SEATTLE — Five people have been confirmed to have died from hypothermia during the extreme cold temperatures the Seattle area experienced over the weekend.
According to the King County Medical Examiner's Office, the five people, with ages ranging from 37 to 67, all died of hypothermia and were found outdoors, in a vehicle, or a residence.
On Thursday, Jan. 11 a 67-year-old died in a residence. On Friday, Jan. 12 a 53-year-old died in a residence and a 67-year-old died outdoors. On Saturday, Jan. 13 a 37-year-old died outdoors and a 63-year-old died in a vehicle.
Overall, the Washington State Department of Health said it has recorded 11 cold-related deaths since Jan. 1. That number includes death certificates that are not yet registered and mention hypothermia. The department said the count could change when the certificates are officially registered.
Western Washington began seeing below-freezing temps on Jan. 11. The National Weather Service recorded a low of 25 degrees at the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport that night.
On Jan. 12, the high temperature was 25 degrees and the recorded low was 15 degrees. The low was a 22-degree departure from the average and only one degree off from Seattle's record low set in November 2010. The low was again 15 degrees on Jan. 13.
The Salvation Army and King County Regional Homelessness Authority (KCRHA) opened two emergency cold-weather shelters last weekend.
According to KCRHA, the Salvation Army's 270-person SODO shelter was at capacity each night with an additional 33 beds full. The 120-person emergency shelter at Seattle Center's Exhibition Hall had to expand twice Friday night and Saturday night to potentially serve up to 300 people. The Exhibition Hall at its peak sheltered 267 people on Sunday.
The shelters closed after being extended through Wednesday night.