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National Situation Update: Wednesday, December 19, 2007

Homeland Security Threat Level: YELLOW (ELEVATED).

Significant National Weather

Northeast:
A weak area of low pressure moving eastward through the Northeast will produce light snow over parts of upstate New York and northern New England.  Light snow is likely to be mixed with light rain from southwest Pennsylvania and West Virginia up to southern New England.  The storm may intensify over the Atlantic on Wednesday night and may bring moisture back to the coast.  High temperatures are likely to range from the teens in northern Maine to the 50s in Virginia east of the Appalachians.

Midwest:
Most of the Midwest will be dry, except for some snow showers across the upper Great Lakes.  A little freezing drizzle may form across parts of the eastern Dakotas.  High temperatures will range from the 20s in most of Minnesota and Wisconsin to the 50s in far southwest Kansas, extreme southern Missouri, and south-central Kentucky.

South:
The South will be mostly dry on Wednesday with the exception of some isolated showers from the Gulf coast to Georgia.  Rainfall will be heavier and widespread across the region by Thursday as low pressure moves through the region.  Thunderstorms may develop late Wednesday across southeast Texas and spread into Louisiana and southern Mississippi on Thursday.  Some storms may become severe.  Highs on Wednesday will range from the 50s to the 70s, north to south.  Afternoon readings in the 80s will prevail across extreme southern Texas.

West:
Potentially damaging weather is forecast across the northwest through Thursday:  Storm and Gale Warnings are in effect for the WA and OR coasts; Winter Storm Warnings for the Oregon Cascades and central Idaho; Heavy Snow Warnings in the North Cascades.  Meanwhile, snow will move eastward into the Intermountain Region from Idaho and western Montana down to Utah and western Colorado.  High temperatures will range from the 20s in the higher mountain ranges to near 70 in the lower Colorado River Valley. (National Weather Service, Media Sources)

Winter Storm Update

Region III

Pennsylvania
16,000 to 17,000 customers remain without power. (FEMA Region III)

Region VI
The President signed, on December 18, 2007, Major Disaster Declaration FEMA-1735-DR for Oklahoma for Severe Winter Storms for the incident period December 8, 2007 and continuing.  The declaration provides for Public Assistance for the counties of Cleveland, Lincoln, Mayes, Oklahoma, Pottawatomie, Tulsa and Wagoner, and Hazard Mitigation statewide.  Additional designations may be made at a later date after further evaluation.

Oklahoma
61,930 customers are without power.
19 shelters remain open with 624 people.
27 fatalities (Region VI, OK OEM,)

Region VII

Iowa
1,098 customers are without power. (Region VII, IA OEM)

Kansas
25,098 customers are without power.
11 shelters remain open with 109 people.
2 fatalities. (Region VII, KA OEM)

Missouri
2,319 customers are without power.
3 shelters remain open with 3 people.
4 fatalities.(Region VII, MO SEOC, ACE)

California Flash Flood Watch

A Flash Flood Watch is in effect for Orange County, CA today.  The Orange County EOC is activated, effective 1:00 p.m. PST, December 18, 2007.  The FEMA Pasadena JFO has activated and distributed the Flash Flood Contingency Plan to Key JFO and Field personnel.  The Pasadena JFO Planning Section organized a Situational Awareness Component to monitor potential weather related issues. 

Fire Management Assistance Grant (FMAG)

No new activity to report.  (FEMA HQ)

Tropical Weather Outlook

Atlantic/Caribbean/Gulf of Mexico/Eastern Pacific/Central Pacific:
No activity.

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

Earthquake Activity

On Wednesday, December 19, 2007 at 4:30 a.m. EST, a 7.2 magnitude earthquake struck 124 miles west of Adak, Alaska (population 269) at a depth of 35 miles.  A Tsunami Warning is in effect for the Alaskan Coastal areas from Nikolski, Alaska to Attu, Alaska. The Tsunami Warning instructs all coastal residents in the warning area near the beach or in low-lying regions to move immediately inland to higher ground and away from all harbors and inlets.

A magnitude 4.5 earthquake occurred in the Puerto Rico Region, 16 miles north northeast of Culebra, PR on December 18, 2007, at 10:13 p.m. EST.  Reported depth was 10.8 miles.  There have been no reports of damage or injury and no tsunami was generated. (USGS,NOAA)

Preliminary Damage Assessments

No new activity (FEMA HQ)

Disaster Declaration Activity

No new activity (FEMA HQ)