Central Florida counties prepare for cold with warming shelters
By Marian Summerall
January 15, 2026 at 10:53 AM EST
Severe freeze warnings are in effect until Friday at 1 a.m. from the National Weather Service for counties like Osceola, Seminole, Volusia and more.
Residents could see temperatures in the 30s and lower Thursday night and Friday morning as a cold front sweeps across the state.
So far, warming centers are opening up on Thursday in Orange, Osceola, Seminole, Volusia and Flagler counties to provide relief for those in need.
In Orange and Osecola counties, Lynx buses are available to provide free rides for those who need transportation, but riders must tell the driver they are going to a warming shelter.
Below is a list of available shelters and accommodations for those in need:
Orange County
Orange county will open pet friendly shelters at Barnet Park Gymnasium, 4801 W. Colonial Drive in Orlando and at the Goldenrod Recreation Center, 4863 N. Goldenrod Road in Winter Park.
Residents must bring the necessary items for their pets to the shelters, like leashes, carriers, food and other supplies.
Here are shelters opening and closing times:
The warming shelters will be closed on Friday and Saturday.
Free LYNX bus pickups are available in rural east Orange County at the Bitho Community Park. Pets are allowed on the buses as long as they are secured.
Here are the bus times at the Bithlo park:
Find more information on the warming shelters in Orange County here.
Flagler County
Flagler County is opening up its warming shelter at the Rock Transformation Center, 2200 N. State S. in Bunnell.
The shelter will open Thursday and Friday at 5 p.m. and close at 8.am the following day.
Flagler is providing bus services on the east and west sides of the county:
East side:
West side:
Osceola County
Osceola County is opening three shelters for residents in need at the First United Methodist Church St. Cloud, 1000 Ohio Avenue, St. Cloud; Iglesia Del Nazareno Casa De Vida, 2367 Fortune Road, Kissimmee; and Poinciana Christian Church, 3181 Pleasant Hill Road, Kissimmee.
The shelters will open at 6 p.m. on Thursday, Friday and Saturday.
LYNX buses are available for free transportation to the shelters, but passengers must let the driver know they are going to a warming shelter.
Pets will be housed at Osceola Animal Services. They must be in a carrier unless they are a service animal.
More information can be found here.
Brevard County
Brevard County's community partners are opening up four warming shelters across the county:
LifePointe Ministries, Inc. Titusville, Fl – 4220 South Hopkins Ave., Titusville. Opens at 5:30 PM, serving dinner and breakfast.
Sharing Center of Central Brevard – 113 Aurora St., Cocoa. Opens at 6 PM, serving dinner and breakfast.
Matthew’s Hope, Brevard County – 825 Forrest Ave., Cocoa. Opens at 4 PM, serving dinner and breakfast.
Providence Connects at Melbourne First Church of the Nazarene – 2745 S. Babcock St., Melbourne. Opens at 5:30 PM, serving dinner and breakfast.
More information can be found here.
Volusia County
Overnight shelter will be provided at The Bridge, operated by the Neighborhood Center at 421 S. Palmetto Ave. in DeLand.
The shelter will open on Thursday and Friday at 6:30 p.m. and remain open until 8 the following morning.
Breakfast will be provided before the shelter closes.
Halifax Urban Ministries, or HUM, is also preparing to assist those in need with shelter and transportation. People are encouraged to contact HUM at 386-317-5886.
More information can be found here.
Lake County:
Lake County will offer its cold-weather shelter at LifePointe Church, 3551 E. Orange Ave. in Eustis, on Thursday, Friday, Sunday, Monday and Tuesday opening at 5 p.m. and closing at 7 a.m. the next morning. The shelter will not be open Saturday.
The county is providing free transportation via a fixed route buses (LakeXpress), paratransit (Lake County Connection), and a cold-weather shelter shuttle.
Lake County’s Office of Emergency Management is also coordinating with the Salvation Army in Leesburg to open another daytime warming center at 2605 South St., open from 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on Monday, Jan. 19.
The transportation routes and more information on the shelter can be found here.
Residents could see temperatures in the 30s and lower Thursday night and Friday morning as a cold front sweeps across the state.
So far, warming centers are opening up on Thursday in Orange, Osceola, Seminole, Volusia and Flagler counties to provide relief for those in need.
In Orange and Osecola counties, Lynx buses are available to provide free rides for those who need transportation, but riders must tell the driver they are going to a warming shelter.
Below is a list of available shelters and accommodations for those in need:
Orange County
Orange county will open pet friendly shelters at Barnet Park Gymnasium, 4801 W. Colonial Drive in Orlando and at the Goldenrod Recreation Center, 4863 N. Goldenrod Road in Winter Park.
Residents must bring the necessary items for their pets to the shelters, like leashes, carriers, food and other supplies.
Here are shelters opening and closing times:
- Thursday, from 5 p.m. to 10 a.m. the next day
- Sunday, from 5 p.m to 10 a.m the next day
- Monday, from 5 p.m to 10 a.m the next day
The warming shelters will be closed on Friday and Saturday.
Free LYNX bus pickups are available in rural east Orange County at the Bitho Community Park. Pets are allowed on the buses as long as they are secured.
Here are the bus times at the Bithlo park:
- Thursday, 5:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.
- Sunday, 5:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.
- Monday, 5:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.
Find more information on the warming shelters in Orange County here.
Flagler County
Flagler County is opening up its warming shelter at the Rock Transformation Center, 2200 N. State S. in Bunnell.
The shelter will open Thursday and Friday at 5 p.m. and close at 8.am the following day.
Flagler is providing bus services on the east and west sides of the county:
East side:
- Dollar General at Publix Town Center on Market Avenue (leads to Dollar General), 3:30 p.m.
- McDonald’s at Old Kings Road South and State Road 100 at the dirt road on the east side, 4 p.m.
- Dollar Tree behind Carrabba’s in the Dollar Tree Parking lot, 4:30 p.m.
- Palm Coast Main Branch Library, northwest corner of Palm Coast Parkway and Belle Terre Parkway, 4:45 p.m.
West side:
- Dollar General at County Road 305 and Canal Avenue in Daytona North, 4 p.m.
- Bunnell Free Clinic, 703 Moody Blvd., 4:30 p.m.
- Bridges United Methodist Church in Bunnell, 205 N. Pine S., 4:30 p.m. (listed as the same pick-up time because of the close proximity)
Osceola County
Osceola County is opening three shelters for residents in need at the First United Methodist Church St. Cloud, 1000 Ohio Avenue, St. Cloud; Iglesia Del Nazareno Casa De Vida, 2367 Fortune Road, Kissimmee; and Poinciana Christian Church, 3181 Pleasant Hill Road, Kissimmee.
The shelters will open at 6 p.m. on Thursday, Friday and Saturday.
LYNX buses are available for free transportation to the shelters, but passengers must let the driver know they are going to a warming shelter.
Pets will be housed at Osceola Animal Services. They must be in a carrier unless they are a service animal.
More information can be found here.
Brevard County
Brevard County's community partners are opening up four warming shelters across the county:
LifePointe Ministries, Inc. Titusville, Fl – 4220 South Hopkins Ave., Titusville. Opens at 5:30 PM, serving dinner and breakfast.
Sharing Center of Central Brevard – 113 Aurora St., Cocoa. Opens at 6 PM, serving dinner and breakfast.
Matthew’s Hope, Brevard County – 825 Forrest Ave., Cocoa. Opens at 4 PM, serving dinner and breakfast.
Providence Connects at Melbourne First Church of the Nazarene – 2745 S. Babcock St., Melbourne. Opens at 5:30 PM, serving dinner and breakfast.
More information can be found here.
Volusia County
Overnight shelter will be provided at The Bridge, operated by the Neighborhood Center at 421 S. Palmetto Ave. in DeLand.
The shelter will open on Thursday and Friday at 6:30 p.m. and remain open until 8 the following morning.
Breakfast will be provided before the shelter closes.
Halifax Urban Ministries, or HUM, is also preparing to assist those in need with shelter and transportation. People are encouraged to contact HUM at 386-317-5886.
More information can be found here.
Lake County:
Lake County will offer its cold-weather shelter at LifePointe Church, 3551 E. Orange Ave. in Eustis, on Thursday, Friday, Sunday, Monday and Tuesday opening at 5 p.m. and closing at 7 a.m. the next morning. The shelter will not be open Saturday.
The county is providing free transportation via a fixed route buses (LakeXpress), paratransit (Lake County Connection), and a cold-weather shelter shuttle.
Lake County’s Office of Emergency Management is also coordinating with the Salvation Army in Leesburg to open another daytime warming center at 2605 South St., open from 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on Monday, Jan. 19.
The transportation routes and more information on the shelter can be found here.