Thursday, February 3, 2011

[FEMA]

Homeland Security Threat Level: YELLOW (ELEVATED)

Significant National Weather

Midwest
Gusty winds will continue across much of the Upper Midwest, the High Plains and the Great Lakes. Scattered snow showers will continue around the Great Lakes. Daytime temperatures will be very cold and only reach the teens from Iowa to northern Ohio. Oklahoma and Texas as far south as El Paso, will only reach the low 20s.
South
A winter storm is expected this afternoon and into Friday across portions of the Southern Gulf Coast states. For the latest Warnings and Advisories, see the National Weather Service website, www.weather.gov/.
Northeast
Light snow and gusty winds with temperatures near 20 degrees is forecast for parts of northern New York and New England. The Middle Atlantic region will see daytime temperatures in the 30s.
WestÂ*
Cold, unsettled weather is forecast for the Pacific Northwest into central California. Rain will spread across western Washington, including Seattle. Rain and snow showers are expected from northern Idaho to western Montana. Snow showers are possible across parts of southern New Mexico and west Texas and from northern Colorado into western South Dakota and Nebraska.
(NOAA and various media sources)

Major Winter Storm

The major winter storm that brought more than 20 inches of snow and almost an inch of ice to parts of the Central and Northeast states moved through New England and into Atlantic Canada last night. Strong thunderstorms that developed over central Texas and moved east along the Gulf Coast Tuesday downed trees and power lines and damaged some homes. The heavy snow, ice and strong winds also led to widespread power outages from Illinois to New Jersey Tuesday and Wednesday.
The President approved an Emergency Declaration (FEMA-3316-EM) for Oklahoma on Feb 2, 2011, which made all 77 counties eligible for assistance under Category B (emergency protective measures) in the Public Assistance Program.
The National Response Coordination Center (NRCC) in Washington, D.C. continues to operate at Level II (Partial Activation with 24/7 operations) with Emergency Support Functions 1, 3, 5, 6, 7, 8, 12, and 15 activated. In addition, liaisons from the Department of Defense, NORTHCOM, U.S. Coast Guard, DHS Infrastructure Protection, DHS Office of Health Affairs, NOAAâs National Weather Service, Private Sector Liaison and the Remote Sensing Coordinator are activated in the NRCC.
Regional Response Coordination Centers (RRCCs) in Regions IV, V, and VII remain at Partial Activation levels with FEMA Regional Incident Management Assistance Teams (IMATs) on standby in each of those regions. The RRCCs in Region I, II, III, and VI have returned to Steady State/Monitoring levels.
FEMA Liaison Officers continue to provide support from within activated State Emergency Operations Centers (EOCs) in Ill., Ind., Kan., Mo. N.J., and Ohio. Other FEMA Liaison Officers have been released as other EOCs have deactivated.
FEMA Logistics pre-positioned water, generators, meals, cots and blankets at Fort Campbell, Ky. and Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio. Supplies were also pre-staged in Kansas City, Mo., Oklahoma City, Okla., Tulsa, Okla., and McAlester, Okla. There are no reports of unmet needs or requests for FEMA assistance.
(FEMA HQ, FEMA Regions I, II, III, IV, V, VI, VII)

Earthquake Activity

No new activity (FEMA HQ)
Preliminary Damage Assessments

Joint Preliminary Damage Assessments are underway in New York, Oregon, and Washington State.
(FEMA HQ, FEMA Regions II, X)

Disaster Declaration Activity

On February 2, 2011 the President signed Emergency Declaration FEMA-3316-EM for the State of Oklahoma for the Severe Winter Storm, January 31, 2011 and continuing.
Specifically, FEMA is authorized to provide emergency protective measures (Category B), limited to direct Federal assistance, under the Public Assistance program at 75 percent Federal funding. This assistance is for all 77 counties in the State of Oklahoma.
(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.


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