(WASHINGTON, DC) – With the National Weather Service (NWS) forecasting one to two inches of snow for the District on Tuesday, January 29, the District is cancelling evening activities at DC Public Schools (DCPS) and Department of Parks and Recreation Centers; DCPS aftercare programs are not canceled, but parents and guardians are encouraged to pick up students as early as possible. NWS predicts that the winter weather event will start out as rain, then transition to snow Tuesday afternoon into the evening, when temperatures are expected to drop into the low 20s; beginning at 3:00 p.m., the District will be under a winter weather advisory until 12:00 a.m. on Wednesday, January 30. To prepare for the Tuesday evening commute, More than 200 trucks will be deployed to treat roads beginning at noon on Tuesday.

Residents and motorists can register to receive important weather alerts from the District on their devices by signing up for AlertDC at alertdc.dc.gov.

To prepare for tomorrow’s inclement weather, residents are encouraged to heed the following tips:

• If driving, do so cautiously and maintain safe speeds and distances from other vehicles.
• Be aware of hazardous road conditions, particularly black ice which can be deceptive in appearance and give the driver a false sense of security on the road.
• Drive and walk carefully on bridges, ramps and other elevated structures which can freeze before the roadway.
• Property owners should apply abrasives such as rock salt, de-icer, or non-clumping kitty litter to the sidewalks around their properties to reduce the possibility of icing and to prevent slips and falls.
• Dress properly for the weather, including a hat, scarf, coat, gloves, socks, and water-resistant shoes or boots.
• For pet owners, after each walk, wash and dry your pet’s feet and abdomen to remove ice, salt, and chemicals—and check for cracks in paw pads or redness between the toes. Use pet-friendly ice melts whenever possible.
• If you witness an animal emergency, including animals left outside in extreme weather, please call DC Animal Care and Control at 202-576-6664 to report the location and a description of the animal.

The DC Snow Team is committed to a quick completion of plowing and salting along major roads and residential streets, which in turn means a faster return to normal traffic flow and earlier resumption of trash collection and other city services. To report any concerns, residents should call the Citywide Call Center by dialing 311.

For more information about DC’s snow program and preparing for winter weather, or to see where District Snow Team plows are working, go to snow.dc.gov. Ongoing updates are also posted on the social media accounts of the Department of Public Works (DPW): Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Service Changes

Residents are likely to experience delays with the city’s holiday tree collections. The equipment and personnel used for these collections is being utilized as part of the DC Snow Team deployment.

Cold Weather Emergency Alert and Shelters

The District has activated the Hypothermia Alert, which will remain in effect until further notice. Hypothermia Alerts are activated when the NWS forecasted temperature, including wind chill, is or will be 32° F or below; or, when the temperature is forecasted to be 40° F or below, and the forecasted chance of precipitation is fifty percent or greater.

On Tuesday, January 29 at 3:00 p.m., the Department of Human Services (DHS) in collaboration with the District of Columbia Homeland Security and Emergency Management Agency (HSEMA) will activate the Cold Weather Emergency Alert. The District activates the Cold Emergency plan when the temperature and wind chill drop to 15° F or when the temperature, with wind chill, is 20° F and there is an accompanying meteorological event such as snow. DHS, HSEMA and other agencies have determined that the weather as forecast presents a danger, especially to residents who are experiencing homelessness.

Low-Barrier Shelters

Low-Barrier shelters for individuals operate year-round and are normally open from 5:00 p.m. to 9:00 a.m. When the Hypothermia and Cold Alerts are activated, all low-barrier shelters remain open all day and remain open during the extent of the extreme weather conditions.

Men

• New York Avenue Shelter at 1355 New York Avenue, NE
• 801 East Shelter at 801 Making Life Better Lane, SE
• Adams Place Emergency Shelter at 2210 Adams Place, NE
• Community for Creative Non Violence (CCNV) at 425 Second Street, NW (Drop In Center is open only during Hypothermia Alert)

Women

• Nativity Shelter for Women at 6010 Georgia Avenue, NW (Opens at 7:00 p.m.)
• Harriet Tubman at 1900 Massachusetts Avenue, SE Building #27
• Patricia Handy Place for Women at 810 5th Street, NW
• Community for Creative Non Violence (CCNV) at the 425 Second Street, NW (Drop In Center is open only during Hypothermia Alert)

Seasonal Shelters are open daily from 9:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m., November 1, 2018 through March 31, 2019.

Women

• King Greenleaf Recreation Center at 201 N Street, SW

Co-Ed

• The Salvation Army at 3335 Sherman Avenue, NW
• Malcolm X Recreation Center (Co-Ed) at 1351 Alabama Ave, SE

Hypothermia Shelters

Hypothermia shelters are open from 7:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m. anytime a Hypothermia Alert is called, except in recreation centers, where, due to previously scheduled programming, the shelter opens at 9:00 p.m.

Men

• Community for Creative Non-Violence (CCNV) at 425 Second Street, NW
• Banneker Recreation Center at 2500 Georgia Avenue, NW (Monday - Friday; 9:00 p.m. – 7:00 a.m.)
• Kennedy Recreation Center at 1401 7th Street NW (Monday - Friday; 9:00 p.m. – 7:00 a.m.)
• Malcolm X Recreation Center (Co-Ed) at 1351 Alabama Ave, SE
• Salvation Army (Co-Ed) at 3335 Sherman Ave, NW

Women

• New Covenant Baptist at 1301 W Street, SE
• Sherwood Recreation Center at 640 10th St, NE (Monday - Friday; 9:00 p.m. – 7:00 a.m.)
• Community of Christ at 3526 Massachusetts Ave, NW
• Malcolm X Recreation Center (Co-Ed) at 1351 Alabama Ave, SE
• Salvation Army (Co-Ed) at 3335 Sherman Ave, NW

Transportation to Warmth and Safety: Free transportation to shelter is provided to anyone experiencing homelessness in the District during a Hypothermia Alert. To request transportation to shelter for people in Washington, DC who are experiencing homelessness, contact the Shelter Hotline by calling (202) 399-7093 or 311. Please include the time, address or location of the person, and a description of the person’s appearance.

Increased Outreach: The Department of Human Services (DHS) will amplify outreach efforts during the weekend to raise awareness about the availability of Hypothermia Shelters.

Families seeking emergency shelter can also visit the Virginia Williams Family Resource Center at 920 Rhode Island Avenue, NE on Monday through Thursday, 8:00 a.m.-4:30 p.m., and Friday, 8:00 a.m.- 12:30 p.m. Families may also call the Shelter Hotline at (202) 399-7093 or 311 at any time day or night.