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Summit County opens warming shelters as temperatures expected to plummet

Buffalo Mountain and other ridge lines of the Gore Range are pictured Thursday, Nov. 3, 2022. A winterstorm is expected to bring frigid temperatures to Summit County and beyond beginning Wednesday, Dec. 21.
Andrew Maciejewski/Summit Daily News

Ahead of frigid temperatures expected Wednesday night, Dec. 21 and into Thursday, Summit County officials have opened three warming centers, according to a county press release.

According to the National Weather Service, Wednesday’s wind gusts could reach 45 mph in the afternoon and 50 mph by evening with temperatures as low as 8 below zero.

By Thursday, gusts could be around 35 mph with a high of 4 to 10 degrees during the day. Thursday night could bring lows between 4 to 12 below zero. Up to 7 inches of snow could accumulate by then, according to the weather service.



Shelter locations and times are:

  • Breckenridge Recreation Center, located at 880 Airport Road, from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday
  • Silverthorne Recreation Center, located at 430 Rainbow Drive, from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday
  • Summit County Senior & Community Center, located at 83 Nancy’s Place in Frisco, from 5 p.m. to 7 a.m. Wednesday (doors lock at 11 p.m. and those seeking shelter must arrive before that time)

According to the press release, the centers will provide limited accommodations without cots or blankets and “are intended for warmth only for those who have no other place to go.”



In a statement, Interim County Manager Phil Gonshak said the county has “a genuine concern for residents and visitors who may experience power outages, frozen pipes, or other impacts from this storm.”

Summit County Sheriff Jaime FitzSimons said his office is “urging drivers to plan ahead for travel in or out of the county and to have with them blankets and first aid kits should closures occur.”

The county’s actions come as Gov. Jared Polis authorized the National Guard to respond to what his office said would be “extreme and record-low temperatures.”

In a statement, Polis said the guard “is ready to assist local communities to help keep people safe during this extreme-cold weather snap.”

County officials said residents and visitors should sign up for the county’s SCAlert text notification system and road condition alerts from COTrip.org to stay advised of closures, warming center or shelter operations and other information during the next 48 hours.

Visit SummitCountyCO.gov/scalert to sign up for county text alerts.


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