Updated: 8:30 a.m. Wednesday, March 1, 2023
Severe weather shelters are not currently open.
Weather conditions are not forecast to reach the severe weather thresholds tonight that City of Portland and Multnomah County officials use — in consultation with National Weather Service experts, Emergency Management, the Health Department, County Human Services and the Joint Office of Homeless Services — to jointly decide on shelter plans as needed.
City and County officials will continue to monitor forecasts in the coming days in the event that conditions require severe weather warming shelters to reopen.
Anyone seeking shelter should contact 211info by dialing 2-1-1 or 1-866-698-6155. 211info staff are available to identify shelters, warming centers, and review transportation options 24/7 for Multnomah County.
If you are concerned about someone you see during colder conditions, such as an individual who is not dressed for the weather conditions, call the non-emergency response line at 503-823-3333 and request a welfare check.
If someone is unsheltered and their life appears to be in danger, call 9-1-1 for medical attention.
Click here for an interactive map of locations to stay warm during the day.
Volunteering to support our warming shelters
We continue to monitor weather forecasts to plan for future shelter activations. Community members who are able to offer support are encouraged to sign up to volunteer when we open our severe weather shelters. Please check this page for opportunities to sign up during our next severe weather response.
Volunteer trainings
If you think you might be interested in volunteering, either this winter or for future severe weather events, you are encouraged to sign up for a 2-hour online training session. Each session includes time for questions and answers, and can be beneficial whether they are taken before your first shift or after. Check back for information about future training sessions.
Support people living outside
In addition to the severe-weather beds that open only when certain weather thresholds are met, the Joint Office of Homeless Services also funds nearly 2,000 year-round and winter shelter beds open every night during the cold season. These beds are open day after day, no matter the forecast. Other community partners also add winter shelter capacity.
Outreach teams — including those from Transition Projects, JOIN, Janus Youth, Cascadia Behavioral Health and the Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office HOPE team — are also in the community, making contact with vulnerable populations, providing resources and sharing information about severe weather and year-round shelters.
The Joint Office has accelerated distribution of cold weather since the end of October.
Many organizations providing aid to people experiencing homelessness also partner with community volunteers to offer their services. Find a list of agencies who welcome volunteers and find links to their opportunities to help. 211 also has a winter-focused donations site.
Severe weather planning
County staff monitor weather conditions and other factors, including severe temperature fluctuations, emergency department visits for hypothermia, and wind chill. City of Portland and Multnomah County officials meet to discuss those weather conditions — consulting with experts from the National Weather Service, Emergency Management, the Health Department, the Department of County Human Services and the Joint Office — and then jointly decide on shelter plans as needed.
Severe weather shelters open as needed when any of the following thresholds are met for any one of the conditions below that are forecasted to persist for four (4) hours or more between the hours of 8 p.m. and 7 a.m.
- Forecasted temperature of 25° F (-4° C) or below.
- Forecasted snow accumulation of 1.0 inch or more.
- Forecasted temperature at or below 32° F (0° C) with driving rain of 1.0 inch or more overnight.
Cold weather alerts
Even when severe weather thresholds aren't met — but when overnight temperatures are forecast at 32 degrees or below, for roughly four hours or longer — the Joint Office will issue a "cold weather alert."
No severe weather beds will open during a cold weather alert. But providers will conduct additional and focused outreach to find vulnerable people, and they will have the ability to quickly obtain and distribute cold weather gear. Providers will step up coordination around information on resources and system shelter capacity. Overflow shelter capacity will be made available to outreach workers, who can refer people in need.
