Portland Will Open Three Severe Weather Shelters Tonight as Snow Threatens a Return

Rain, snow and thunder are expected this evening.

April snow. (Mick Hangland-Skill)

The city and county will open warming shelters for homeless Portlanders tonight for a span of 12 hours. The shelters will open from 8 tonight to 8 am Wednesday in preparation for cold temperatures, rain and possibly snow.

The shelters have a capacity of 180 people total. The locations include:

1. Salvation Army at 5325 N Williams Ave.

2. Sunrise Center at 18901 E Burnside St.

3. Imago Dei at 1302 SE Ankeny St.

Call 211 to get transportation to any of the above shelters. TriMet will not be enforcing fares for rides to warming shelters.

The National Weather Service in Portland forecasts a high likelihood of rain and snow tonight and into Wednesday morning, including potential thunder this evening.

Yesterday, the Joint Office of Homeless Services told WW the forecast changed too late in the day for the city and county to coordinate the opening of warming shelters. Commissioners Dan Ryan and Jo Ann Hardesty called for a reevaluation of the Joint Office’s criteria for opening such shelters.

This article was published with support from the Jackson Foundation, whose mission is: “To promote the welfare of the public of the City of Portland or the State of Oregon, or both.”


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