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National Situation Update: Monday, December 5, 2005

Homeland Security Threat Level: YELLOW (ELEVATED).

Significant Snow Forecast for the East Coast

Northeast: The low pressure system approaching from the South has the potential to produce significant snowfall in the Washington DC - Boston MA corridor depending on the trajectory of the storm. Current forecasts call for three to seven inches in Philadelphia, four to seven inches around New York City and one to three inches in Boston through Tuesday morning.

South: The low pressure system over Georgia has a warm front extending to the east over the Carolinas and a cold front extending southwest to the Gulf Coast. This system will drop rain on Georgia and the Carolinas through this evening. There is a potential for severe weather from the panhandle of Florida to the Outer Banks with hail and winds gusting to 60 mph. This system and its accompanying moisture will move into the cold air over the eastern Tennessee River Valley and the central Mid-Atlantic producing snow by this afternoon and continuing until Tuesday morning. Accumulations in Central Appalachia could top six inches. The Washington-Baltimore area could see snow in the range of three to five inches over the next 24 hours.

West: High pressure covers most of the West with extremely cold air in the Great Basin. A low and associated frontal system moving down from Canada will produce four to six inches of snow across the Northern Rockies.

Midwest: West-northwest winds will produce lake effect snow showers near Lake Superior and Lake Michigan which could produce as much as six inches of snow. The low and associated frontal system moving down from Canada will reach the Central Plains late today with widely scattered snow showers. Accumulation totals could be in the one-to-two-inch range. Temperatures are 15 to 25 degrees colder than seasonal averages and morning lows will be well below freezing as far south as central Texas. (National Weather Service, Media Sources)

Tropical Activity

At 4:00 am EST today, the center of Hurricane Epsilon was located about 590 miles west-southwest of the Azores. Epsilon is moving toward the east-southeast near 10 mph.  A decrease in forward speed is expected over the next 24 hours. Maximum sustained winds are near 75 mph with higher gusts. A weakening trend is forecast during the next 24 hours. Based on the current forecast Hurricane Epsilon is no threat to land.

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

Earthquake Activity

No significant earthquake activity was reported in the U.S. or U.S. possessions during the last 24 hours. (United States Geological Survey (USGS) Earthquake Hazards Program)

Preliminary Damage Assessments

No new activity (FEMA HQ)

Disaster Declaration Activity

No new activity (FEMA HQ)