Communities prepare for frigid temperatures

Parts of the North Bay and Eastern Santa Clara hills will see frigid temperatures overnight. KTVU's Elissa Harrington reports from outside a homeless shelter to show us how communities are preparing for the weather.

SANTA ROSA, Calif. - At King’s Nursery in Santa Rosa, floor manager Ron Magill used a frost cloth to cover certain plants for the night to protect them from the frigid cold.

This includes citrus trees, succulents, and sweet pea starts.

"Especially things that have flowers, you want to make sure those get protected," said Magill.

He said when temperatures dip to 40 degrees or below, employees also bring tropical plants and avocados inside the greenhouse. Frost and freezing temperatures can damage or kill delicate plants.

"We are well-prepared," said Magill. "But we have had some customers who have had a lot of losses. So it is an issue."

Magill said customers have been coming in all week to get frost cloths to for their home gardens. A cold snap has people bundled up across the Bay Area. The National Weather Service extended a freeze warning through Saturday morning in parts of the North Bay and Eastern Santa Clara hills.

Several warming shelters opened up to bring those who are unhoused somewhere safe and warm. It’s a place where they can get out of the cold and rain, get a warm meal, and get access to services.

A 60-bed shelter opened at the Marin Health and Human Services building in San Rafael.

"We stand up this shelter in the most extreme weather events," said Gary Naja-Riese, the Marin Homeless Services Director.

Marin County’s other shelter with 120 beds is at capacity.

"It’s important in weather situations like this when we see extreme cold temperatures for multiple days combined with rain that can really have an impact on our unhoused neighbors," said Naja-Riese.

Rain is expected to return this weekend. San Rafael has three do-it-yourself sandbag locations that are free throughout the rainy season.