Monday, January 3, 2011

[FEMA]

Homeland Security Threat Level: YELLOW (ELEVATED)

Significant National Weather

West
A storm system off the Southern California coast will produce light rain and snow over parts of Southern California and Nevada. Light snow is expected into the high desert while blowing snow while strong gusty winds are expected across the Northern Rockies and Northern Plains. In the Central Rockies, expect a slight chance of snow in the mountains with a better chance Tuesday. The rest of the region will be dry with a slow warming trend from Tuesday through Friday.
Midwest
Lake effect snow will occur downwind from the Great Lakes through Monday afternoon. Low pressure over the Northern Plains will move eastward bringing light snow to the Northern Plains, before moving into the Great Lakes. Snowfall will intensify slightly as the system moves over the Great Lakes this evening.
Northeast
High pressure will build across the northeast and bring clear skies and seasonable temperatures to much of the region. Lake effect snow is expected tomorrow.
South
Mostly sunny skies with temperatures into the upper 50s to lower to mid 60s are forecast for much of the Southeast. Tonight, temperatures will again fall to the 20 and 30s in areas of the Deep South with frost expected as far south as northern Florida. Moisture from the Gulf of Mexico will trigger showers and thunderstorms near the Central Gulf Coast on Tuesday.
(NOAA and various media sources)

Propane Leak â Suffolk County, NY

On Jan 1, 2011, seven to nine thousand gallons of propane gas leaked from an underground tank (capacity 30,000 gal) in the city of Shirley on Long Island, NY. Local fire department and HAZMAT personnel responded to the scene. Testing confirmed a break in the tank, which has since been repaired. A precautionary evacuation was ordered for approximately 1,000 homes and businesses within a half mile radius of the leak but residents were later allowed to return to their homes. Some major thoroughfares in the area were closed temporarily and the FAA established a five mile no fly zone around the area for a time. There were no reported injuries or requests for FEMA assistance.
Central U.S. Severe Storms and Tornado Activity

On December 30, 2010 through January 1, 2011, a line of severe thunderstorms produced high winds, rain, hail and tornadoes across the Lower and Middle Mississippi Valleys. Over forty reports of tornadoes and storm damage were reported across portions of Mississippi, Arkansas, Missouri and Illinois. Six of the tornadoes were rated as EF-3 with wind speeds of more than 135 mph. Local damage assessments will be ongoing over the next few days in impacted areas. All shelters are closed.Â*
FEMA Regions IV, V, VI, and VII are all operating at the Watch/Steady State. The Governor of Missouri declared a State of Emergency for storm damage that began on Dec. 30, 2010, and Joint Preliminary Damage Assessment teams will begin to survey damage in nine counties on Jan. 4, 2011. No other FEMA Assistance is requested at this time.
(FEMA Regions IV, V, VI, and VII)

Joint Preliminary Damage Assessment Activity

At the request of the relevant Governors, Joint Preliminary Damage Assessments will begin today in five states. Joint PDAs will begin in Maine for four counties impacted by severe storms on Dec. 12, 2010. Joint PDAs will begin in New Jersey for 13 counties impacted by a snowstorm on Dec. 26-27, 2010.Â* Joint PDAs will begin in Washington for 10 counties impacted by winter storms on Dec. 8-16, 2010.Â* Joint PDAs will begin in California for 11 counties impacted by winter storms that began on Dec. 18, 2010.
(FEMA HQ)

Earthquake Activity

On Jan. 3, 2011 at 7:05 EST, a magnitude 4.5 earthquake occurred eight miles west of Junction, Utah, and 175 miles south of Salt Lake City, at a depth of 0.2 miles. There are no reports of damage at this time but residents who felt the quake are urged to provide information to the U.S. Geologic Survey on their website, earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/dyfi/events/uu/00005268/us/index.html.
(USGS)Â*
Wildfire Update

Wildfire National Preparedness: Level 1
National Fire Activity as of Friday, December 30, 2010: Initial attack activity was light (355 new fires) with 6 new large fires. Six large fires were contained and one uncontained large fire is ongoing (Forks Fire, Brevard County, FL â 13,000 acres burned and 90% contained). Note: The National Interagency Fire Center Incident Management Situation Report will be posted on Fridays only unless/until wildland fire activity increases.
(NIFC)

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.


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