Warming stations opened to counter frigid temperatures

SANDPOINT — With below-freezing temperatures continuing throughout the weekend, various local warming stations are being made available across the county. 

Sandpoint city officials updated the city’s Facebook page to let residents know the Sandpoint Police Department lobby, at 1123 Lake St., will be open and unlocked 24/7 for anyone in need of warm shelter.

In Clark Fork, Cabinet Mountain Calvary Chapel is open as a warming station. Call Pastor Scott at 208-266-1911 or 208-610-4881 before arriving. The church’s address is 136 Calvary Way, Highway 200, Clark Fork.

Priest River Community Church will be open through Monday at 7 a.m. The church is located at 49 Washington Street, Priest River.

At 11 a.m. Friday, the National Weather Service updated its winter chill warning which is in effect until noon Sunday. Officials are warning about dangerously cold wind chills between 15 and 35 degrees below zero. These wind chills can cause frostbite on exposed skin in as little as 10 minutes.

Bitterly cold temperatures are expected to continue through the weekend with highs of 2 below to 3 above with northeasterly winds of 5 to 15 mph and gusts up to 25 mph. Highs on Sunday are expected to hover around 60 to 11. Lows throughout the weekend could go to 10 or 11 below zero, according to the National Weather Service forecast.

“Avoid outside activities if possible,” officials said. “When outside, make sure you wear appropriate clothing, a hat and gloves.”

Avista officials recommended having an emergency preparedness kit on hand at all times. In the case of unplanned outages, consider including items like flashlights with fresh batteries, a portable battery-operated radio, a cell phone with battery backup, water, and nonperishable food.

Kirstin Haley, R.N., trauma injury prevention and  education coordinator at Kootenai Health, said the extreme cold “can be very dangerous.”

She said the colder it is, the harder and faster it hits.

People run the risk of hypothermia within 30 minutes of being outside if they're not bundled up accordingly, Haley said.

"Hypothermia can set in really quickly," she added.

Coeur d’Alene climatologist Cliff Harris said it hasn't been this cold in North Idaho since temperatures dropped to about negative 3 three years ago.

“People are going to have to be careful,” Harris said. “This is nothing to fool around with.”