Update| Sub-zero temps put Eastern WA in deep freeze. Travelers should expect flight delays

A series of winter storms across the nation are beginning to impact holiday travel.

By 5 p.m. Wednesday, more than 450 flights had already been canceled across the nation, and were impacting the airports most used as connections from the Tri-Cities.

At least one flight from Pasco to Seattle was canceled Wednesday, and 14 other flights were delayed, according to Flightaware which tracks airline data.

The Seattle-Tacoma International airport had 381 delays and 53 canceled flights as of 5 p.m. Wednesday.

Already 12 flights have been delayed at Sea-Tac Thursday and 7 canceled. Denver had 552 delays and 152 cancellations Wednesday.

Denver already had more than 250 flights listed as canceled for Thursday.

Salt Lake canceled 21 flights and had at least 181 delayed Wednesday. For Thursday, they’re already showing at least 24 flights being canceled, with 15 being flights set to arrive at SLC.

Travelers should check with their airline ahead of time for delays or flights being rerouted. They should also plan for more time on the tarmac as crews work to deice planes, which might impact their estimated arrival times.

Subzero temperatures

Frigid temperatures are raising concerns for the elderly and homeless throughout the Tri-Cities region.

Temperatures are expected to dip below zero with a wind chill factor plunging as low as minus 15 degrees Wednesday night, according to the National Weather Service.

The bitter cold conditions are expected throughout Eastern Washington to stretch through the rest of the week in the Mid-Columbia region, with wind chill levels near minus 20 degrees.

Franklin County Emergency Services and Benton Franklin Health District put together a list of places that are open to help people get out of the cold, at least during the day.

The locations include the Mid-Columbia Libraries branches, the Richland Public Library and Columbia Center mall in Kennewick. All will be open during normal business hours.

The Union Gospel Mission’s men’s shelter in Pasco will open to let men inside overnight. The Women’s Shelter is only open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.

The list is similar to the cooling centers that opened for people trying to escape the extreme heat last summer, said Amanda Mason with the Benton-Franklin Health District.

The lack of late-night options has raised concerns for several community members, who were wondering what would happen to the dozens of people in the Tri-Cities without a home.

Clean Sweep Tri-Cities was hoping to help people on the streets this week by handing out hot food, hand warmers and other items, starting Wednesday night, said Linda McKee with the organization.

“There are a few of us that go out in the evenings, and this young man, he was so cold,” she said. “I had a very heavy quilt. I just draped it over him. He had the biggest smile on his face and he said, ‘You don’t know how good that feels.’ This young man almost cried because he got warm.”

The community service organization has offered a helping hand when temperatures spiked in previous summers by putting out water containers.

Learn more about the organization and offer to help by going to the Facebook page.

Public health officials are concerned about the risks facing people without a home, said the health district’s public health nurse Heather Hill. In particular, she noted that people living in their cars are at an increased risk for carbon monoxide poisoning, as well as hypothermia from the extreme cold.

Keeping safe

Hill and Dr. Larry Jecha with the health district also offered some general tips for dealing with the cold.

Wear layers and a hat if you need to go outside, and make sure to keep an eye on each other for signs of hypothermia.

That includes people going outside for recreation, such as hunting or skiing.

Symptoms can include: shivering, exhaustion, confusion, fumbling hands, memory loss, slurred speech and drowsiness.

And signs of frostbite include redness or pain, or a white skin area, numbness and skin that feels unusually firm. The nose, ears, toes, cheeks, chin and fingers are most likely to be affected by frostbite.

People should also make sure to check in on elderly neighbors and relatives to make sure they’re doing OK, said Jecha.

“This is so unusual for us,” he said. “We don’t deal with this very often. ... We need to check in on each other. With many of the elderly, if no one is checking in on them, they can succumb to the cold weather.”