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National Situation Update: Thursday, December 20, 2007

Homeland Security Threat Level: YELLOW (ELEVATED).

Significant National Weather

Northeast:
Snow amounts from one-to-three inches in central New York to central Massachusetts.
Snow amounts will range from three, to as much as eight, inches from central and northern Vermont, into New Hampshire and Maine.
Snow amounts of six-to-twelve inches in eastern New Hampshire to Maine.

South:
Widespread showers and thunderstorms across the northern Gulf States to the Tennessee Valley and through the Carolinas will occur by tonight, December 20, 2007.
Eastern Texas to western Alabama, northward from Arkansas to western Tennessee, will have a chance for thunderstorms capable of producing severe weather with gusty winds, hail, and possible tornadoes.

West:
Winter storms will continue to move into the west coast, one after another.
Showers and gusty winds from Seattle to Los Angeles.
Significant amounts of snow will fall from the Sierras to the Cascades and through the Wasatch Mountains to the northern and central Rockies.
The highs will be in the 20s and 30s in the mountains, to 40s and 50s elsewhere.(National Weather Service, Media Sources)

Winter Storm Update

Current Situation
Potentially damaging weather forecast across the Northwest early Thursday, December 20, 2007.
Additional storm systems are expected over the next several days, and these systems will move east through the weekend. (NWS)

Region III
Pennsylvania
State EOC returned to normal operations.
16,000 customers are without power.
A few shelters remain open with small population.

FEMA Logistics Reports:
All unused commodities returned to source. (FEMA Region III)

Region VI
Oklahoma
32,101 customers are without power (down from 61,930).
8 shelters remain open with 700 people.
27 fatalities.

FEMA Logistics Reports:
MOU being processed to keep PPDS containers in state for later use.
Five generators being returned to DC FTW.
20 generators deployed to Tulsa.
All other commodities used or consumed. (Region VI, OK OEM,)

Region VII
Kansas
FEMA Logistics Reports:
Remaining commodities will be held until January due to the potential for a new storm.  (Region VII, KA OEM)

Missouri
FEMA Logistics Reports:
Remaining commodities will be held until January due to the potential for a new storm.  (Region VII, MO SEOC, ACE)

Region X
Washington
State EOC activated Level II; supporting local response to storms and flooding.(Bothell MOC).

Florida Chemical Plant Explosion

An explosion and fire occurred at the T2 Labs chemical plant in Jacksonville, FL. 
One half mile area around the plant was evacuated; the evacuation was lifted.
The American Red Cross opened a shelter at Oceanside Elementary School; the shelter was closed.
Three fatalities and 15 injuries. (Region IV, Thomasville MOC, Florida EOC)

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

A magnitude 5.5 earthquake occurred in the Solomon Islands Region, 60 miles south southeast of Arawa, Bougainville, PNG on December 19, 2007, at 6:35 p.m. EST.  Reported depth was 51.5 miles.  No reports of damage or injury and no tsunami was generated.

Over 30 earthquakes, ranging in magnitude from 3.0 to 5.6, have occurred in the Aleutian Islands Region in the area of Adak, AK following the 7.2 earlier in the day December 19, 2007.  No reports of damage or injury and no tsunami was generated. (USGS, Earthquake Hazards Program, Pacific Tsunami Warning Center)

Preliminary Damage Assessments

Iowa PA PDAs began December 17, 2007 are continuing.
Kansas PA PDAs are scheduled to begin after December 25, 2007.
Missouri PA PDAs began December 13, 2007 are continuing.
Nebraska PA PDAs are scheduled to begin after December 25, 2007.
New York PA PDAs began December 18, 2007 are continuing.  (FEMA Declaration Unit)

Disaster Declaration Activity

Amendment number three to DR-1734-WA gave notice that the incident period for this disaster is closed effective December 17, 2007.
Amendment number four to DR-1734-WA adds two counties for IA and 12 counties for PA to the disaster. (FEMA Declaration Unit)