PORTLAND, Ore. — Multnomah County said it would reopen four severe weather shelters on Friday evening due to an updated forecast that calls for sunny and dry conditions in the afternoon but predicts temperatures will drop to around 25 degrees by midnight.
The Oregon Convention Center, East Portland Community Center, Mt. Scott Community Center and Reynolds High School were all set to open at 7 p.m. Friday, according to a news release from the county. The shelters are available to anyone who needs a warm place to stay for the night.
“As the forecast rapidly changes, we’re prepared to scale shelter operations,” Multnomah County Office of Emergency Management director Chris Voss said in a statement.
People seeking shelter can dial 211 for the latest information or to schedule transportation to a shelter. More information and updates are also available at multco.com/cold.
TriMet will continue to offer fare-free transportation for people travelling to shelters. Rides will also be free for all customers from 8 p.m. Friday to 3 a.m. Sunday due to the agency's annual New Year's Eve tradition.
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The four shelters and a handful of others have been open for much of the past week due to sustained sub-freezing temperatures in the Portland region, but they closed on Thursday afternoon as temperatures began to warm up and the Thursday night lows were expected to remain above freezing.
Multnomah County typically opens warming shelters if the weather forecast calls for temperatures below 25 degrees, an inch or more of snow or overnight temperatures below 32 degrees with driving rain.
