Wednesday, December 29, 2010

[FEMA]

Homeland Security Threat Level: YELLOW (ELEVATED)

Significant National Weather

West
A powerful Pacific storm system will produce moderate to heavy snow throughout the day across the Sierra Nevada Mountain range. Snowfall will intensify over a broader path as the system advances into the Interior West. Locally heavy rain and mountain snow will linger across western Oregon and California. The Cascades and Sierra Mountains could see an additional one to two inches of rain and an additional foot of snow. Strong winds of 25-35 mph and gusts to near 60 mph are possible across the region. Temperatures five to 15 degrees below average are expected from Montana to the West Coast and Desert Southwest.Â*
Midwest
Snow is expected later today in the Northern Plains and Upper Midwest. Freezing rain may mix with snow in portions of Minnesota this evening.Â* Meanwhile, returning moisture from the western Gulf will begin to spark showers over the mid-Mississippi Valley and lower Ohio Valley. Temperatures are expected to return to average levels in the Ohio Valley. Areas from the central Plains to the Upper Midwest can expect temperatures from five to 15 degrees above average.
Northeast
Most of the region will be dry today under high pressure. Temperatures will return to near average levels in most areas with daytime temperatures rising between 30 and 50 degrees, and lows in the 20s tonight.
South
An upper-level disturbance will create an expanding area of rain and thunderstorms from eastern Texas to the lower Mississippi Valley. Rainfall totals could reach one to two inches.Â* Temperatures in the Southeast will return to near average levels, although temperatures five -10 degrees below average will linger in parts of North Carolina and Florida. Hard Freeze Warnings are in effect through mid-morning for all of southeast Alabama, southwest Georgia, and the Florida Big Bend and Panhandle.Â* Red Flag Warnings are in effect today across northern and central Florida as a result of long durations of low humidity.Â* (NOAAâs National Weather Service, the Hydrometeorological Prediction Center and various media sources)Â*
Northeast Winter Storm (December 24-27, 2010) Final

State EOCs across the Northeast and New England have returned to normal operations with the exception of New Jersey and North Carolina which remain at Level III. Airports have reopened; however, travelers continue to experience delays in New York and New Jersey. Sporadic power outages continue across New Jerseyârestoration activities are underway.Â* Most shelters have closed across the area. There are no requests for FEMA assistance.
Earthquake Activity

At 1:54 a.m. EST December 29, a magnitude 6.6 earthquake, followed by an M 5.5 aftershock, occurred in Vanuatu at a depth of 19 miles. A tsunami statement was issued stating local tsunamis are possible due to underwater landslides; however, a destructive tsunami is not expected along the California, Oregon, Washington, British Columbia, and Alaska coasts.Â* (USGS)Â*
Disaster Declaration Activity

No new activity (FEMA HQ)
Stay informed of FEMA's activities online: videos and podcasts available at www.fema.gov/medialibrary and www.youtube.com/fema; follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/fema and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/fema.


More...