State officials in the Northeast have warned residents to stay indoors on Friday and Saturday, as temperatures drop well below zero for more than 20 million people.
Wind chill warnings are in effect for Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, and New York on Saturday, with state officials opening shelters and warming centers for those who need it, including groups experiencing homelessness.
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“Our state is facing dangerously cold temperatures and extreme wind chills today and tomorrow,” Gov. Kathy Hochul (D-NY) tweeted Friday morning. “We are coordinating with local officials to ensure they have what they need to keep New Yorkers safe. Please limit time outdoors, wear layers, & use caution with alternative heat sources.”
New York City issued a “code blue,” on Friday night, which indicates temperatures have reached an extremely low threshold. Under the code, people may use the city’s homeless shelter system on an emergency basis and directs New Yorkers to report people on the street as a safety measure.
“No one who is experiencing homelessness and seeking shelter in New York City during a Code Blue will be denied,” a spokesperson for the city’s department of homeless solutions told CNN.
The worst of the weather is expected to hit Maine, where 70,000 people are under a blizzard warning until Saturday night, according to the National Weather Service. Maine State Police warned people not to drive across fields on Saturday because of potential white-out conditions.
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Southern states are also being hit hard with extreme cold weather. Power outages have occurred in Texas and Arkansas that were caused by the freezing temperatures. At least eight people have died as a result. Approximately 120,000 homes and businesses remain without power in Texas as of Saturday, after weather conditions caused trees to break and knock out power lines.
Just under 35,000 homes and businesses are experiencing outages early Saturday, according to the tracking site Poweroutage.us.
