ROCK ISLAND, Ill. (KWQC) - The city of Rock Island is opening an emergency shelter Friday evening as weekend wind chills could drop to near 30 degrees below zero .

The city is partnering with Project NOW to open the MLK Center as a 60-hour emergency shelter starting Friday at 9 p.m. The shelter will run through Monday at 7 a.m.

Snow and blowing snow are expected Saturday into Sunday, adding to the dangerous conditions.

Shelter responds to crisis calls

Project NOW says calls for help started Wednesday as the forecast became clear.

“People were saying, we’re in trouble. If we don’t have a shelter by the end of the week, somebody’s going to die,” said Dr. Dwight Ford of Project NOW.

The MLK Center offered space as other locations fell through at the last minute, according to Jerry Jo

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