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National Situation Update: Friday, November 28, 2008

Homeland Security Threat Level: YELLOW (ELEVATED).

National Weather

South
Light showers will move quickly across the South, mainly toward the Gulf Coast. A new area of thunderstorms will develop around the western and northern Gulf Coast, and could turn severe during the day. A few thunderstorms and showers are possible across Arkansas and Oklahoma, and could mix with snow in the Oklahoma and Texas Panhandles. Late tonight and Saturday rain is forecast across portions of the Southeast; however, the fast movement of this storm will keep rainfall amounts down to an inch or less.

West
Snow showers will continue into Saturday over the mountains of Colorado, northern and central New Mexico and northeastern Arizona, mixing with rain in the lower elevations. A few snow showers are possible in the northern and central Rockies. Showers and mountain snow is forecast for parts of Washington and northwest Oregon.

Midwest
Most of the Midwest will be dry through Saturday, except for a few snow showers around the Great Lakes. Highs Friday will range from the upper 20s in the Upper Midwest to the lower 50s in eastern Nebraska, eastern Kansas, Missouri, southern Illinois and Kentucky.

Northeast
Cold air, rain and snow showers will push into the Northeast; highs will range from the 30s along the Canadian border to the low 60s in southern Virginia. Tonight and Saturday bands of lake-effect snow will pass east of Lakes Erie and Ontario.  (NOAA, National Weather Service and Various Media Sources)

Maine Severe Storms Update

High winds and heavy rain struck coastal Maine early in the week, resulting in thousands of power outages and roads blocked by downed trees and power lines. The Governor declared a State of Emergency for Maine on November 25. Approximately 2,000 customers remained without power Thursday afternoon. Power restoration for most residences is expected today. Flood Warnings have discontinued for the rivers in Maine. No Federal assistance or support has been requested or is anticipated. (Region I)

Southern California Weather

Flash Flood Watches have expired and all shelters are closed. Mandatory evacuation orders were downgraded to evacuation warnings by Thursday; evacuations are voluntary, and residents have been allowed to return home. Santa Barbara, Orange and San Bernardino County EOCs are closed. Local Assistance Centers (LACs) opened in Santa Barbara and Orange Counties will transition to Federal Disaster Recovery Centers (DRCs) this week.

An Incident Management Team (IMT) has been formed to address the erosion issues in Orange County and will assist with implementation of measures to reduce the impact of mud and debris flow prior to deployment of a State-Federal Burn Area Recovery Team (BART) to Yorba Linda on Tuesday, December 2. (NOAA, National Weather Service and Various Media Sources)

MMS Completes Assessment of Destroyed and Damaged Facilities from Hurricanes Gustav and Ike

The U. S. Department of Interior Minerals Management Service (MMS), in coordination with oil and gas operators, has completed an assessment of destroyed and damaged facilities from Hurricanes Gustav and Ike.  The MMS estimates that approximately 2,127 oil and gas production platforms in the Gulf of Mexico were exposed to hurricane conditions, with winds greater than 74 miles per hour.

Final results of the assessment indicate that 60 platforms were destroyed as a result of Hurricanes Gustav and Ike. Some platforms which had been previously reported as having extensive damage were re-assessed and determined to be destroyed. The destroyed platforms produced 13,657 barrels of oil and 96.5 million cubic feet of gas daily. In the final assessment, MMS has confirmed that 31 platforms with extensive damage may take from three to six months to repair, and 93 platforms with moderate damage may take from one to three months to repair.  (Mineral Management Service, November 26, 2008)

Fire Management Assistance Grant (FMAG)

No significant activity.(FEMA HQ)

Tropical Weather Outlook

Atlantic/Caribbean:
No tropical cyclone formation is expected during the next 48 hours

Eastern Pacific:
No tropical cyclone formation is expected during the next 48 hours(NOAA, HPC,  National Hurricane Center, Central Pacific Hurricane Center and the Joint Typhoon Warning Center)

Western Pacific:
No current tropical cyclone warnings(NOAA, HPC,  National Hurricane Center, Central Pacific Hurricane Center and the Joint Typhoon Warning Center)

Earthquake Activity

No new activity (FEMA HQ)

Preliminary Damage Assessments

No new activity (FEMA HQ)

Disaster Declaration Activity

No new activity (FEMA HQ)