging residents to get ahead and prepare for subfreezing temperatures.

“We want to make sure that people are preparing for the frigid, cold temperatures that are coming our way as they think about their holiday plans and potential travel during that time,” said Williamson County Emergency Management Director Michael Shoe.

"Below-freezing temperatures are expected from Thursday afternoon through Saturday afternoon with winds from 20 to 30 mph. Some areas in the hill country and on the I-35 corridor could see freezing temperatures for approximately 42 hours," the statement said. "No precipitation or snow is forecasted at this time."

How to access a cold weather shelter in Austin

• Registration, which takes place at a central location, runs from 6-8 p.m.
• Individuals can obtain the central registration site's location by calling the cold weather shelter hotline: 512-305-ICEE (4233).
• CapMetro will take individuals from the central registration location to a shelter.
• In the morning, CapMetro buses will take individuals leaving the shelters to the downtown area.
• During regular business hours (generally 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.), people can use city facilities such as public libraries and recreation centers to warm up.

But with many city facilities closing early because of the upcoming holiday, other locations planned to be open for people to get out of the cold in Austin include the Little Walnut Creek Branch Library on Rundberg Lane and Terrazas Branch Public Library on East Cesar Chavez Street from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday, according to the city email the Statesman obtained.