Updated 10:33 a.m., Feb. 5, 2025
Not opening tonight:
- Emergency severe weather shelters will close as scheduled at noon, Wednesday, Feb. 5; an improving forecast means thresholds for reopening shelters tonight have not been met.
Remaining open:
- Multnomah County and the City of Portland’s nearly 3,000 year-round shelter beds and 200 winter-only overnight shelter beds. Beds are still available at the two all-winter shelters operated by the Salvation Army; call 2-1-1.
- The Joint Office of Homeless Services will continue to operate its enhanced outreach program.
The weather forecast for Wednesday night, Feb. 5, 2025, will not meet thresholds to open severe weather shelters. Local officials use these thresholds — in consultation with National Weather Service experts, Emergency Management, the Health Department, County Human Services and the Joint Office of Homeless Services — to activate emergency severe weather shelter plans.
Officials will continue to monitor forecasts, especially as weather patterns change and as forecasts for this coming week show the possibility of colder temperatures and precipitation.
Anyone seeking shelter should contact 211info by dialing 2-1-1 or 1-866-698-6155. 211info staff are available to identify shelters and warming spaces in Multnomah County 24/7, along with transportation options.
To find daytime warming spaces open today, including Multnomah County Library branches, please see this interactive map. During severe weather events, the map will also include activated shelter locations in addition to non-shelter spaces where people can find respite.
If you are concerned about someone you see during colder conditions, such as an individual who is not dressed for the weather conditions, call the non-emergency response line at 503-823-3333 and request a welfare check.
If someone is unsheltered and their life appears to be in danger, call 9-1-1 for medical attention.
Thresholds not met to open emergency warming shelters, but work is happening to support community
The Joint Office of Homeless Services is continuing its enhanced outreach program. During enhanced outreach, the Joint Office divides the County into zones and works with nonprofit providers and community groups to make sure each zone has one or more teams checking on people without shelter and delivering life-safety supplies, including warm clothing, blankets and hand warmers.
Since Jan. 10, the Joint Office through its coordinated outreach work has distributed 4,380 hand-warming packs, 880 sweatshirts, 880 pairs of sweatpants, 4,380 ponchos, 2,628 warm hats, 2,628 pairs of gloves, 5,256 pairs of socks, 4,268 wool blankets, 4,220 tarps, 857 tents, 860 sleeping bags, 4,380 mylar blankets and 88,012 bottles of water.
Multnomah County and the City of Portland have also worked with The Salvation Army to open 200 additional beds of overnight-only shelter through the winter season. Those seasonal beds could convert to 24-hour beds, or stay open longer than overnight, in the event severe weather shelters activate and also remain open longer than overnight. The seasonal beds join nearly 3,000 year-round, 24-hour shelter beds open in the County.
The County has also been monitoring emergency systems to measure how the weather is impacting the community.
Volunteering to support our warming shelters
During dangerous weather emergencies, Multnomah County opens life-saving Disaster Resource Centers (DRCs) across our community that offer people shelter, safety, resources and connection — especially those who are at greatest risk of harm. We often welcome the support of community members when the need arises. Visit the “Volunteer at a County emergency shelter” webpage to learn about info sessions and training opportunities, as well as emergency shelter roles and their requirements.
Many organizations providing aid to people experiencing homelessness also partner with community volunteers to offer their services and accept community donations. 211info also has a winter-focused donations site.
Severe weather thresholds for opening emergency shelter
County staff monitor weather conditions and other factors, including temperature fluctuations, precipitation, windchill and emergency department visits for hypothermia. Once forecasts show the potential for thresholds to be met, officials meet daily to discuss those weather conditions — consulting with Emergency Management, Health Department, County Human Services and Joint Office experts — and then jointly decide on shelter plans as needed.
Severe weather shelters open as needed when any of the following thresholds are met for any one of the conditions below that are forecasted to persist for four (4) hours or more between the hours of 8 p.m. and 7 a.m.
- Forecast temperature of 25° F (-4° C) or below
- Forecast temperature at or below 32° F (0° C) with 1 inch or more of rain and with sustained winds greater than 10 mph overnight
- Forecast snow accumulation of 1 inch (25 mm) or more over a 24-hour period
The County’s Chief Operating Officer or their designee may consider other conditions or circumstances during a severe weather event that could increase the risk to the community and activate elements included in this standard operating procedure.
The basic thresholds the County uses were first developed and used by the City of Portland, before the Joint Office of Homeless Services was created, when the City served as the lead agency providing severe weather shelter for adults experiencing homelessness.
Cold weather alerts for enhanced outreach
Even when severe weather thresholds aren't met, the Joint Office of Homeless Services may issue a “cold weather alert” as cold and wet conditions warrant. This activates enhanced outreach. Cold weather alerts do not activate the County’s response to open severe weather beds at additional warming shelters.
During enhanced outreach, providers conduct additional and focused outreach to find vulnerable people, and they can quickly obtain and distribute cold weather gear from the Joint Office supply distribution center. Providers will also step up coordination to share information on resources and available shelter. Overflow shelter capacity will be made available to outreach workers, who can refer people in need.
The following conditions lasting for four (4) or more hours overnight activate the highest level of enhanced outreach. In some cases, thresholds may be met only in certain zones; enhanced outreach can be specific to those zones.
- Temperatures forecast to reach 32 degrees or below, without precipitation
- Windchills forecast to reach 25 degrees or below, without precipitation
- Temperatures forecast to reach 34 degrees or below, alongside precipitation of more than one tenth of an inch
