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PARKERSBURG — The area is still expected to continue to see cold temperatures as many are continuing to deal with the frigid weather.

The National Weather Service in Charleston is reporting dry conditions this week as a cold weather advisory has been issued for the area through 9 a.m. Wednesday with lows expected with wind chills expected to reach down to around -7.

After over an inch of snowfall on Sunday, Meteorologist Gabe Wawrin said there is a possibility the area could see some snow showers with a “light coating” and nothing significant.

“The main story will be the temperatures,” he said. “In the Parkersburg area it will be significantly below normal through Wednesday.

“Things will warm up by Thursday.”

Wawrin added that “warm up” is relative as temperatures will remain cold and overall temperatures are expected to “crack the freezing mark” with a high of 33 degrees being forecast.

“It will be relatively warm compared to what we have had in terms of what we normally have for mid to late January,” he said. “We are still going to be well below normal.”

Temperatures were expected around zero Monday night in Parkersburg, Wawrin said, adding the highs today are expected to reach the mid-teens.

“Tuesday night will look to be the coldest night for Parkersburg itself with a low of -7,” he said. “Some of the outlier areas could be several degrees colder than that.”

On Wednesday the high will reach 20 and the low is expected to be down around 8.

“In general it is going to be cold throughout the entirety of the work week,” Wawrin said, adding by Saturday it could return to more “normal” temperatures in the low 40s.

Through Wednesday night, people need to continue to exercise caution when outside due to the colder temperatures.

“This has been one of the more significant cold spells we have had over the last three to four years,” Wawrin said.

With the cold temperatures, the area’s homeless population can remain at risk with many seeking shelter at the Salvation Army facility in Parkersburg or through local churches.

The Salvation Army had handed out a total of 15 motel vouchers over the past couple of days and continues to operate a warming station which is opened up when the outdoor temperature goes below 32 degrees, said Housing Monitor Michael Cremeans.

The warming station is open 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. during the day and 6 p.m. to 8 a.m. for their evening/overnight hours.

There are 10 cots available, but they have had people bring in their own sleeping bags and occupy floor space to free up space for others, Cremeans said.

“We have not been at full overnight capacity since (Jan. 16),” he said. “The overnight warming station has usually housed between two and eight individuals, depending on outdoor conditions.”

People staying at the Salvation Army warming station cannot be under the influence where they are a danger to themselves or others and illicit substance use is not allowed on their property. People are expected to behave as violence, threats of violence or destruction of property are not allowed.

Cremeans said they have had a couple of people call in searching for information about open beds for both women and men. They also regularly give out gloves, scarves and blankets to those in need. They also regularly serve three meals a day to those in need.

“I do expect a great number of people to show up,” he said of when conditions get really cold outside.

Some within the community have asked why the new Wood County Resiliency Center was not opened up as a warming station for those in need.

Wood County Commission President Blair Couch said they do not have the staff to be able to handle such an operation, adding they would need the help of organizations like the Salvation Army, the National Guard, the American Red Cross or others.

Couch said he has been in contact with the Mid-Ohio Valley Health Department and said if they wanted to open a warming shelter, they could with the county’s assistance, most likely at the Judge Black Annex.

“We never designed the Wood County Resiliency Center to be a homeless shelter,” Couch said, adding the idea was that if a disaster happened, like a tornado or a flood where people were immediately displaced from their homes an immediate shelter could be set up at the center to help those people immediately.

Right now there are churches and other organizations who have opened their doors to those in need. The county recently delivered 20 cots to the Gathering Place to help with their warming station, Couch said.

“We remain vigilant and hopeful we can help those in need,” Couch said. “It the need becomes greater than what it is right now, the county would be happy to open a warming station, but we can’t run it.

“We stand willing and able to use our facilities, if necessary.”

The Gathering Church at 1005 14th St. in Parkersburg is continuing to operate as an overnight warming shelter, including for people with pets. Pastor Melody Smith said they had around 25 people stay there Saturday night and that number increased Sunday night to 35.

“It has been really, really busy,” she said. “I expect it to get bigger each night.”

Smith said they haven’t had any major issues and that the community has stepped up to help when they have needed things.

“Whenever we have run into a need, we have put it out on Facebook and people have been responding really well to that,” she said, adding Sunday night and into Monday morning they have run out of men’s underwear and socks.

They put the word out on Facebook and the community has been able to step up with donations.

“Now we have a giant tote full of them,” Smith said.

From time to time, they have also needed cold medication and ibuprofen and they have had people bring those items in.

As temperatures continue to remain in the single digits, Smith expects they will see more people coming in over the next couple of nights.

The Gathering usually has outreach where they serve a daily lunch meal for people in need. They also have shower and laundry facilities to help people as well as clothing bins people can look through.

“These are already the people we are serving,” Smith said. “We are located in a location that is close to them to be able to walk to us. They know we are here and that we care about them.

“The possibility someone could freeze to death is just not acceptable to us. Our goal is as long as it is dangerously cold outside people have a place where they can come, no matter what.”

Wood County Schools is also reporting schools will be closed today due to expected refreezing of roadway surfaces and overnight temperatures At 4 p.m. Monday, the call went out canceling school in Belpre due to cold weather and road conditions.

Brett Dunlap can be reached at bdunlap@newsandsentinel.com