Broward declares cold weather emergency. A fire risk alert for South Florida, too
The ongoing cold wave has led to a fire warning, a cold weather alert and the planned opening of some area shelters Friday and Saturday.
Broward County announced a two-day cold weather emergency advisory as temperatures are expected to dip into the 40s overnight Friday and remain chilly through much of the weekend, according to the National Weather Service in Miami.
Daytime highs are not expected to reach 70 degrees again until Sunday.
The advisory runs from 6 p.m. Friday to 10 a.m. Saturday and again from 6 p.m. Saturday to 10 a.m. Sunday.
Elevated fire weather
The weather service also issued an alert for elevated fire weather in South Florida given low humidity, moderate northwest winds and a very dry air mass.
Be careful about tossing cigarettes and parking your car on grassy areas, and avoid activities that use open flames or cast sparks, the weather service said.
Cold night shelters
Along with the county’s weather emergency advisory, Broward plans to open cold night shelters for the homeless.
If you need shelter Friday or Saturday the county advises that you report no later than 6 p.m. on Friday and Saturday night for transportation or access to these shelters:
▪ Pompano Beach’s Northeast Transit Center on the corner of Martin Luther King Boulevard and Dixie Highway. This is a pickup location only.
▪ The Salvation Army at 1445 W. Broward Blvd. in Fort Lauderdale, which is a shelter and a pickup location.
If the forecast changes, these shelter nights could be canceled or extended, the alert said.
Miami Rescue Mission and Broward Outreach Center Hollywood also will open their doors to an expected increase in people seeking shelter from the cold.
“On our Miami campus, we are expecting an extra 50 to 75 homeless and needy men,” Miami Center Programs Director Antonio Villasuso said in a news release. “I encourage people to help donate blankets and other cold weather items.”
Broward Outreach Centers Supervisor William Byrd expects to see an additional 20 to 30 people at the Hollywood campus Friday night.
He, too, urged community support in the form of donations.
“Blankets, jackets, coats and socks are all items we go through quickly as we take on the colder months,” Byrd said in the release.
Homeless information
▪ For information call Broward’s Homeless Helpline at 954-563-4357.
▪ For Miami Rescue Mission/Broward Outreach Centers call 305-572-2002 or 800-817-4673 to donate winter wear.
This story was originally published February 28, 2020 at 12:58 PM.
