Houston will open 12 overnight warming centers on the evening of Feb. 19, according to a Feb. 18 news conference.

The overview

Houston is expected to see a low of 28 degrees on Feb. 19, according to the National Weather Service. Ahead of the cold weather, Houston Mayor John Whitmire said the city will open 12 overnight warming centers Feb. 19 at 6 p.m. and they will remain open until Feb. 21 at 8 a.m., to help shelter and keep Houston residents warm.

“Be smart, look after your family, your pets [and] your plants,” Whitmire said. “We do not believe it will be a severe freezing episode.”

The 12 overnight warming centers that will open are:Whitmire said mental health caseworkers will also be stationed at the Fonde and Metropolitan warming centers to help ease anxieties. The Northeast warming center will be primarily designated for families, he said. Individuals who arrive with items will be allowed to keep their items with them while they are at the warming centers.


“Having visited these warming centers in recent times, certainly during the snowstorm, I noticed the anxiety and the emotional challenge for so many of our homeless,” Whitmire said.

What else?

Commissioner Lesley Briones announced Feb. 19 that the Bayland Community Center on 6400 Bissonnet St. will open a 24-hour shelter starting Feb. 19 at 6 p.m. through Feb. 21. Residents are welcome to bring crated pets to the center, according to the news release.