By Associated Press
St. Louis, MO – Missourians should bundle up--or stay inside if they can--as a southbound arctic air mass threatens wind chill readings of 20 below zero or colder.
The National Weather Service has posted wind chill advisories for much of Missouri from later today through tomorrow morning. Temperatures will fall as the day progresses and are likely to drop below zero by midnight.
Forecasters warn that the arctic front will create wind chill readings of 20 below zero or colder. The St. Louis area's may hit minus 24, with 20-below chills expected in northwest Missouri.
The city of St. Louis is taking steps to help those who may need shelter. The city is calling over 3,000 residents who are considered at high risk during cold weather. The recorded messages give information on available resources to stay warm.
Department of Human Resources director Bill Siedhoff says they're also adding one-hundred emergency shelter beds at the city's homeless facilities.
"When you get weather like this, it finally drives some people who normally prefer not to use emergency shelters they end up seeking other places to live and that's when the numbers do increase in emergency shelters."
Siedhoff says the city has also opened 44 so-called "warming centers" throughout St. Louis. For a list of the warming shelters, click here.