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National Situation Update: Wednesday, December 3, 2008

Homeland Security Threat Level: YELLOW (ELEVATED).

Significant National Weather

West:
A frontal system will produce snow showers in the Rockies, eastern Montana, and eastern Wyoming. The higher elevations of southeast Wyoming and central Colorado could see 3 to 6 inches of snow. 
Midwest:
A frontal system extending southward out of Canada will produce rain and snow across the northern Plains, into the Midwest and Great Lakes.  Parts of Missouri, southern Illinois and most of Indiana, will see rain changing to snow later in the day. 
By tomorrow morning, cold northwesterly winds will drop temperatures into the teens with wind chills of zero or below across the upper Midwest.
South:
An approaching cold front will produce showers across parts of Arkansas, eastern Texas, western Tennessee and much of Louisiana. 
Northeast:
Under a high pressure system centered over the Mid Atlantic most of the region will remain sunny and dry.  Tomorrow, a cold front moving in from the west will produce a mixture of rain and snow over most of the region. (NOAA, National Weather Service and Various Media Sources)

Fire Management Assistance Grant (FMAG)

No significant activity. (FEMA HQ)

Tropical Weather Outlook

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

The Governor of South Dakota is requesting a major disaster declaration as a result of a severe winter storm accompanied by record snowfall, ice, and high winds during the period of November 5-7, 2008.

The Governor is requesting:

• Public Assistance for Bennett, Butte, Corson, Dewey, Haakon, Harding, Jackson, Meade, Mellette, Perkins, Shannon, Todd, and Ziebach Counties and the reservations of Pine Ridge, Rosebud, Cheyenne River, and Standing Rock for the portions that lie within those counties
• Public Assistance (Category B), including snow removal assistance, for Butte and Perkins Counties.
• Hazard Mitigation statewide.

Amendment #14 for FEMA-1791-DR-TX was approved on December 2, 2008, to authorized Federal funds for Debris Removal (Category A) [including Direct Federal Assistance], under the Public Assistance Program, at 100% of the total eligible costs for an additional six (6) months past the previous 44-day period.

All other Needs Assistance and the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program will continue to be reimbursed at 75% of total eligible costs.

Amendment #2 for FEMA-1809-DR-MO was approved on December 2, 2008 adding Howell County for Individual Assistance (already approved for Public Assistance), and Jefferson County for Individual Assistance (not previously approved). (FEMA HQ)