Below freezing conditions persisted in Maryland Wednesday morning, accompanied by wind gusts making it feel close to zero degrees in parts of the state.

The extreme cold warning for Western Maryland and the cold weather advisory for the rest of the state — including Baltimore City and Baltimore, Howard, Anne Arundel, Harford and Carroll counties — remain in effect until Thursday morning at 10 a.m.

There has not been any snow accumulation in the region and there is no precipitation in the near-term forecast, according to the National Weather Service.

Temperatures in Baltimore are forecast to climb to 33 degrees — above freezing — on Friday and reach a downright balmy 36 degrees on Saturday.

The forecasts in Annapolis, northern Baltimore County and Howard County are similar, with a high of 34 degrees on Saturday in Annapolis, 33 degrees in Cockeysville and 34 degrees in Columbia.

Whether there’s relief and warmer weather anytime soon remains to be seen. The January temperature outlook from the National Weather Service Climate Prediction Center has Maryland and much of the East Coast with chances to have below-average temperatures.

Cold weather can be deadly

There have been 12 cold-weather-related deaths recorded in Maryland so far this winter, according to the latest available data from the Maryland Department of Health.

Those deaths are from hypothermia, an emergency condition that happens when the body’s internal temperature falls below 95 degrees that can result death. Frostbite can also happen in extreme cold temperatures and can lead to permanent damage and even amputation.

Baltimore activated its cold weather winter shelter initiative on Friday in response to the frigid weather. The designation, which will not expire until Thursday, expands the city’s shelter options for the homeless.

Under the status, warming centers are offered at five community providers located across the city during varied daytime hours.

• Three warming shelters are open from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on weekdays: Beans & Bread at 400 S. Bond St., Franciscan Center at 101 W. 23rd St. and Manna House at 435 E. 25th St.
• My Sister’s Place Women’s Center for women and children at 17 W. Franklin St. is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• The Weinberg Housing and Resource Center at 620 Fallsway is open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and also serves as an overnight emergency shelter for single women.

For overnight shelter, people are encouraged to call the city’s Winter Shelter Hotline to be connected to an emergency shelter for the night. The daytime hotline at 443-984-9540 takes calls until 9 p.m. Nighttime requests can be made to 443-695-7378.

Overnight emergency shelters include:

• The Fairfield Inn Hotel at 101 S. President St. for single women, couples and families.
• Maryland Center for Veterans Education and Training at 301 N. High St. for single men.
• Two locations are also available for overflow: Robert C. Marshall Recreation Center at 1201 Pennsylvania Ave. and Lois T. Murray at 1600 E. Arlington Ave.

Participating shelters offer accommodations from 4 p.m. to 9 a.m. the next morning. If temperatures are 20 degrees or below by 9 a.m., partnering shelters will allow residents to remain indoors.

An outreach team from the Mayor’s Office of Homeless Services canvasses the city speaking to residents who do not have phone or internet access. Residents can reach the team at homelessoutreach@baltimorecity.gov to report people in need of shelter.

On its website, the Baltimore City Health Department also provides resources for people who may need help paying their energy bill or weatherizing their home. Individuals who have questions or need help paying their heating bills should call 410-396-5555.

The bitter cold has not been isolated to Maryland. The Gulf Coast experienced a winter storm that covered normally warm cities in snow. The storm has killed at least 10 people, according to The New York Times.

Banner reporters Abby Zimmardi and Emily Opilo contributed to this report.