For the third time in just over a month and a half, counties around the greater Tampa Bay region are opening cold-weather shelters.
Temperatures in the area are expected to drop into the low to mid-40s early Friday, with cool conditions expected into the weekend.
Shelters are for people without homes or those who live in homes without adequate heat.
Hillsborough County
Hillsborough will open shelters Thursday from 6-8 p.m. unless they reach capacity prior to that time.
- Church of God of Prophecy Hyde Park, 107 S. Oregon Ave., Tampa
- Hyde Park United Methodist Church, 500 W. Platt St., Tampa
- Tampa Bay Mission of Hope, 212 S. St. Cloud Ave. Building A, Valrico
- Amazing Love Ministries, 3304 E. Columbus Dr., Tampa
Pinellas County
Pinellas will open shelters from 6 p.m. Thursday to 6 a.m. Friday. Many sites will serve meals.
The Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority will provide free bus rides to and from the shelters from 5 p.m. Thursday through 7 a.m. Friday. Riders must tell drivers they are going to a shelter when boarding to ride fare-free.
Shelters available are:
- First United Methodist Church of Clearwater, 411 Turner St., Clearwater (PSTA Route 52)
- Boys & Girls Club of the Suncoast in Pinellas Park, 7790 61st St. N., (PSTA Route 74)
- First United Methodist Church, 9025 49th St. N., Pinellas Park (PSTA Route 52). This location requires the use of stairs.
- Northwest Presbyterian Church, 6330 54th Ave. N., St. Petersburg (PSTA Route 75)
- WestCare Turning Point, 1801 Fifth Ave. N., St Petersburg (PSTA Route 9)
- Unitarian Universalist Church, 100 Mirror Lake Drive N., St. Petersburg (PSTA Routes 18, 23 or 100X). This location requires the use of stairs.
- Salvation Army, 1400 Fourth St. S., St. Petersburg (PSTA Route 4)
- Boys & Girls Club of Tarpon Springs, 111 W Lime St. (PSTA Route 19)
Families with children will be placed in family shelters (if space is available). Families should call 211 or contact First Contact for information about family shelters.
Manatee County
Manatee County is opening a cold weather shelter with The Salvation Army at 1204 14th St. W. in Bradenton. Doors will open at 6 p.m. Thursday.
Sarasota County
A cold weather shelter will be open at 100 Church on Thursday from 5 p.m. until 7 a.m. A meal will be provided.
The shelter is at 14525 Tamiami Trail in North Port.
Those staying there should bring their own sleeping materials.
In the City of North Port, Breeze Route 9 is operating on a normal schedule and serves stops on Tamiami Trail at Espanola Avenue/Almonte Terrace (a 0.1-mile walk to 100 Church). Those in the North Port service area could also use Breeze OnDemand services.
Citrus County
The shelter at 5113 S. Suncoast Blvd., Homosassa, will open at 6 p.m. Thursday and Friday, closing at 7 the following mornings.
Citrus County Transit will provide transportation to the shelter at no cost.
This list will be updated as more counties open shelters.
