St. Louis officials are preparing for extreme cold conditions expected this weekend. According to the city’s announcement, the Department of Human Services will provide an additional 600 emergency shelter beds, bringing the total to 1,000 beds available from today through January 26. The increase coincides with Code Blue reaching Level 4, the highest activation level, due to forecasted temperatures near 0°F.
The Street Department has begun pretreating roadways in preparation for the winter weather and is prepared to deploy plows and salt as conditions require. Crews have applied approximately 30,000 gallons of brine since Wednesday. These measures are intended to maintain major traffic routes as the city anticipates possible snowfall today or tomorrow.
With Code Blue at Level 4, city shelters will operate continuously, providing both overnight lodging and daytime access to warmth. In a statement, Mayor Cara Spencer noted that shelters will be available throughout the weekend for residents needing a warm place to stay. City officials stated that the extended shelter operations are part of efforts to protect residents during the period of extreme cold.
Transportation assistance to shelters will be available through rally point pick-ups scheduled between 5 and 7 p.m., with warming buses stationed at those locations. The buses and Metro Call-A-Ride shuttles will be staffed with outreach workers to assist individuals. If weather conditions allow, the Street Department will also implement snow response operations, prioritizing arterial routes to maintain access and mobility during severe snowfall.
City officials reported that neighborhood improvement specialists from the Neighborhood Stabilization Division will be monitoring conditions in their areas and providing real-time updates. This information will help the Street Department allocate resources where they are most needed. The city stated that this coordination among multiple departments is intended to support response efforts during the winter weather event.
