Cleveland opening warming shelters due to winter storm, see list of shelters

The City of Cleveland announced it is opening warming center across the city on Thursday. The facilities are open to anyone seeking shelter due to the winter storm.

However, the facilities will not provide overnight shelther. Anyone seeking overnight shelther should call 211, the city said in a statement, and they will be connected with appropriat resources. You can also call the Cuyahoga County Office of Homeless services and ask for coordinated entry at 216-674-7400.

The following City of Cleveland buildings will be utilized as warming centers:

• Michael Zone Recreation Center, 6301 Lorain Ave.
• Lonnie Burten Recreation Center, 2511 E. 46th St.
• Collinwood Recreation Center, 16300 Lakeshore Blvd.
• Zelma George Recreation Center, 3155 Martin L. King Blvd.

Each building will be open from 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Cuyahoga County also maintains an interactive map detailing the location of warming centers throughout the region. You can view that map by clicking here.

According to the National Weather Service, 5 to 10 inches of snow is expected to hit Cleveland before late Friday morning. Winds will also blow at 55 mph near the lakeshore and 45 mph inland.

The county offered the following tips for staying warm:

• Dress in layers: Wear a hat, gloves, and scarf to reduce heat loss.
• Stay active: Moving around helps generate heat.
• Stay indoors during the worst part of the cold.
• Bring pets inside during cold weather.
• Keep a winter survival kit in your vehicle. Be prepared for dead car batteries, iced-over windshields, and broken car locks.
• Take action if your pipes freeze. Try to thaw them immediately or call a plumber for assistance. Learn how to shut off water valves, in case your pipes freeze and burst.
• Monitor forecasts: The National Weather Service issues four “tiers” of alerts to inform you of incoming hazardous weather.