It's been an unseasonably warm winter so far but the first real cold snap is expected to come this weekend, and Turning Points Collaborative Society's warming bus is ready for it.

Environment Canada is forecasting temperatures to reach -10 C Sunday night in Vernon. That's the temperature threshold that activates the warming bus. 

"The moment the temperature drops that low, the bus will be running," said Laurie Case, Turning Points' executive director of communications. 

The warming bus operates overnight so that vulnerable people living on the streets can warm up and get a hot drink and/or a snack. 

The bus can seat 49 people at a time and will drive all night from 11 p.m. to 7 a.m. looking for anyone in need of a space to warm up. 

Turning Points staffs the bus with an outreach worker in addition to the driver. The outreach worker has a cell phone on board that people can call for pickup at various locations in Vernon. The number to call for a pickup is 250-241-0454. 

The bus also provides warming supplies like hand and feet warmers, gloves, toques and winter boots. 

The warming bus is funded by BC Housing and operated by Turning Points. A1 provides the bus and driver. 

"A1 is an incredible and generous local company that goes above and beyond for the vulnerable folks in our community," Case said. 

The bus has not yet been deployed this winter but will do so this weekend depending on how cold it gets. 

The service is critical for protecting Vernon's homeless population from the bitter cold.

Case said the Vernon shelter is almost always at capacity, and although Turning Points can provide up to 10 temporary mats there when the temperature drops, it's still not enough to keep everyone warm.

"Other service providers like the Upper Room Mission are also providing a temporary mat program, but the warming bus helps to ensure no one is left out in the cold, "Case said. 

The Upper Room Mission is one of the warming bus pickup locations. Operations manager Amy Flater said people will be able to come inside the Mission to wait for the warming bus, and the Mission can also help people with calling for a pick-up. 

Upper Room Mission's winter mat program is up and running until March 31.

The Mission building on 27th Avenue is to be able to increase the number of people that can find refuge through the mat program at one time. Currently the mat program has space for 20 people and the renovations, once completed, will increase that number to 26. 

For this season, Flater said when the cold snap hits another five mats will be squeezed into the winter mat area to keep more people warm. 

The Mission recently got a grant from Interior Health to be able to provide people with cold weather essentials including hand and feet warmers, hats, gloves, ponchos and thermal socks. 

"We have lots of extra stuff we can be handing out to people if they don't want to come wait for the warming bus inside," Flater said. "We'll work alongside Turning Points if they have anybody they can't fit in a shelter, we can try to make as many beds available as possible."