PORTLAND, Ore. — Multnomah County will not reopen emergency warming shelters overnight, a county official said Tuesday morning.
The county declared a state of emergency and opened a trio of warming shelters Monday evening due to a wave of winter weather that was forecasted to drop snow on Portland overnight.
The shelters were all scheduled to close at 7 a.m. Tuesday, and the county previously said they could reopen on subsequent nights if weather thresholds were met.
Portland and county leaders typically make the call to open overnight shelters if at least one of the following conditions will occur for four or more hours at night:
- Forecasted temperature of 25° F or below
- Forecasted snow accumulation of 1 inch or more over a 24-hour period
- Forecasted temperature at or below freezing with 1 inch or more of rain and with sustained winds greater than 10 mph overnight
The forecast as of Tuesday morning called for a dry afternoon and Wednesday, with overnight temperatures dropping into the 20s and a low of 26 degrees.
That's not enough to meet the severe weather threshold, a county spokesperson told KGW Tuesday, but it's still enough for a "cold weather alert" from the Portland and Multnomah County Joint Office of Homeless Services, which means outreach workers will continue to supply extra winter gear countywide and work to connect high-risk individuals with overflow shelter beds.
Washington County issued a news release Tuesday morning saying that it would open two shelters overnight Tuesday:
- The Salvation Army Building, 1440 Southeast 21st Avenue, Hillsboro
- Beaverton Community Center, 12350 Southwest 5th Street, Beaverton
Clackamas County updated its warming shelter webpage Monday, listing overnight operating hours for three shelters. The page was updated Tuesday morning to show only one of the shelters would be open Tuesday night.
- Molalla Hope Center, 209 Kennel Avenue, Molalla
A county spokesperson said the Clackamas threshold to open shelters is 33 degree temperatures including wind chill, and that the shelter would remain open all day Tuesday and until 8 a.m. Wednesday.
