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National Situation Update: Wednesday, February 27, 2008

Homeland Security Threat Level: YELLOW (ELEVATED).

Significant National Weather

Northeast:
The National Weather Service (NWS) in Caribou, ME, has issued a Heavy Snow Warning for Wednesday, February 27, 2008.

Snow will become heavy at times, at a rate of one-to-two-inches-per-hour in the early morning hours of Wednesday, February 27, 2008, with occasional light snow continuing through most of Wednesday afternoon.

Accumulations of 10-to-15-inches are expected through the afternoon of February 27, 2008, with blowing or drifting snow possible.

The National Weather Service has issued Winter Storm Warnings for the following states on Wednesday, February 27, 2008:  Ohio (one-to-ten-inches); New York (six-to-twelve-inches) and Pennsylvania (seven-to-twelve-inches), with wind gusts up to 30 mph in some locations, producing blowing and drifting snow.

The National Weather Service in Gray, ME, has issued a Winter Storm Warning for Wednesday, February 27, 2008.

Snow will fall heavily at times, and will continue to fall much of the day Wednesday, before tapering off to snow showers Wednesday evening.

Total accumulations will average between eight-to-sixteen inches (at a rate of one-to-three-inches-per-hour), with the average between three-to-seven-inches, the lowest amounts near the immediate coast and extreme southeast New Hampshire.

The snowfall will be heavy and wet, with some power outages expected, due to the weight of the rapidly accumulating snow. 

South:
The National Weather Service has issued Heavy Snow Warnings for Wednesday, February 27, 2008, for the following states:  Kentucky (four-to-eight-inches); Tennessee (one-to-four-inches); West Virginia (four-to-eight inches) and western Maryland and Virginia (seven-to-ten-inches), with wind gusts from 15-to-30-mph in some areas, producing blowing and drifting snow.

The National Weather Service has issued a Winter Storm Warning for western North Carolina, with snow accumulations of three-to-six-inches.

In Florida, a strong cold front continues to move down the State, with a squall line of severe thunderstorms moving south throughout the early morning hours of February 27, 2008.

Storms along, and well ahead, of this front have the potential to produce damaging winds and small hail. (NWS, Media Sources)

Power Outage - Florida

On February 26, 2008 at 1405 EST the Florida South Grid, which supports the Florida Power and Light, Teco Power, Progress Energy and the Turkey Point Nuclear Power Plant #1 and #2 are completely offline.

The power interruption caused power loss to approximately 5 million homes and business in fourteen (14) counties. The impacted counties: Brevard, Broward, Citrus, Lake, Hillsborough, Miami-Dade, Sarasota, Seminole, Sumter, Polk, Hardee, Hernando, Pasco and Pinellas. The power outages are not related the severe weather impacting the state.

Power is restored to all but approximately 10,000 homes and businesses.  The outages are scattered throughout the affected counties.

Florida Power and Light reported  that the outages were due to a substation trip caused by a physical equipment failure.

The FEMA liaison at the Florida state EOC has been released and has returned to Thomasville, GA and the EOC is back to normal operations (FEMA Region IV Incident Report (FINAL))

Southwest Fire Weather

A surface high pressure system will build into the Great Plains and strong and gusty winds can be expected in south central Texas bringing critical fire weather conditions during the afternoon.

After sunset, temperatures will cool with rapid relative humidity recovery quickly minimizing the fire weather threat. (NWS)

Fire Management Assistance Grant (FMAG)

No significant activity reported. (FEMA HQ)

Tropical Weather Outlook

No new activity (FEMA HQ)

Earthquake Activity

Nevada
At 2:59 AM EST, February 27, 2008, a 4.2 earthquake occurred 15 miles east of Wells, NV at a depth of approximately 3 miles. There have been no reports of damage or injuries.(USGS)

Preliminary Damage Assessments

No new activity (FEMA HQ)

Disaster Declaration Activity

The Governor of Illinois is requesting a snow emergency declaration as a result of record or near record snowfall during the period of February 5-6, 2008.

The request is for eight (8) counties that have been adversely impacted by significant snow fall.

The Governor is specifically requesting Public Assistance Category B snow removal assistance (FEMA HQ)