How cold was it last night? Tacoma opens warming centers due to frigid temperatures
Cold air moving into Tacoma and Pierce County from the north is bringing below-freezing overnight temperatures to the area and little relief during the day, according to the National Weather Service.
The worst of the cold may be past, but high temperatures are expected to stay below 50 degrees until early next week.
The frigid weather has led Pierce County to open warm indoor places for people experiencing homelessness in coordination with the Tacoma Pierce County Coalition to End Homelessness.
It was a record 16 degrees in Tacoma early Wednesday morning, according to an NWS tweet, and temperatures were below freezing all night after about 10 p.m. According to NOAA online weather data, the previous low temperature record for Feb. 23 was 25 degrees in 2018.
In Puyallup, the low temperature was 16 degrees. Further south, in Olympia, it was also 16 degrees with freezing temps all night.
The high temperature for Tacoma on Wednesday was 38 degrees, with a wind chill between 19 and 29. On Thursday, the high is expected to be 43 degrees with an overnight low of 27 degrees.
Where warming centers are open:
- Chapel Hill Church: 7700 Skansie Ave. NW, Gig Harbor. Open Wednesday and Thursday, 8 a.m. to 9 p.m.
- New Hope Resource Center: 414 Spring St., Puyallup. Open Monday, Wednesday and Friday 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Open Tuesday and Thursday 7 a.m. to 12 p.m.
- Tacoma Rescue Mission: 425 S. Tacoma Way, Tacoma. Serves single men and single women. Open Wednesday to Friday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Some overnight shelter is available. Call 253-383-4493.
- Beacon Center Young Adult Shelter: 415 S 13th St., Tacoma. Serves young adults ages 18-25. Open Monday to Sunday, 8 or 9 p.m. to 7 or 7:30 a.m.
- Brotherhood RISE: 2136 Martin Luther King Jr. Way, Tacoma. Serves singles, couples and families. Open Tuesday to Friday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
- Lighthouse Activity Center Warming Shelter: 5106 A St., Tacoma. Serves singles and couples. Open Monday to Saturday, 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. Open Sunday 12 p.m. to 11 p.m.
- Nativity House Center: 702 S. 14th St., Tacoma. Serves single men and single women. Three meals served daily. Open Monday to Friday 6:30 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. Overnight open Monday to Sunday, 5 p.m. to 7 a.m.
This story was originally published February 23, 2022 at 8:40 AM.
