Monroe County has opened 10 warming stations to provide respite from the single-digit temperatures.
The stations will provide an opportunity for people to warm up if they don't have access to other sources of heat, according to a release from Monroe County Emergency Management.
Warming stations are located at Bloomington Fire Station 1, Ellettsville Fire Department Headquarters and Monroe Fire Protection Districts Perry, Clear Creek, Indian Creek, Bloomington and Van Buren. The stations are open from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. through Monday.
Additional stations are available at the Monroe County Public Library Downtown, Southwest and Ellettsville branches. These stations are open until 6 p.m. Sunday and 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday.
Food, showers and sleeping areas are not provided at the warming stations. The county encourages people to seek out local shelters for those services. The Bloomington Severe Winter Emergency Shelter is a low-barrier shelter that will be open Sunday night at First United Methodist Church and Monday night at First Presbyterian Church.
The National Weather Service issued a cold weather advisory for Monroe County and surrounding areas lasting through 9 a.m. Monday. The advisory states temperatures with wind could dip to as low as 17 degrees below zero.
The low Sunday night is zero degrees, while Monday night warms up some to a low of 20 degrees.
Hypothermia occurs when body temperature drops below 95 degrees and can occur even in moderately cool temperatures, although risk increases as the temperature drops. Frostbite is also a risk in low temperatures and occurs when skin is exposed to freezing temperatures. To avoid hypothermia and frostbite, people should dress warmly and avoid staying outside for long periods of time, according to Mayo Clinic.
