Cold weather shelters are opening in Tampa Bay this weekend ahead of a front that will bring frigid temperatures across the region.
The National Weather Service said a cold front will move across the region Friday afternoon or evening, with a blast of cold air behind it.
Clouds decrease Friday, and the front arrives Friday night and will drive temperatures down starting overnight into Saturday.
Highs on Saturday are only expected to reach the upper-50s to near 60 — and even colder to the north — with brisk northerly winds.
Lows on Saturday night will drop into the mid-30s to low-40s, with areas along the Nature Coast falling into the upper 20s heading into Sunday.
Wind chill values early Saturday are also forecast to fall below 40 degrees.
Warmer conditions return by the start of next week.
The front arriving Saturday prompted prompted several counties to open cold-weather shelters over the next few nights.
Citrus County
The Citrus County Cold Weather Shelter will be open Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 6 p.m. to 7 a.m. The shelter will offer hot meals, a warm sleeping area, showers, snacks and more, according to a Facebook post.
Citrus County Transit will provide free transportation to the shelter. It is advised you arrive to the nearest pickup location at least 10 minutes early, according to the shelter. You can check the transit schedule here; for their Saturday and Sunday schedule, click here. To contact Citrus County Transit, call (352) 527-7630.
For more information on the shelter, call (352) 234-3099.
- Nature Coast Community Church
5113 Suncoast Blvd.
Homosassa, FL 34446
The shelter also said the Connections Outreach Center, ran by the Citrus County Family Resource Center in Hernando, opens early the following mornings to act as a warming shelter. Guests can travel there using a personal vehicle or for free on Citrus County Transit.
For more information on the Connections Outreach Center, click here.
Hernando County
Cold weather shelters are opening in Hernando County on Friday, Saturday and Sunday night.
The shelters, run by Jericho Road Ministries, are available to guests who are alcohol- and drug-free, according to their website. The shelters offer access to showers and basic toiletries, and guests will receive a meal, a change of clothes, and a bed for the night.
Jericho Road Ministries advises calling ahead to check availability at their shelters. You can contact them at (352) 799-2912.
- Men’s Shelter
11014 N. Broad St.
Brooksville, FL 34601
- Women’s Shelter (Mary’s House)
1163 Howell Ave.
Brooksville, FL 34601
Hillsborough County
Hillsborough County is opening cold weather shelters on Saturday.
The shelters are for adults who are unhoused or live in houses without enough heat and can’t find other accommodations, according to a news release. Organizers said they expect high demand and limited capacity, so they advise people who need shelter to use all their resources — like friends and family — as a first option.
All shelters will take in guests from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., unless they reach capacity before then.
Shelters are for adults only. Families with minor children should call (813) 209-1176.
- Amazing Love Ministries
3304 E. Columbus Drive
Tampa, FL 33602 - Church of God of Prophecy Hyde Park
107 S. Oregon Ave.
Tampa, FL 33606 - Greater New Hope Church Anointed Ministries (Prayer Retreat Center)
2104 Mud Lake Road
Plant City, FL 33566 - Hyde Park United Methodist Church
500 W. Platt St.
Tampa, FL 33606 - Legacy Church
3416 N. 15th St.
Tampa, FL 33605 - New Life Church (hosted by Unbroken Dreams, Inc., pet friendly)
8216 N. 13th St.
Tampa, FL 33604 - Tampa Bay Mission of Hope
212 S. St. Cloud Ave. Building A
Valrico, FL 33594
The nonprofit Metropolitan Ministries is offering limited single-night motel vouchers on a first-come, first-served basis for families with minor children, according to the release. Pre-registration is required by calling (813) 209-1176; phone lines open on Saturday at 9 a.m.
Pasco County
Pasco County is opening a cold weather shelter on Saturday night. The shelter opens Saturday at 6 p.m. and closes Sunday at 10 a.m. For more information, call (727) 856-2948.
- Shady Hills Mission Chapel
15925 Greenglen Lane
Spring Hill, FL 34610
Pinellas County
The Homeless Leadership Alliance of Pinellas announced cold night shelters will be open on Saturday night.
Shelters will allow guests in until the site is full, according to a news release. All shelters provide a warm and safe place to sleep, and many also serve a meal.
Shelters are available to adults at the times listed. Families with kids will be placed in family shelters if there is space. For information on family shelters, call 2-1-1, Tampa Bay Cares, Inc.
Tarpon Springs
- Boys and Girls Club of the Suncoast
111 W. Lime St., Tarpon Springs
6 p.m. – 6 a.m.
Clearwater
- First United Methodist Church of Clearwater
411 Turner St., Clearwater
6 p.m. – 6 a.m.
Pinellas Park
- Boys & Girls Club
7790 61st St. N., Pinellas Park
6 p.m. – 6 a.m.
St. Petersburg
- Northwest Presbyterian Church
6330 54th Ave. N., St. Petersburg
6 p.m. – 6 a.m.
- WestCare Turning Point
1810 5th Ave. N., St. Petersburg
6 p.m. – 6 a.m.
- Unitarian Universalist Church of St. Petersburg
100 Mirror Lake Drive N., St. Petersburg
6 p.m. – 6 a.m.
This location requires the use of stairs.
- Salvation Army
1400 Fourth St. S., St. Petersburg
6 p.m. – 7:30 a.m.
Sarasota County
Sarasota County is opening a cold weather shelter on Saturday starting at 5 p.m. Guests should bring their own sleeping materials, according to a news release.
Breeze Route 9 operating on a normal schedule will arrive within about one block of the shelter. Breeze Route 17 operating on a normal schedule will transport guests from Sarasota to Venice. From there, a transfer to the Breeze Route 9 route will drop them off within one block of the shelter.
To check routes and bus arrival times, check out the Breeze Rider app here.
- 100 Church
14525 Tamiami Trail
North Port, FL 34287
