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National Situation Update: Thursday, December 8, 2005

Homeland Security Threat Level: YELLOW (ELEVATED).

Unseasonably Cold Across Much Of The Nation

West: The West will be generally dry and cold today. Scattered rain showers are forecast for California and southwest Oregon with snow showers in the Sierras, parts of Nevada and northeast Montana. Temperatures will continue to run below early December norms in most of the region. Highs are forecast to reach only the teens in the Rockies

Midwest: An inverted trough extending northward from a low in the Gulf of Mexico will produce three to six inches of snow from Missouri eastward through much of Illinois, Indiana and Northern Kentucky. Lesser amounts will fall in Iowa and the far northern parts of Illinois and Indiana. The snow will continue spreading eastward tonight over Ohio and far southern Michigan. The Great Plains and Upper Midwest, will be dry and cold. High temperatures are expected to range from the teens in much of the Plains and Upper Midwest to the 30s in the Ohio Valley.

South: Moderate to heavy rain is forecast for Georgia and portions of South Carolina with a rain/snow mix across parts of Tennessee and some freezing rain or sleet across western North Carolina. High temperatures are forecast to range from the 20s in northern Oklahoma to the low 80s in parts of southern Florida. Readings in the 40s and 50s will dominate the Deep South.

Northeast: Some light snow or sleet will move into far western Pennsylvania, extreme western Virginia and West Virginia late in the day or evening, but the main assault will come tonight and Friday. January-like cold will hover over the Northeast, high temperatures are forecast to range from the 20s in much of New England, New York State and Pennsylvania to the 40s in southeastern Virginia. (NWS, Media Sources)

Tropical Activity

At 5:00 am EST December 8 the center of Tropical Storm Epsilon was located about 1,050 miles southwest of the Azores. Epsilon is moving toward the southwest near 8 mph this system is expected to move very little over the next 24 hours. Maximum sustained winds are near 40 mph with higher gusts. Tropical Storm Epsilon is expected to degenerate into a remnant low pressure system later today.

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 have been a swarm of small earthquakes south of Hilo, Hawaii, the most significant of which was magnitude 4.7 and  occurred at 6:42 am EST about 52 miles south of Hilo. No Tsunami Warning was issued by the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center.

There was also a magnitude 6.3 earthquake near the Kermadec Islands, New Zealand at 6:32 pm EST. 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)