• Emergency Managers and Personnel
• Situation Reports
• National Incident Management System
• Grants & Assistance Programs
• Training
• Contacts
• Planning
• Best Practices

National Situation Update: Tuesday, December 23, 2008

Homeland Security Threat Level: YELLOW (ELEVATED).

Significant National Weather

West:
Some snow is expected to accumulate across the southern Rockies with amounts in the 6-12 inch range. Snow will also be scattered from the mountains of Arizona and New Mexico to Colorado. Lower elevation rain and mountain snow is forecast across California, Nevada, and Oregon by Wednesday morning. A weaker system to the north will bring lighter rain and snow to the Northwest. Additional snow is possible in Seattle and Portland early on Wednesday.
Midwest:
Another storm system will spread sorted precipitation types across the Midwest and eastward. Areas from the eastern Dakotas to northern Illinois will see light snow in the morning while light freezing rain and sleet will fall across eastern Kansas and much of Missouri. Northern Illinois is forecast to receive 4-8 inches of snow. Sleet and ice are expected across central Illinois and the northern half of Ohio. Snow will develop prior to changing to a mix of freezing rain and sleet late today in Indiana. Major travel routes will be Interstate 80/90. Travel conditions will be hazardous and downed trees and power lines may be experienced in areas of Illinois and Indiana. Rain will change to snow showers from southeast Minnesota to northwest Illinois on Wednesday.
Northeast:
Tonight a combination of snow, sleet, freezing rain and rain across the region is expected. By Wednesday morning, snow should be confined to New England and New York with an icy mix of sleet and freezing rain from Massachusetts to Pennsylvania and New York. Precipitation should be all rain from southeastern Massachusetts southwest to central Virginia.
South:
Possible rain could occur for most areas of the Southeast on Wednesday into Christmas Day. Showers off the western Gulf of Mexico over Texas and Louisiana are expected today. Wednesday the rain expands into the Tennessee Valley and the Appalachians as the system slowly spreads northeastward.(NOAA, National Weather Service and Various Media Sources)

Northeast Winter Storm Update

(Beginning December 11 and continuing)
New Hampshire

• State EOC activated at Level IV (High Intensity Event); Senior State Advisor (SSA) at SEOC
• Fatalities: 1
• PA PDAs have been completed.
• ERT-A continues to support State EOC in Concord
• 11,000 customers without power
• 22 shelters; 106 occupants
• Decision to establish formal JFO is pending
• More than 1,200 line and tree trimming crews are working to restore power with 97 percent of customers already restored (Region I)

 Massachusetts

• State EOC activated at Level I (Monitoring); Senior State Advisor (SSA) at SEOC
• Decision to establish formal JFO is pending
• 5 shelters; 186 occupants

Midwest Winter Storm Update

(Beginning December 18 and continuing)
Illinois

• The IL SEOC is not activated.
• Customers without power: 7,288 (-647) Power restoration anticipated by December 24.  (DOE December 22)
• There are no unmet needs and no requests for Federal assistance.

Wisconsin:

• The WI SEOC is not activated.
• There are no unmet needs and no requests for Federal assistance.

Indiana:

• The IN SEOC is not activated.
• Customers without power: 45,929 (-9,617). Power restoration anticipated by December 25.  (DOE December 22)
• Shelters: 5 / Occupants: 241(Region V)
•  There are no unmet needs and no requests for Federal assistance.

 Ohio

• The Ohio SEOC is not activated.
• Customers without power: 18,190. Power restoration anticipated by December 22 (unconfirmed at this time). (DOE December 22)
• There are no unmet needs and no requests for Federal assistance.

Pacific Northwest Power Outages

Washington

• WA State EOC reports "spotty" power outages but no major issues.

 Oregon

• OR State EOC is monitoring
• Pacific Gas & Electric reporting 40,000 customers without power

Region IV

Retention Pond Breach
Tennessee
On December 22, a dike of a retention pond was breached at a Coal Fired Power Plant in Harriman, TN. The Civil Air Patrol was dispatched to provide aerial photographs. Three homes were destroyed and 12 sustained minor damage. There were 45 homes without gas with 25 homes that were to remain without gas overnight. The original shelter count went down from 17 to 6 occupants. The Emory River was shut down in places due to debris and sludge. No injuries or fatalities were reported and there were no requests for Federal Assistance. An earlier suspected injury was ruled unrelated to the flood.
Red Flag Warnings
There are Red Flag Warnings for portions of Alabama, Florida, and Georgia. The Florida EOC is at Level III (Monitoring).

Fire Management Assistance Grant (FMAG)

No activity. (FEMA HQ)

Tropical Weather Outlook

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

Earthquake Activity

No new activity (FEMA HQ)

Preliminary Damage Assessments

No new activity (FEMA HQ)

Disaster Declaration Activity

The Governor of New Hampshire is requesting a Major Disaster Declaration as a result of a Severe Winter Storm December 11, 2008 and continuing. Public Assistance for 10 counties (Belknap, Carroll, Cheshire, Coos, Grafton, Hillsborough, Merrimack, Rockingham, Strafford and Sullivan) and Hazard Mitigation statewide is being requested. (FEMA HQ)