EDITOR'S NOTE: A frost advisory has been issued for Glades and Hendry counties from 2 a.m. to 8 a.m. on Wednesday.

With frigid temperatures in the forecast and experienced, a number of areas across Southwest Florida are offering cold weather shelters and warming centers.

Check for shelter availability in your specific area of Florida at https://www.floridadisaster.org/Counties.

Meanwhile a massive blizzard system called Hernando that dumped feet of snow and icer in the Northeastern US continued to cause dozens of cancelled flights at Florida airports.

At Southwest Florida International Airport there were at least 26 cancelled flights by Tuesday afternoon and 82 in Orlando, 50 in Miami, 36 in Tampa, and 16 in Sarasota.

If you have flight plans, check with your carrier for possible changes.

Lee County

Lee County Government is coordinating with its partner agencies for cold-weather outreach this week.

The Lee County Department of Human & Veteran Services, Lee County Transit (LeeTran) and additional partners typically coordinate plans during timeframes in which the temperature drops below 40 degrees, true temperature or with windchill, for a period of time.

Plans include:

• Monday, Feb. 23 through Tuesday, Feb. 24: The Salvation Army will provide a limited number of single beds on a first-come, first-served basis for individuals seeking relief from cold weather conditions. Shelter will be available through the morning of Wednesday, Feb. 25. Individuals in need of shelter are encouraged to arrive for intake before 7 p.m. at Center of Hope, 2400 Edison Ave., Fort Myers. The Salvation Army will reassess capacity daily through Tuesday, Feb. 24, and will continue accepting individuals as space allows. For more information, please contact The Salvation Army at 239-334-3745.
  

“With cold weather settling in, The Salvation Army is working collaboratively with Lee County Emergency Management, the Lee County Department of Human & Veteran Services and other partner agencies to provide warmth and shelter to those experiencing homelessness.” said Major Ethan Frizell, Area Commander for The Salvation Army of Fort Myers. “We welcome people to stop in and stay awhile.”

• Tuesday, Feb. 24 and Wednesday, Feb. 25: LeeTran will provide Warming Buses at the locations listed below. 
  
  • 6 a.m. - 10 a.m., South Fort Myers Transfer Station (13182 S. Cleveland Ave., Fort Myers)
  • 6 a.m. - 10 a.m., Lehigh Acres Park & Ride (1121 Village Lakes Blvd., Lehigh Acres)
  • 6 a.m. - 10 a.m., Cape Coral Transfer Station (820 S.E. 47th Terrace, Cape Coral)
• Monday, Feb. 23 and Tuesday, Feb. 24: Housing, Outreach and Treatment (HOT) teams will be in the community connecting with individuals experiencing homelessness to provide resources and distribute cold-weather supplies, including jackets, socks, blankets and hand warmers.
• Tuesday, Feb. 24: Warming Stations will be open at the locations listed below.
  
  • 7 a.m. - 5 p.m., Dunbar United Way Resiliency Hub at Community Cooperative (3429 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., Fort Myers)
  • 8 a.m. - 5 p.m., Harlem Heights United Way Resiliency Hub at The Heights Center (15570 Hagie Drive, Fort Myers)
  • 8 a.m. - 4 p.m., Sanibel United Way Resiliency Hub at F.I.S.H of Sanibel-Captiva (2422 Periwinkle Way, Sanibel) 
  • 8 a.m. - 10 a.m., Bonita Springs United Way Resiliency Hub at Literacy Council Gulf Coast (26820 Old 41 Rd., Bonita Springs, Sanibel) 
  • 8:30 a.m. - 11 a.m., Pine Manor United Way Resiliency Hub - Pine Manor Improvement Association (5547 10th Ave., Fort Myers)  
  • 9 a.m. - 2 p.m., Tice United Way Resiliency Hub at Goodwill Industries (5100 Tice St., Fort Myers, FL 33905)
  • 9 a.m. - 2 p.m., West Cape Coral United Way Resiliency Hub at Goodwill Industries (1499 SW. Pine Island Rd. Cape Coral)
  • 9 a.m. - 12 p.m., Cape Coral Caring Center (1420 SE. 47th Street, Cape Coral)
  • 9 a.m. - 4 p.m., Pine Island United Way Resiliency Hub at Beacon of Hope (5090 Doug Taylor Circle, St. James City)
  • 9 a.m. - 1 p.m., Charleston Park United Way Resiliency Hub - Goodwill Industries (2541 Charleston Park Drive, Alva)
  • 9 a.m. - 8 p.m., Fort Myers Regional Library (2450 First St. Fort Myers)  
  • 12 p.m. - 6 p.m., North Fort Myers Library/Parks and Recreation (2001 N. Tamiami Trail, North Fort Myers, FL) 

Lee County Human & Veteran Services’ (HVS) Reach app, which is a free download on the Apple App Store and Google Play is another way individuals experiencing homelessness can garner information. App users should sign up to receive push alerts to receive timely updates.

Lee County’s coordinated entry phone line is available to connect individuals to services and resources. Call 239-533-7996 or visit www.leegov.com/dhs.

Lee County Department of Public Safety’s Emergency Management staff is monitoring the cold temperatures and encourages residents to monitor updates from the National Weather Service.

To receive updates from Lee County Government, sign up for the newsletter here: www.leegov.com/resources/newsletters and follow on social media: www.leegov.com/socialmedia.

Charlotte County

In Charlotte County, the Charlotte CARE Center (formerly the Charlotte County Homeless Coalition), 1476 Kenesaw St., Port Charlotte, will provide shelter to persons needing refuge from the cold from Sunday, Feb. 22, through Tuesday, Feb. 24.

Guests will need to pre-register by calling 941-627-4313 and arrive by 8 p.m. For shelter operation questions, contact the Charlotte CARE Center at 941-627-4313.

Hendry County

Hendry County Emergency Management, in partnership with the Clewiston Police Department, is opening warming stations for individuals seeking relief from the cold weather.

These locations will offer a warm, safe environment, along with coffee or hot chocolate. Blankets will also be available for those in need.

Please be aware that the warming stations are intended for short-term relief only. Anyone needing assistance is encouraged to visit a station to stay warm and safe during cold conditions.

The Clewiston Police Department at 300 South Berner Road, Clewiston, will have its lobby open throughout the night and daily until the cold weather subsides.

The United Way Resiliency Hub at 133 North Bridge Street, LaBelle opened Monday morning at 1 a.m. and will again be available from 1 to 5 a.m. Wednesday.

Sarasota County

Sarasota County Emergency Management officials have coordinated with municipal and community partners to provide cold weather sheltering tonight, Feb. 24, for those individuals in need due to the predicted drop in temperatures.

The Salvation Army – Center of Hope, 1400 10th St., Sarasota, will conduct their cold weather operations plan tonight, Tuesday, Feb. 24.
Dinner will be served from 5:30 to 6 p.m. Guests will need to leave campus afterward and may return at 7 p.m. for shelter entry. Guests must be checked in by 8:30 p.m. Showers will be available from 7 to 8:30 p.m., and all guests will be required to present a valid ID for identification at check-in. Breakfast will be provided to-go in the morning, and all guests will need to depart campus by 6 a.m.

Breeze Routes 2, 7, 8, or 99 operating on normal schedules will arrive within about two blocks of the Salvation Army on 10th Street.

Visit www.scgov.net/breeze for information on Breeze services. The Breeze Rider app can also be used to check bus arrival times and plan routes.

Remnant Church, 2895 Ashton Road, Sarasota, are open for a cold weather shelter at 6 p.m. tonight, Tuesday, Feb. 24. Doors are open until midnight. Meals will be provided.

Breeze Route 25 stops on Swift Road at Ashton Road, within 0.1 mile of the address for Remnant Church.

The 100 Church, 14525 Tamiami Trail, North Port, will open a cold weather shelter tonight, Feb. 24. Please bring sleeping supplies.

Breeze Route 9 operating on a normal schedule will arrive within about one block of 100 Church. Those in the North Port service area could also use the Breeze OnDemand service.

Visit www.scgov.net/breeze for information on Breeze services. The Breeze Rider app can also be used to check bus arrival times and plan routes.

Emergency Management officials remind residents that pets should not be left outside during the cold weather. Those who need to be outside overnight or during the early morning hours are encouraged to dress in several warm layers and limit skin exposure to the wind. Sarasota County Fire Department officials advise using extreme caution when heating your home, as the risk of fire and carbon monoxide poisoning increases during very cold weather due to the improper use of heating devices. More heating safety tips can be found here.

Manatee County

Manatee County, in partnership with community organizations, will open cold weather shelters on Monday, February 23, and Tuesday, February 24.

The Salvation Army will open a cold weather shelter at its Manatee County location, 1204 14th St. W., Bradenton, with check-in beginning at 6 p.m. each night the shelters are open.

In addition, Under One Roof, located at 407 57th Ave. E., Bradenton, will open early to provide shelter for women in need during the cold weather. The women-only facility will open its doors at 2:45 p.m., earlier than its normal 3 p.m. check-in time.

Transportation to both locations will be available through Manatee County Area Transit (MCAT) at 2:30 p.m. from Turning Points, located at 701 17th Ave. W., Bradenton.

Turning Points will also be open to provide warmth and coffee during the cold weather.

Residents are encouraged to help spread the word to anyone who may need a warm, safe place during the cold temperatures.

For more information on cold weather safety and shelter updates, visit mymanatee.org/cold.

For more information about Manatee County Government, visit mymanatee.org or call (941) 748-4501. Follow them on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram @ManateeGov.

WGCU will list other shelter availability in Southwest Florida as they become known.

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