A forecast of plowable snow Sunday into Monday followed by some of the coldest weather temperatures in two years has the Nutmeg state preparing for a cold weather emergency, which includes activating the state’s cold weather protocols.
The National Weather Service is predicting between between three and eight inches of snow in eastern Connecticut.
Arctic air is set to bring temperatures into the single digits according to the National Weather Service. Highs during the day Tuesday and Wednesday may not break 20 degrees, and wind chills could drop below zero at night.
Connecticut’s weather will be part of a nation-wide trend as most of the United States will be afflicted with the frigid air by Tuesday.
Governor Ned Lamont has declared a cold weather emergency from 6 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 19 until 12 noon Friday, Jan. 24.
Eastern CT could see between three and eight inches of snow Sunday into Monday
How Norwich is responding
Norwich’s new emergency shelter, located in the lowest level of the Buckingham Building, at 307 Main St., will be open during the cold emergency, although there will be some changes since it opened on Dec. 21, including a reduction in capacity.
Josh Kelly, Executive Director of Thames Valley Council for Community Action, said that Fire Marshal Tracy Montoya had concerns about the use of the supply rooms, and reduced the shelter’s capacity to 16 from its original 25.
“We had more than 16 people the last three nights we were open,” Kelly said.
After some weekend negotiations with the city, Kelly said that he and the city have a plan to accommodate those in need of shelter during this very cold week once the Norwich shelter is full.
The Norwich Cold Weather Shelter’s capacity has been reduced to 16 beds. Here’s how TVCCA, the shelter’s operator, is responding to meet the need of the unhoused during this week’s cold weather emergency.
“We are working with the state’s 211 program and the city to provide transportation to other warming facilities, including New London, but they’re close to capacity as well,” Kelly said.
Kelly said that a hoteling program is also in the works to ensure that anyone wants shelter will have it, thanks to funding from the state’s 211 program.
“The hoteling program is not first come, first served,” he said. “We are looking for people we know will adhere to the rules and guidelines of the program.”
Staff will arrive at the shelter at 8 p.m. on Sunday for doors to open it for 9 p.m.
Kelly also said the shelter’s arrangements would be reevaluated on Tuesday.
A second Norwich city shelter was considered – why it it was rejected
Kelly said city management had proposed establishing a second shelter, but TVCCA found the option to be cost prohibitive on short notice.
“We would need more than double the staff, and it would have more than doubled our cost per night,” Kelly said.
Kelly also expressed concern about TVCCA’s ability to find enough staff to work two shelters.
“We’re doing our best to protect the funds that have been provided to us,” Kelly said.
Reporters Margie Cullen and Matt Grahn contributed to this report.
This article originally appeared on The Bulletin: Norwich no-freeze homeless shelter to open Jan. 19 at reduced capacity
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