Bitter temperature prompt opening of cold weather shelters in Lynnwood & Snohomish County

Warming shelters open as frigid temps arrive

Temperatures are getting into the freezing level in the coming days, and shelters across Puget Sound are opening for those who are unhoused.

LYNNWOOD, Wash. - With the snow coming down in Snohomish County on Thursday and the temperatures dropping, volunteers prepared and opened emergency shelters for those in need across the county.

Maple Park Church is the site of the South County Cold Weather Shelter. In Snohomish County, the cold weather shelters are triggered when the temperature drops below 34 degrees.

FOX 13 spoke with a man staying at the shelter who said it's a lifeline.

He said that he usually sleeps in his car. He didn't want his name used for privacy reasons.

"I turn on my car for like an hour and I burn a lot of gas," he said. "Without this kind of church and volunteers that help us, we are going to die on the street and a lot of people are going to suffer a lot."

Volunteers at the shelter in Lynnwood say they expect to feed and house 20–30 people overnight at the Lynnwood location alone.

"You can get frostbite before you know it," said Chris Eck, Vice President of Programs for Volunteers of America, Western Washington. "There is such a huge need. As we all know, the homeless situation is growing in our region, especially in South County."

Tyler Verda, program planner for Snohomish County Human Services, estimates that six shelters across the county will house around 150 people countywide on Thursday. He says volunteer shuttles will help to get them to those locations, along with free transit.

"Community transit has, in response to this weather system, is providing no fare rides to and from weather shelters. So today through the 16th, we are helping folks get to the shelters," said Verda. "Everett has a similar policy."

Lynnwood city crews will also be working to keep roads clear overnight.

"Our crews are going out tonight to monitor conditions and de-ice….we are planning to do that nightly through the weekend," said Nathan MacDonald, Communications and Public Affairs manager for the city of Lynnwood.

He asks that if you see plows on the road, give them space.

"At least 75 feet or so, that way they can do their job properly," said MacDonald. "If you do see our crews out there, it’s important to give them plenty of space, at least 75 feet or so. That way they can do their job properly."

The Lynnwood shelter at Maple Park Church will remain open through 8:00 am Friday, then volunteers will shut it down for reorganizing and cleanup. It will reopen at around 7:30 pm Friday night. Eck estimates that the shelter will stay open through Tuesday.