UPDATE Warming Station Opens Early In Princeton

Greg Jordan, Bluefield Daily Telegraph, W.Va.
·2 min read

Dec. 23—PRINCETON — A warming station will be opening early in Princeton as Arctic temperatures continue to dip below zero while a wind chill warning remains in effect until Saturday afternoon. Other warming stations are open across the region.,

A warming station is opening now at the Karen Preservati Center on Maple Street off of Stafford Drive, according to Mercer County Emergency Services Director Keith Gunnoe. It is next door to the Princeton Rescue Squad.

"We're going to go ahead and get the warming center open," Gunnoe said before noon.

The warming center will be open until Sunday. The Arctic temperatures arrived about 12 hours earlier than expected, Gunnoe said.

The Bluefield Union Mission will also serve as a warming station if needed, Gunnoe said.

Tazewell County Emergency Services will have a series of warming stations which will be activated Friday morning. People in Tazewell, Va. who need assistance can call Tazewell 911 at its non-emergency number, 276-988-0645. Warming stations will be in the following locations:

—Bandy Volunteer Fire Department at 3286 Bandy Road, Bandy, Va. 276-598-4706 or 276-596-9033.

—Clearfork Volunteer Fire Department at 7146 Clearfork Road, Bastian, Va. 276-970-5271 or 276-988-3473.

—Thompson Valley Volunteer Fire Department at 8905 Thompson Valley, Tazewell, Va. 276-988-4435.

—Burke's Garden Volunteer Fire Department at 6164 Burke's Garden, Tazewell, Va. 276-472-2691.

—Tazewell County Volunteer Fire Department at the Fuller Perry Building, Fairgrounds Road, Tazewell, Va. 276-264-0984.

—Richlands Police Department, 1851 Crandell Drive, Richlands, Va. 276-964-9134.

—Jewell Ridge Volunteer Fire Department. 805 Jewell Main Road, Jewell Ridge, Va. 276-881-8304 or 276-596-0362.

In McDowell County, plans were made for warming stations. People seeking a warming station will be able to call the 911 center at 304-436-4106, said 911 Deputy Director Bobby Bowman. The county's warming station partners were notified Wednesday morning and will be open if needed.

A winter weather advisory and wind chill warning issued by the National Weather Service as Arctic air gripped the Mercer County and Tazewell County Va, area are currently in effect.

The advisories include Tazewell, Va. and Mercer and Summers Counties in West Virginia.

The winter weather advisory remains in effect until 1 p.m. today, and the wind chill advisory will stay in effect until 1 p.m. Saturday. Dangerous wind chills as low as 30 degrees below zero are possible, according to the weather service. These wind chills could cause frostbite on exposed skin in as little as 10 minutes.

Rapidly falling temperatures could lead to flash freezing on roadways. Between 1 to 3 inches of snow is possible.

Contact Greg Jordan at gjordan@bdtonline.com