WEST LEBANON — Several Upper Valley community spaces will serve as warming shelters amid the extreme cold temperatures anticipated this weekend, with a winter storm following close behind.
The National Weather Service issued an extreme cold warning for the region, which begins Friday evening in Vermont and early Saturday morning in central and northern New Hampshire. The temperature is expected to drop to -7 degrees Fahrenheit in Lebanon Saturday morning, with dangerously low wind chills expected to reach -37 degrees.
There is also a winter storm watch from Sunday evening into Monday, with more than 6 inches of heavy snowfall expected through Monday evening. Named Winter Storm Fern, the U.S. Department of Agriculture issued an advisory on Friday warning people to store food properly and turn to its online Disaster Assistance Discovery Tool if recovery efforts are needed.
At such low temperatures, people spending time outside will be at risk of frostbite and hypothermia. The National Weather Service urges those who must go outside to wear layers and ensure full skin coverage.
Those in need of shelter in the Upper Valley are encouraged to go to the Lebanon Seasonal Shelter at 160 Mechanic Street. The shelter — which can host up to 14 people per night — will open early Saturday at 2 p.m. instead of 5 p.m. and remain open all through Sunday, instead of closing at 8 a.m., Will Towne, the Haven’s executive director, said by phone.
Cots are available on a nightly basis. Visitors are asked to coordinate a space by showing up to the TLC Family Resource Center, located at 24 Hanover Street in downtown Lebanon, the day they wish to spend the night there.
Even if the shelter is at capacity, Upper Valley Haven service coordinators can provide alternative temporary solutions, such as hotel stays, said Towne.
There are winter clothes available at the Upper Valley Haven, 713 Hartford Ave in White River Junction, though Towne said they cannot guarantee sizes.
Lebanon Libraries, including Kilton located at 80 Main Street in West Lebanon, and Lebanon Library at 9 East Park Street, are open on Saturday from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m. The public is invited to use the space to keep warm while the buildings are open, Library Director Sean Fleming said.
“People don’t need a purpose beyond just needing a place to get warm in the winter or stay cool in the summer,” Fleming said by phone. “That’s just one reason our doors are open.”
Deputy Human Services Director Rebecca Desilets said she is unsure of warming shelter options on Sunday when the Lebanon Libraries are closed.
In Claremont, Trinity Church hosts the Warm Welcome Shelter at 120 Broad Street, which can hold up to 24 overnight guests per fire department standards. Similar to the Lebanon Warming Shelter, the beds are first come, first serve on any given night, shelter director Zadiah Eisenberg Thursday said by phone. The only way to ensure a space is to show up to the church.
The shelter also provides winter clothing, including warm socks, coats, boots, hand warmers, long johns, long-sleeve tops, scarves and mittens, though quantities are not guaranteed.
The most people the overnight shelter has hosted so far this winter is 16, but it varies, with an average of a dozen people per night.
Eisenberg predicts the number of people using the shelter will go up this weekend, though she said it can be hard to tell. She added it is possible family and friends might be more likely to take people in themselves, given the risks involved.
The Warm Welcome Shelter’s regular hours are from 8 p.m. to 8 a.m. nightly. The Claremont Savings Bank Community Center, at 152 South Street, is now open until 8 p.m., which fills the five hours each week where people previously did not have a warm place to wait before the shelter opened.
“There’s not an hour in the day where there isn’t a warm place for people to be,” said Eisenberg.
The Community Center is opening its doors to the public this weekend due to the cold. Non-members will have access to the lobby area during regular weekend hours from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., according to the Claremont Department of Parks and Recreation.
One issue, Eisenberg said, is that there is no public bus service on the weekends. Therefore, people transitioning from the shelter to the community center and vice versa must walk about 0.7 miles between them.
“It’s going to be miserable out and people shouldn’t be out in the weather,” said Eisenberg.
The Southwestern Community Services bus service also stops running on weekdays before the shelter opens at 8 p.m., therefore it is only of use to guests in the morning.
In the event that the overnight shelter reaches capacity, visitors are directed to the Police Department nearby, where they can wait in the lobby.
“It’s the only other option,” said Eisenberg.
Claremont Police Cpt. Justin Laffin said that those in need of a warm environment are encouraged to make contact with the police. While the department lobby is open to the public, people are not permitted to set up cots or enter unauthorized areas in the department.
“If somebody is struggling to find a warm place, the police will assist them,” said Laffin.
Those struggling to pay their heating bills amid the cold weather can turn to Listen Community Services Heating Helpers program, which is funded by community donors and thrift store revenue. The Heating Helpers service provides liquid fuel and electric bill assistance for those in its Upper Valley service area.
The program does not operate over the weekend, so fuel deliveries over the last few days have mainly been in preparation for the upcoming freeze and storm, Heather Griffin, Listen’s programs director, said.
“A lot of times people do wait until the last minute to call us,” Griffin said.
Griffin asks the community to call sooner rather than later, before heating difficulties turn into a crisis situation.
Pet owners also need to take precautions this weekend.
In spite of the predicted cold, dogs can still go outside for short periods, including walks, RayLynn Bradigan, executive director of the Upper Valley Humane Society, said by phone. But owners should monitor their dogs to make sure their feet are not freezing. Signs that they need to go inside include shivering and lifting their feet to thaw them out.
Owners should ensure outdoor animals’ water bowls are not frozen and that they have an insulated space to go.
The Humane Society itself— located at 300 Old Route 10 in Enfield— is preparing to ensure animals’ comfort in spite of the cold by boosting its heating system with additional heaters. Workers also will use towels and blankets to block any drafts.
The Humane Society allows for emergency boarding if pet owners cannot provide a proper environment for their animals. Those who are unhoused have used this service before. Bradigan said of the 21 animals that were emergency boarded in the past three months, three situations were cold-weather related.
“They know that it’s not safe for their animals. It’s really unfortunate that people are living in that condition, but they know that it’s not good for their pets so their pets are staying here with us so that they’re warm,” said Bradigan.
Other Upper Valley warming shelters include:
- Norwich Public Library, 368 Main St., Saturday, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
- Springfield Community Center, 139 Main Street in Springfield, Vt., Saturday and Sunday, 6 p.m. to 7 a.m.
- St. Johns Warming Shelter, 15 Summer Street, Randolph, Friday, Saturday, Sunday, 5:30 p.m. to 10 a.m.
- Waits River Valley School, 6 Waits River Valley School Road, East Corinth, open all night Friday into Saturday morning, additional weekend hours TBD based on need
The NH Department of Homeland Security advises those unable to access these services to call 2-1-1 or a local fire department non-emergency line to find the nearest shelter.