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National Situation Update: Tuesday, December 16, 2008

Homeland Security Threat Level: YELLOW (ELEVATED).

Significant National Weather

The powerful cold front responsible for numerous record lows across the Plains is now off the coast of New England, extending across the Mid-Atlantic and southwestward into south Texas.  Winter Storm and Ice Storm Watches, Warnings and Advisories extend from northeastern Texas through the Ohio and Tennessee valleys to New England.  For a detailed graphical depiction of the latest watches and warnings, see www.nws.noaa.gov.

Northeast:
With the cold front off the New England coast, snow (or rain, changing to snow) is expected from Pennsylvania into New England while most of the Mid-Atlantic will have rain.  However, a wintery mix of rain, freezing rain and snow is forecast for West Virginia, western Maryland, northwest Virginia and Pennsylvania.

South:
Behind the front, freezing precipitation is forecast from eastern Texas to Kentucky, before temperatures rise above freezing later today.  Scattered showers are forecast for the rest of the region, with only coastal South Carolina, southern Georgia and Florida expected to stay dry.

Midwest:
An area of snow will spread eastward from the central Great Plains to the Great Lakes, with the heaviest accumulations of two-to-five-inches expected from southeast Iowa across northern Illinois.  A wintery mix is forecast for the lower Ohio Valley with some areas forecast to receive up to three inches of snow.  High temperatures will not get above zero across much of North Dakota and northern Minnesota.

West:
A complex low pressure system over the region will produce snow over much of the high country of northern Arizona, northwest New Mexico and the Colorado Rockies.  Some areas will receive up to two feet of new snow.  Scattered showers are forecast for California and southern Arizona. Temperatures will be well below seasonal averages especially in northeastern Montana where even the high temperatures will stay below zero.  ( NOAA, National Weather Service and Various Media Sources)

Winter Storm Update

An Emergency Declaration for Maine was declared December 15.  Power restoration efforts continue and full restoration is anticipated by Thursday, December 18.  Other priorities include sheltering operations, communications restoration, debris removal, and damage assessments.

New Hampshire

• State Emergency Operations Center (SEOC) activated at Level IV (High Intensity Event) with a Senior State Advisor (SSA) at the SEOC
• Fatalities: 1  
• Power Outages: 166,133 (-25,345) (DOE as of Dec. 15 at 12:00 p.m.)
• Shelters:  56 / Occupants: 1,223 (Region I)
• 39 segments of State roads closed; 199 segments of local roads closed (Road Segment: a single, continuous line segment, without gaps or branches, representing a stretch of road between two at-grade intersections)

Massachusetts

• SEOC activated at Level II (Additional Staff and Agencies 24/7) ; SSA at SEOC
• Power Outages:  120,523 (-5,886) (DOE as of Dec. 15 at 12:00 p.m.)
• Shelters:  61 / Occupants: 1,825 (Region I)
• 6 State Highways closed

Maine.

• SEOC activated at Level II, ( Local Response Overwhelmed); SSA at SEOC
• Injuries:  2
• Power Outages:  39,164 (-8,291) (DOE as of Dec. 15 at 12:00 p.m.)
• Shelters:  3 / Occupants: 10 (Region I)
• 48 primary and secondary roads closed
• Numerous cellular towers are operating on battery power

Vermont

• SEOC at Level 1 (Normal Operations)
• Power Outages:  4,713 (-2,123) (DOE as of Dec. 15 at 12:00 p.m.)
• Shelters closed (Region I)
• Most roads have re-opened; however, a few roads remain closed in southern Vermont
• No Federal assistance anticipated

New York

• State Emergency Management Office (SEMO) activated at Level III, (24/7); SSA at  SEMO
• Fatalities:  2
• The Governor has declared a State of Emergency for 16 counties 
• Power Outages:  91,458 (-59,801) (DOE as of Dec. 15 at 12:00 p.m.)
• Shelters:  14 / Occupants: 220 (Region II)
• State has requested joint PDAs
• No unmet needs and no anticipated Federal assistance

New Jersey

Fire Management Assistance Grant (FMAG)

No activity. (FEMA HQ)

Tropical Weather Outlook

No new activity (FEMA HQ)

Earthquake Activity

No new activity (FEMA HQ)

Preliminary Damage Assessments

No new activity (FEMA HQ)

Disaster Declaration Activity

On December 15, 2008, the President signed Emergency Declaration (FEMA-3298-EM-ME) for the State of Maine for a Severe Winter Storm that occurred on December 11, 2008, and continuing. The declaration designates Public Assistance and Emergency Protective Measures (Category B), limited to Direct Federal Assistance at 75 percent Federal funding, for six (6) counties. (FEMA HQ)