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National Situation Update: Friday, December 5, 2008

Homeland Security Threat Level: YELLOW (ELEVATED).

Significant National Weather

Northeast 
The Tug Hill Plateau region in upstate New York could experience accumulations over a foot of new snow by Friday evening. Snows will continue to move toward Buffalo and Watertown, N.Y. as the next storm system approaches the Great Lakes area. Light snow is expected in western New York and western Pennsylvania in the afternoon, mixing with light rain in West Virginia.

Midwest
Light snow will increase over the Dakotas and northern Minnesota as a storm system approaches. The remainder of the Midwest and Plains will be dry on Friday.

South 
Much of the South will be dry, except for some showers across coastal Georgia and the coastal Carolinas.

West
A few snow showers are forecast along the northern areas from Washington to Montana on Friday. The rest of the region will be mostly sunny. (NOAA, National Weather Service and Various Media Sources)

Montserrat Volcano Eruption

On December 2, 2008, at 9:35 p.m. EST, the Soufriere Hills Volcano on the Caribbean Island of Montserrat erupted hurling hot rocks that set buildings ablaze in the island's abandoned capital city of Plymouth. The explosion and pyroclastic flow both generated ash columns accompanied by lightning strikes.

NOAA reported a plume of steam with some ash extending 92 miles to the southwest and a second area of dispersed ash/steam west of the summit moving slowly westward. Roderick Stewart, Director of the Island's Volcano Observatory, stated no one was injured or evacuated; further advising the Soufriere Hills volcano spewed material more than half a mile into the air. St. Croix, VI is located less than 200 miles northwest of the event. The territory may be issuing a health advisory today according to the Territory EPA. (USVI JFO)

Fire Management Assistance Grant (FMAG)

No significant activity. (FEMA HQ)

Tropical Weather Outlook

Western Pacific:
No current tropical cyclone warnings. (NOAA, HPC, National Hurricane Center, Central Pacific Hurricane Center and the Joint Typhoon Warning Center)

Earthquake Activity

A series of minor earthquakes, between 2.4 and 3.4 magnitudes were reported in the last 24 hours in the vicinity of Puerto Rico and Virgin Islands. No tsunami was generated or damage reported.(USGS, Earthquake Hazards Program, West Coast & Alaska Tsunami Warning Center, Pacific Tsunami Warning Center, Caribbean Tsunami Warning Center)

Preliminary Damage Assessments

No new activity (FEMA HQ)

Disaster Declaration Activity

No new activity (FEMA HQ)