Bitter cold moves into Topeka. TRM intends for warming center to stay open until Tuesday
Howling winds, bitter cold and wintry precipitation moved into northeast Kansas late Thursday and early Friday, beginning what forecasters predicted would be five straight days of sub-zero wind chills.
The temperature and wind chill index had dipped to 12 degrees and minus 6 degrees, respectively, as of 11 a.m. Friday at the National Weather Service's Topeka office, its website said.
Topeka saw only a trace of snow and a glazing of ice late Thursday and early Friday, said Nathan Griesemer, meteorologist for that office.
Warming center plans to remain open until Tuesday
Meanwhile, TRM Ministries said it planned keep the warming center it was operating at 206 N.W. Norris open past noon Saturday, when it had tentatively planned to close it.
TRM now plans to keep the center open until noon Tuesday, though that will only be possible if it has sufficient volunteers and staff to safely operate it, said TRM spokeswoman Kim Turley.
Anyone who would like to volunteer can click here.
TRM, which operates two homeless shelters in North Topeka, had opened the warming center late Jan. 8 to provide refuge and rest for those who are unsheltered and living outside, said executive director La Manda Broyles.
This month's center has seen less support than was received by the warming center TRM set up to deal with similar weather in December 2022, Broyles told The Capital-Journal on Wednesday.
What does the Topeka weather forecast say?
The weather service for days had been warning the public about the bone-chilling conditions anticipated to result from a southward move of the polar vortex, a gigantic, circular area of cold air high up in the atmosphere that typically spins over the North Pole.
Wind chills could get as low as 30 below in Shawnee, Douglas, Lyon, Osage, Morris, Wabaunsee and Jefferson counties, the weather service said in a wind chill warning it issued early Friday covering those counties and lasting from 6 p.m. Friday to 1 a.m. Tuesday.
Wind chills at Topeka were predicted to get as low as minus 21 late Saturday, minus 28 early Sunday, minus 20 early Monday and minus 27 early Tuesday, the weather service's Topeka office said in a graphic linked to its website.
A 20% chance of snow was predicted Sunday and Sunday night for Topeka, with no precipitation otherwise expected between Saturday and Tuesday.
How can people stay safe in sub-zero wind chills?
The weather service asked residents to avoid outdoor activities if possible, and to wear appropriate clothing if they go outside, including a coat, hat and gloves.
"The cold wind chills could cause frostbite on exposed skin in as little as 30 minutes," said the wind chill warning it issued.
Contact Tim Hrenchir at threnchir@gannett.com or 785-213-5934.
This article originally appeared on Topeka Capital-Journal: Sub-zero wind chills hit Topeka; TRM warming center plans to stay open
