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National Situation Update: Saturday, November 8, 2008

Homeland Security Threat Level: YELLOW (ELEVATED).

Significant National Weather

West:
A cold front will move across Washington, Oregon and northern California today and drop southeastward through the Great Basin and Rockies tomorrow.  Precipitation totals along the Washington - Oregon coast could reach two inches by this evening. Snow is forecast for the higher elevations but is forecast to drop throughout the weekend.  In the Washington Cascades, the snow level will drop to 4000 feet by Sunday from the current level of 8000 feet.

Midwest:
A low pressure system over the Great Lakes will produce a wintery mix of rain and snow from the northern Mississippi Valley, Minnesota and Wisconsin eastward into northern Ohio Valley.  Gusty northerly (cold) winds on the backside of the low will result in temperatures 5 to 20 degrees below average ranging from the upper 20s to near 30 in North Dakota and northern Minnesota to the lower 60s in southwestern Kansas.

Northeast:
A cold front, with showers and isolated thunderstorms, will move eastward through the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic. The last part of the front will move off the coast of Maine by early tomorrow.

South:
The cold front and its associated precipitation will move off the Southeast Coast later today. Behind the front, most of the region will be rain free through the weekend.  Southeast Florida is forecast to get locally heavy rain.(NOAA, National Weather Service and Various Media Sources)

Blizzard / Winter Storm

South Dakota
Governor Round declared a state of emergency for South Dakota.  The SD Office of Emergency Management is monitoring the situation and coordinating with local jurisdictions.  There are numerous power outages and road closures reported due to heavy and blowing snow.  Shelters are open in many communities assisting stranded travelers and residents without power.  Region VIII is in contact with the SD OEM and is monitoring the situation.  There has been no request for Federal assistance at this time.

North Dakota
The ND Department of Emergency Services reported numerous road closures due to white-out conditions in southwestern ND.  No travel advisories were issued between Bismarck and Minot.
There is no request for Federal assistance at this time.

Tropical Weather

Atlantic/Caribbean:
Hurricane Paloma
At 4:00 a.m. EST November 8, 2008, the center of Hurricane Paloma was located about 195 miles southwest of Camaguey, Cuba or 430 miles southeast of Miami, Florida.  Hurricane Paloma is moving toward the northeast near 7 mph and is expected to continue this general motion for the next 48 hours.  It will approach the central coast of Cuba late tonight or early Sunday.   Maximum sustained winds are near 125 mph, with higher gusts and is a Category 3 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Scale.  Some slight strengthening is possible early Saturday morning before gradual weakening begins by Saturday evening.  Hurricane force winds extend outward up to 30 miles and tropical storm force winds extend outward up to 115 miles.

Eastern Pacific:
No tropical cyclone formation is expected during the next 48 hours.

Western Pacific:
No tropical cyclone activity affecting United States Territories. (NOAA, HPC, National Hurricane Center, Central Pacific Hurricane Center and the Joint Typhoon Warning Center)

Fire Management Assistance Grant (FMAG)

No new activity to report. (FEMA HQ)

Earthquake Activity

No significant activity to report. (USGS, Earthquake Hazards Program, Pacific Tsunami Warning Center, Caribbean Tsunami Warning Center)

Wildfire Update

National Fire Activity as of Friday, November 7, 2008:

• National Wildfire Preparedness Level: 1
• Initial attack activity: Light (633 new fires)
• New large fires: 21
• Uncontained large fires: 6
• Large fires contained: 15
  

Disaster Declaration Activity

Amendment #7 for FEMA-1795-DR for Indiana adds LaPorte County for Public Assistance (already designated for Individual Assistance). (FEMA HQ)