Forecast warns of dangerous wind chills in Mid-Missouri

The National Weather Service in St. Louis has issued a Wind Chill Advisory affecting Mid-Missouri from 9 p.m. Friday, Feb. 12, 2021, through noon Saturday, Feb. 13, 2021.
The National Weather Service in St. Louis has issued a Wind Chill Advisory affecting Mid-Missouri from 9 p.m. Friday, Feb. 12, 2021, through noon Saturday, Feb. 13, 2021.

The National Weather Service in St. Louis has issued a Wind Chill Advisory affecting Mid-Missouri from 9 p.m. Friday through noon Saturday.

A second Wind Chill Advisory also has been issued for 6 p.m. Saturday through 6 p.m. Monday.

Very cold air and strong winds are expected to generate wind chills of as low as 15-20 degrees below zero across portions of central, east-central and northeastern Missouri and west-central Illinois.

The cold wind chills could result in hypothermia if precautions are not taken, the NWS advises. Frost bite is possible on exposed skin within 30 minutes.

The NWS recommends limiting outdoor activities during the extremely cold temperatures. People who must venture outdoors should wear a hat and gloves, making sure all exposed skin is covered.

Mid-Missouri's Boone, Callaway, Cole, Moniteau and Osage counties are included in the NWS advisory, among other Missouri counties.

High temperatures in Jefferson City are forecast at 14 degrees F for Saturday, 6 degrees for Sunday and 5 degrees for Monday, with low temperatures expected as low as -7 degrees Monday night, according to the National Weather Service as of Friday afternoon.

When temperatures are forecast to drop below 35 degrees Fahrenheit overnight, The Salvation Army Center of Hope at 927 Jefferson St. in Jefferson City provides shelter for anyone needing a place to stay. However, the shelter has room for only 14 cold cots because of COVID-19 precautions. 

There are five designated warming centers in Jefferson City, as listed by the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services:

- Capital Mall, 3600 Country Club Drive; 11 a.m.-7 p.m. Monday through Saturday and noon-6 p.m. Sunday.

- Clarke Senior Center, 1310 Linden Drive; 573-634-8020; 8 a.m.-4 p.m Monday through Friday; closed during severe weather and on holidays.

- Missouri River Regional Library, 214 Adams St.; 573-634-2464; 9 a.m.-7 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Friday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday, and 1-5 p.m. Sunday.

- The Salvation Army of Jefferson City can provide overnight cots during cold weather. For more information, call 573-635-1975.

For a list of additional warming shelters across Mid-Missouri, visit newstribune.com/warmingcenters.