Extremely cold weather is forecast to affect Etowah County this week. Temperatures dropped below freezing Wednesday night, and were not predicted to rise above freezing again until Friday. Wind chills dropped to near the single digits both nights.
Local jurisdictions and agencies opened warming centers to provide relief to local citizens. The following locations opened: Salvation Army – 114 North 11th Street, Gadsden (Continuously opened, Wednesday 8 a.m. – Friday noon); Elliott Community Center – 2829 West Meighan Boulevard, Gadsden (Wednesday – Friday 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.); Carver Community Center – 1030 Tuscaloosa Avenue, Gadsden (Wednesday – Friday 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.); Gadsden Public Library – 254 College Street, Gadsden (Wednesday – Friday 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.); the Town of Altoona offered to open a location upon request; Attalla – Carnes Recreation Center, 102 Case Avenue SE, Attalla (Wednesday – Friday 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.); George Wallace Senior Center – 407 Hollingsworth Drive, Glencoe (Wednesday – Friday 8 a.m. – 3 p.m.); Rainbow City Community Center – 3702 Rainbow Drive, Rainbow City (Wednesday – Friday 8 a.m. – 4 p.m.); Southside Community Center – 2142 Highway 77, Southside (Wednesday – Friday 8:30 a.m. – noon); and Walnut Grove Recreation Center – Vandiver Street, Walnut Grove (Continuously opened, Wednesday 8 a.m. – Friday noon).
Etowah County schools also opened two hours later on Thursday to protect the children from the extreme cold temperatures.
