• Emergency Managers and Personnel
• Situation Reports
• National Incident Management System
• Grants & Assistance Programs
• Training
• Contacts
• Planning
• Best Practices

National Situation Update: Wednesday, December 7, 2005

Homeland Security Threat Level: YELLOW (ELEVATED).

Significant Weather

West: A storm system will move onto the Coast today producing showers in western Washington, Oregon and Northern California with snow in higher elevations. Expect mainly dry conditions across the Great Basin and Rocky Mountain States, with just a few morning snow showers across the Colorado and New Mexico Front Range.

Midwest: High pressure dominates weather in the Midwest but this is a very cold Canadian air mass. Arctic-like conditions will continue for a second day with overnight temperatures dropping below zero from the Missouri Valley to the Northern High Plains. The forecast highs are for  single digits across the Plains, with teens and twenties spreading into the Ohio Valley. As the low over the Rockies moves east the snow will move out into the Central Plains with several inches of snow forecast for Kansas and Oklahoma.

South: Cold air penetrating the Southern Plains will produce wintry weather across Texas. Across northern Texas, sleet and freezing rain may develop during the afternoon. Farther south, some icing is possible in Austin and San Antonio late in the day. Showers are possible across Florida and along the Gulf Coast.
 
Northeast: Sunny skies will dominate much of the Northeast on Wednesday, but it will be cold. Expect highs only in the low to mid 30s from Washington DC to Portland ME. Further inland it will be even colder with temperatures in the 20s. Lake-effect snows will continue to fall across portions of northeast Ohio, northwestern Pennsylvania, and Upstate New York. (NWS, Media Sources)

Tropical Activity

At 4:00 am EST December 7 the center of Hurricane Epsilon was located about 775 miles southwest of the Azores. Epsilon is moving toward the southwest near 9 mph and this motion is expected to continue during the next 24 hours. Maximum sustained winds are near 75 mph with higher gusts. Epsilon  is expected to begin to weaken later today. Based on the current forecast Hurricane Epsilon is no threat to land and is expected to be absorbed by a frontal system within 72 hours.

There is no tropical activity in the Pacific Ocean. (National Hurricane Center, Central Pacific Hurricane Center,  Joint Typhoon Warning Center)

Earthquake Activity

During the last 24 hours there were a number of small earthquakes in Alaska and the West Coast ranging in magnitude from 2.6 to 4.0.  There were no reports of casualties or damage.

During the hour from 3:00 am to 4:00 am EST there were 5 minor earthquakes ranging in magnitude from 2.6 to 3.9 in the ocean south of Hilo, HI. No Tsunami Warning was issued by the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center. (United States Geological Survey (USGS) Earthquake Hazards Program, Pacific Tsunami Warning Center)

Preliminary Damage Assessments

No new activity (FEMA HQ)

Disaster Declaration Activity

No new activity (FEMA HQ)