Eugene, Springfield opening Egan Warming Centers Feb. 25 for Cold Snap

The City of Eugene and partner organizations opened the Egan Warming Centers in the Eugene-Springfield area beginning Feb. 25, 2026, to provide emergency shelter during forecasted overnight lows tied to a short cold snap. The move put temporary indoor space on offer across the metro area as temperatures were predicted to dip overnight.

City officials announced the decision on Feb. 23, 2026, citing the short-duration cold snap and overnight low forecasts as the trigger for activation. The announcement named the Egan Warming Centers as the response vehicle and involved coordination between the City of Eugene and partner organizations to staff and operate the sites beginning Feb. 25.

Opening the Egan Warming Centers affects unhoused residents and others vulnerable to hypothermia during cold nights in Eugene and Springfield. The centers’ activation reflects a recurring emergency protocol by municipal authorities to use established warming sites when meteorological thresholds are expected to threaten public health, and it mobilized partner organizations to provide on-site services starting Feb. 25.

The decision to open on Feb. 25 followed the Feb. 23 announcement and came as municipal staff and partner organizations prepared logistics for the short cold snap forecast. By beginning operations Feb. 25, the City of Eugene aimed to align shelter capacity with the overnight lows that prompted the activation and to reduce street-level exposure during the coldest hours.

City leaders and partner organizations implemented the warming-center activation for this specific weather event rather than as a lasting expansion of shelter policy. The Egan Warming Centers’ opening on Feb. 25 underscores the City of Eugene’s reliance on coordinated, event-driven responses to extreme cold, highlighting the intersection of public safety, emergency management, and service-provider capacity during forecasted overnight lows.