As the thermometer begins its Sunday dive toward bitterly cold temperatures, expected to persist at least through Wednesday, the Cullman County Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster is coordinating the opening of warming stations across the area to accommodate those in need of cold-weather shelter.

An Arctic mass carrying extremely cold air into the region is set to enter north Alabama late Sunday into early Monday, bringing daytime highs that top out in the mid-20s, along with nighttime lows in the single digits, by Tuesday. Local schools will be closed for Martin Luther King Jr. Day Monday, though parents should continue to monitor local news and social media for additional scheduling updates as weather conditions change early next week.

“Lows in the single digits to mid-teens are forecast Monday though Thursday mornings,” the Huntsville office of the National Weather Service advised in an update Friday, cautioning wind chill estimates in some north Alabama areas expected to dip to 0 degrees on Tuesday and Wednesday mornings.

VOAD will open four warming stations on both Monday and Tuesday nights (Jan. 15 & 16), with all shelters opening at 6 p.m. each evening and closing at 8 a.m. the following morning. Those who plan to stay overnight at the warming stations must check in no later than 9 p.m. on the date of their stay; if no one arrives seeking shelter by the 9 p.m. cutoff, then that shelter will close for the night.

Here is a list of Cullman County warming stations set to open on Monday and Tuesday nights:

• Camp Liberty — 15719 AL-157, Vinemont. Camp Liberty is located in the Battleground area. Those staying at the warming station must bring their own pillows, air mattresses, food, etc.
• The Link – 708 9th St. SE, Cullman. The Link will have cots and blankets provided by the Red Cross.
• Trinity Pentecostal Church – 307 Whaley Ave, Hanceville. Trinity Pentecostal will provide soups and sandwiches during the day in addition to being open as a warming station. Red Cross will be providing cots and blankets.
• Hanceville Civic Center – 902 Commercial St. Hanceville. Hanceville Civic Center
• will have sandwiches and water provided by Hanceville 1st Baptist Church, as well as cots and blankets provided by the Red Cross.
• Unsheltered International, 479 County Road 827 Cullman, will be open Monday, Jan. 15-Friday, Jan. 19, from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. They will provide snacks and drinks.

Cullman County VOAD chairman Waid Harbison urged area residents to let others in need know about the warming stations, as well as to check on their family and neighbors, as the frigid temperatures arrive.

“We have so many people in Cullman County that may be seniors, disabled people or just neighbors we may know without heat,” Harbison said in a statement. “A lot of these folks may not have social media or get other news sources, so if you know someone within your church, a neighbor, or anyone in the community who needs to utilize the warming stations, please help us by reaching out to them individually to make sure they can utilize the stations.

“We also want to thank Tim Sartin and the guys over at Cullman County EMA for all they do to make sure the community is taken care of with all the pre-planning before disasters, and being hands on during and after disasters,” he added. “VOAD exists to get volunteer organizations including churches and nonprofits working with local government organizations including Cullman County EMA during disaster planning and recovery efforts. It is a great organization because of how much stronger we all are together.”

For more information on local warming shelters, contact Waid Harbison, Cullman County VOAD Chairman at 256-708-1650.