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National Situation Update: Wednesday, December 17, 2008

Homeland Security Threat Level: YELLOW (ELEVATED).

Significant National Weather

Northeast:
A frontal system will bring rain to the mid-Atlantic until tonight but only a few tenths of an inch are forecast.  A wintery mix of precipitation will extend from West Virginia to Pennsylvania and New York State to New England. A mixture of snow, sleet, freezing rain and rain is forecast and an additional one to five inches of new snow is forecast. Winter Weather Advisories are in effect until midday for many areas.
South:
A stalled frontal boundary will produce scattered rain showers and thunderstorms from southern and eastern Texas to North Carolina.
Midwest:
Under a large high pressure system the Midwest and Plains will be cold (nighttime lows well below zero) but there will be a break in the precipitation.  A few lake-effect snow showers will fall downwind of Lakes Superior and Michigan, and a few morning rain showers are forecast for Ohio and Kentucky.  The next winter storm will hit the region on Thursday and Thursday night.
West:
A low pressure system moving ashore will bring significant precipitation to the Pacific Northwest and spread inland to Montana and Wyoming by tonight.  Coastal areas will have rain; inland areas (including Seattle and Portland) will receive one to three inches of snow and the Cascades will see from one to two feet of snow.  A second low pressure system will bring rain and snow to southern California.  Expect locally heavy rain in the lower elevations of southern California and southwest Arizona.  Snow levels will drop to 2,000 feet and heavy snow is forecast for the San Diego, Riverside and San Bernardino County mountains.  Snow will also continue to fall in northern Arizona northeastward into the Four Corners area. (NOAA, National Weather Service and Various Media Sources)

Winter Storm Update

Power outages continue across Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Maine and some parts of New York.  Over 120 shelters are established with a large number of occupants.  Power restoration efforts continue throughout the impacted areas, with full power restoration anticipated by tomorrow.  Priorities are  sheltering operations, communications restoration, debris removal and damage assessments, processing State Emergency requests, deploying the MERS IRV to impacted areas, and managing ERT-A and PDA teams.

New Hampshire

  • State Emergency Operations Center (SEOC) activated at Level IV (High Intensity Event); SSA at SEOC
  • Fatalities:  1  
  • Power Outages:  118,009 (-48,104)(DOE as of Dec. 16 at 12:00 p.m.)
  • Shelters:  48 / Occupants:  520(Region I)

Massachusetts

  • SEOC activated at Level II (Additional Staff and Agencies 24/7) ; SSA at SEOC
  • Power Outages:  77,722 (-42,801)(DOE as of Dec. 16 at 12:00 p.m.)
  • Shelters:  56 / Occupants:  1,414(Region I)

Maine.

  • SEOC activated at Level II ( Local Response Overwhelmed); SSA at SEOC
  • Injuries:  2
  • Power Outages:  25,862 (-13,302)(DOE as of Dec. 16 at 12:00 p.m.)
  • Shelters:  6 / Occupants:  55(Region I)

Vermont

  • State EOC at Level 1 (normal operations)
  • Power Outages:  3,275 (-1,438)(DOE as of Dec. 16 at 12:00 p.m.)
  • Shelters closed(Region I)
  • No Federal assistance anticipated

New York

  • NY State Emergency Management Office (SEMO) activated at Level III, (24/7); SSA at SEMO
  • Fatalities:  3
  • The Governor has declared a State of Emergency for 16 counties
  • The Governor has requested an Emergency Declaration for Public Assistance for the 16 affected counties.
  • Power Outages:  45,242 (-46,216)(DOE as of Dec. 16 at 12:00 p.m.)
  • Shelters:  10 / Occupants:  40(Region II)

New Jersey

  • NJ EOC has returned to normal operations
  • Power Outages: All power restored(Region II)
  • No Federal assistance anticipated

Fire Management Assistance Grant (FMAG)

No activity.  (FEMA HQ)

Tropical Weather Outlook

Western Pacific:
No activity affecting United States territories.  (NOAA, HPC, National Hurricane Center, Central Pacific Hurricane Center and the Joint Typhoon Warning Center)

Earthquake Activity

At 7:42am EST, December 16, 2008 an earthquake measuring 3.6 (at a depth of 3.1 miles) occurred six miles NW of North Charleston, SC (or four miles SSW of Summerville, SC).  There were reports of structural damage to a mobile home reported in Lincolnville, SC (1.76 miles NE of Summerville).  There are no reports of injuries.  (USGS, Earthquake Hazards Program, Alaska Earthquake Information Center, Pacific Tsunami Warning Center, and West Coast/Alaska Tsunami Warning Centers)

Preliminary Damage Assessments

No new activity (FEMA HQ)

Disaster Declaration Activity

The Governor of New York requested an Emergency Declaration, asking for Public Assistance (categories A & B, including direct Federal Assistance) for the 16 affected counties. (FEMA HQ)

Last Modified: Thursday, 04-Jun-2009 16:30:45 EDT