A bitter blast of artic air swirled into the Charlotte region Friday morning, making temperatures feel as though they were in the teens, just before the wind chill was forecast to hit -4 degrees Friday night.
The strong winds and freezing temperatures have raised concerns of power outages from falling trees or limbs, bursting water pipes and health risks to people without access to heat.
Christiaan Patterson, a forecaster with the National Weather Service, said people could begin experiencing frostbite within an hour of remaining outdoors Friday night with wind chills below zero.
In response, many homeless shelters around the Charlotte region have added beds and expanded services to help keep people warm.
The Salvation Army added 50 beds at its women and family shelter on Spratt Street, according to a spokesperson, and Melinda Wilshire of the Roof Above men's shelter said staff added 150 beds across its two shelters as well.
"We don't want anyone to freeze out in this weather, and that has happened in the past," Wilshire said.
Roof Above also opted to keep its day services center on North Tryon Street open until 4 p.m. on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, allowing people to warm themselves, eat a hot meal and pick up extra hats, mittens and blankets until the overnight shelters opened.
Ronota Stevens was among those warming themselves inside the day services center on Friday over a meal of hot barbecue sandwiches, chips and granola bars.
Stevens said she spent the previous night sleeping inside the Charlotte Amtrak train station, and hoped to find space in a shelter later in the day because the cold air was causing veins in her legs to hurt.
"When it's cold, it's painful. I probably have to take cortisone shots," she said. "This feels good ... I like the heat."
Demi Kinchen, who identified herself as a transgender woman, said she was grateful to access the food and heat inside the center.
"It's a blessing," she said. "This is the only place that homeless people got to eat and come and get services."
Kinchen said she spent the previous night in the Roof Above men's shelter, and planned to stay there again Friday. A spokesperson for the Salvation Army said transgender women were welcome to stay at their women and family shelter in Charlotte if they preferred.
Street outreach teams with Mecklenburg County also traveled to homeless encampments Thursday night to encourage people to seek shelter ahead of the dangerous wind chills, and provide blankets and sleeping bags to those who chose to stay outdoors.
The homeless services group Block Love Charlotte also said it would open its doors at 2738 North Graham St. for people without shelter to warm themselves from noon to 5 p.m. Friday, and from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, Sunday, Monday and Tuesday.
The Salvation Army of Cabarrus and Stanly Counties also said it would open a warming center and overnight overflow shelter at its location in Concord at 216 Patterson Ave. SE Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
Forecasters expected temperatures in Charlotte to remain near or below freezing through the holiday weekend and into Monday, with temperatures climbing back into the 40s on Tuesday.
The National Weather Service has also warned the cold temperatures could damage pipes, and residents should brace for possible power outages is gusty winds and saturated ground blow over trees or power lines.
