Bracing for bone-chilling temperatures, Cuyahoga County officials have announced a delay in the opening of most county buildings this Tuesday. In a move designed to mitigate the impact of the severe cold snap, many facilities will not open their doors to the public until noon. WKYC reports that despite these delays, the Cuyahoga County Courthouse and Justice Center are expected to operate at their normally scheduled times.
"Members of the public are reminded that very low temperatures can quickly become hazardous for people, pets, and property," a press release noted, as FOX8 reported, urging residents to follow their municipality's winter weather guidelines. Meanwhile, those in need of warmth have been directed to seek shelter through options provided by the county. This includes contacting United Way 211 or checking the county’s Extreme Cold webpage, as was reported by Cleveland19.
As the extreme weather approaches, the Cleveland Municipal Court is scaling back its services. According to FOX8, the court will conduct only essential jail hearings on Tuesday. The majority of hearings are continued; therefore, individuals with court dates that are not related to jail hearings have been advised not to report to the courthouse.
Residents tackling the cold are encouraged to visit one of the four city recreation centers designated as warming shelters, open from 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. through Tuesday. With an ominous forecast predicting wind chills as low as 10 to 20 degrees below zero, the local weather team has forecasted this to be the region's coldest air of the winter season so far. This comes as hundreds of local school districts, including the Cleveland Metropolitan School District, have announced closures in anticipation of the hazardous cold, highlighting the breadth of the weather's impact.
