Cold weather will hit Salisbury today and stick around through next week, according to the National Weather Service.

James Oh, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Greer, S.C., said today’s temperatures will reach the mid-50s with lows around 30 degrees.

A cold air mass has moved down from the Arctic and will begin making its way east across the Appalachian Mountains toward the East Coast today, Oh said.

Friday, and through the weekend, temperatures will be 15 to 20 degrees below average with highs in the mid-40s and lows in the low 20s, he said.

Low temperatures could drop below 20 degrees in places at higher elevation, Oh said.

On Sunday, a low pressure system will move into the Southeast from the Gulf Coast creating the chance for a wintry mix of precipitation in the morning and then rain in the afternoon as the temperature increases, Oh said.

The weather will remain cold through next week as another cold air mass comes through, he said.

“The cooler trend will persist for 10 days,” he said.

As the winter season approaches, organizations that help those in need will be handing out warm clothes and seeking donations to keep up with demand.

Rowan Helping Ministries opened its new homeless shelter earlier this year at the corner of North Long and East Liberty streets. But Executive Director Kyna Grubb said the old shelter didn’t always see a large uptick in the number of people who stayed there during times of cold weather.

“A lot of times families will let family members who are homeless stay with them during really cold seasons,” Grubb said, adding that Rowan Helping Ministries does have warm clothes and coats to give to people in need.

Any donations, like winter jackets and warm clothes, can be dropped off at the Crisis Assistance Center across the street from the new shelter.

The Salvation Army of Rowan County, at 620 Bringle Ferry Road, will hand out winter jackets when a caseworker deems it appropriate, according to interim Commander Maj. David Craddock. The Salvation Army Family Store, located at 1400 Jake Alexander Boulevard W., sells clothing, and donations can be dropped off there, Craddock said.

Contact reporter David Purtell at 704-797-4262.