A burst of strong cold fronts will send temperatures plummeting, but there will be some area shelters open for people who do not have a warm place to stay during the cold spell.
Two, maybe three cold fronts are expected to hit the Fort Myes-Cape Coral area over the next week, causing temperatures to drop into the low 30s, according to National Weather Service forecasts.
The wind chill, NWS says, will likely hover around 28 degrees the morning of Friday, Jan. 16.
Lee County Government is coordinating with its partner agencies for cold-weather outreach.
“The Lee County Department of Human & Veteran Services, Lee County Transit (LeeTran) and additional partners typically coordinate plans during timeframes in which the temperature drops below 40 degrees, true temperature or with windchill, for a period of time,” county spokesperson Betsy Clayton said in an email.
Plans in the Lee County area include:
Housing, Outreach and Treatment (HOT) teams will be in the community connecting with individuals experiencing homelessness to provide resources and distribute cold-weather supplies, including jackets, socks, blankets and hand warmers today, Jan. 15.
LeeTran will provide warming buses on Jan. 16 at the following locations:
∎Rosa Parks Transfer Station – 2250 Widman Way, Fort Myers) from 6 to 8 a.m.
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∎ Lehigh Acres Park & Ride (1121 Village Lakes Blvd.,) from 6 until 8 a.m.
∎ Cape Coral Transfer Station (820 SE 47th Terrace) from 6 until 10 a.m.
Mobile warming stations will be available at the locations listed below and will distribute cold weather supplies, including jackets, socks, blankets, and hand warmers from 8:30 a.m. until 11 a.m. and again from 2 p.m. until 4:30 p.m. Jan. 16.
∎Lions Park (2550 Cleveland Ave., Fort Myers)
∎Rosa Parks Transfer Station (2250 Widman Way, Fort Myers)
∎Edison Mall Transfer Station (4125 Cleveland Ave., Fort Myers)
Visitors to Manatee Park in Fort Myers try to get a glimpse of the sea cows on a dreary day on Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026. As a cold front moves through Southwest Florida, manatees should be seen in abundance. On Thursday, there were only. handful of manatees in the park.
∎ South Fort Myers Transfer Station (13182 S. Cleveland Ave., Fort Myers)
Warming Stations will be open at the locations listed below on Jan. 16.
∎ Dunbar United Way Resiliency Hub at Community Cooperative (3429 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. Fort Myers) from 8 a.m. until noon.
∎ Tice United Way Resiliency Hub at Goodwill Industries (5100 Tice St., Fort Myers) from 9 a.m. until 4:30 p.m.
∎ Harlem Heights United Way Resiliency Hub at The Heights Center (15570 Hagie Drive, Fort Myers) from 8 a.m. until noon.
∎West Cape Coral United Way Resiliency Hub at Goodwill Industries (1499 S.W. Pine Island Rd. Cape Coral) from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m.
∎ Sanibel United Way Resiliency Hub at F.I.S.H of Sanibel-Captiva (2422 Periwinkle Way, Sanibel) from 8 a.m. until 4 p.m.
∎ Pine Manor United Way Resiliency Hub – Pine Manor Improvement Association (5547 10th Ave., Fort Myers) from 8:30 a.m. until 11 a.m.
∎ Fort Myers Regional Library (2450 First St., Fort Myers) from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m.
∎ North Fort Myers Library/Parks and Recreation (2001 N. Tamiami Trail, North Fort Myers) from noon until 5 p.m.
Lee County Human & Veteran Services’ Reach app, which is a free download on the Apple App Store and Google Play, is another way individuals experiencing homelessness can garner information. App users should sign up to receive push alerts to receive timely updates, according to the county.
Lee County’s coordinated entry phone line is available to connect individuals to services and resource by calling all 239-533-7996 or visit www.leegov.com/dhs.
Lee County Department of Public Safety’s Emergency Management staff is monitoring the cold temperatures and encourages residents to monitor updates from the National Weather Service.
To receive updates from Lee County Government, sign up for the newsletter here: www.leegov.com/resources/newsletters and follow on social media: www.leegov.com/socialmedia.
The Salvation Army of Fort Myers opening warming stations, shelter
Because of very cold weather, the Salvation Army of Fort Myers will open its Center of Hope at 2400 Edison Ave. as a temporary warming station and shelter. The group is working with Lee County to coordinate local efforts.
“With cold weather settling in, The Salvation Army is working collaboratively with Lee County Emergency Management, the Lee County Department of Human & Veteran Services and other partner agencies to provide warmth and shelter to those experiencing homelessness,” said Maj. Ethan Frizell, Area Commander for The Salvation Army of Fort Myers. “We welcome people to stop in, stay awhile, and build the relationships that resource housing.”
The Salvation Army will provide a limited number of single beds on a first-come, first-served basis for individuals seeking relief from cold weather conditions from Jan. 15 until Jan. 20. Individuals in need of shelter are encouraged to arrive on those days between 2 and 7 p.m.
For more information about the warming station or to learn how you can support The Salvation Army’s efforts, contact David Asselin at (239) 285-7725 or visit https://fortmyers.salvationarmyflorida.org.
This article originally appeared on Fort Myers News-Press: County, Salvation Army opening shelters, warming stations for cold