The Montgomery County Commissioners have declared a Code Blue Cold Weather Emergency based on a review of forecasts from the National Weather Service.

The alert spans from Monday, November 20 at 8:00pm until Tuesday, November 21 at 8:00am. During this time, either the temperature or the wind chill is expected to be below 20 degrees Fahrenheit.

The Department of Public Safety recommends the following during Code Blue conditions:

• Check on elderly friends and neighbors frequently to ensure that their homes are adequately heated.
• If you see someone in need of immediate emergency assistance, call or text 9-1-1.
• If you or someone you know needs help with temporary shelter from the cold weather or a longer-term housing issue, call Your Way Home at 2-1-1 or text 898-211.

Personal tips include:

• Make sure your car is winterized with antifreeze, a full tank of gas, properly inflated tires, and is stocked with an emergency kit.
• Check your smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors.
• Wear appropriate clothing and avoid prolonged exposure when going outdoors in winter weather.
• Limit pets’ time outdoors during extreme temperatures.
• Report power outages directly to your utility company; DO NOT call 9-1-1.

A Code Blue is declared in Montgomery County when winter conditions pose a threat of serious harm or death to individuals without shelter. Residents of Glenside, Abington, Jenkintown, Cheltenham, Elkins Park, Huntingdon Valley, and Willow Grove who need emergency shelter during a Code Blue can call the Your Way Home Call Center at 2-1-1 or text their zip code to 898-211.

For general cold weather information, you can click here.

Accuweather’s forecast can be found here.

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