Wednesday, December 22, 2010

[FEMA]

Homeland Security Threat Level: YELLOW (ELEVATED)

Significant National Weather

West:
There are numerous Watches Warnings and Advisories in effect across the region, see www.wrh.noaa.gov/ for the latest information. In southern California, the latest in a series of intense frontal systems will produce up to two more inches of rain in the lower elevations as well as possible thunderstorms, tidal surges, gusty winds, possible tornados and hail. There is an increased risk for dangerous flash flooding today as rainfall rates are expected to be near one inch per hour. The southern Sierras can expect up a foot of new snow. Across parts of the Southwest Great Basin and into the central and southern Rockies, snow and lower elevation rain will continue through tomorrow. Light rain and higher elevation snow is also expected for parts of the Pacific Northwest through tomorrow.
Midwest:
Light snow will spread out of the Rockies into the northern plains through tomorrow but snow showers around the Great Lakes are not expected to bring significant accumulations. Temperatures across the northern Plains and Upper Midwest will continue to be very cold with much of eastern Montana and the Dakotas in the single digits.
South:
A weak frontal system will produce a band of precipitation across the Gulf Coast to the Carolinas this morning. Light rain is expected over eastern Texas through tomorrow.
Northeast:
A low pressure system off the Northeast Coast will produce light snow over parts of New England but only western Maine will see any significant accumulations, likely in the range of four inches. Lake effect snow is forecast for the areas downwind of the Great Lakes including the Central and Northern Appalachians through tomorrow.
(NOAA and various media sources)

Storms and Flooding- Western states

The strong Pacific storms that began on Friday, December 17, 2010, continue to inundate the region producing flooding rain and high elevation snow across California and Nevada. The storms are expected to continue through Thursday.
Mandatory evacuations were ordered for some areas in southern California and southern Utah due to a current or increasing risk of flooding and mudslides. Emergency shelters are open in California, Arizona, Nevada, and Utah with unknown numbers of occupants. The Governor of California declared a state of emergency for the counties of Kern, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Luis Obispo and Tulare on Dec. 21, 2010.
FEMA Region IX and FEMA Region VIII remain at Watch/Steady State and are monitoring the situation but there are no requests for FEMA assistance at this time.
(FEMA HQ, FEMA Region VIII, FEMA Region IX)
Earthquake Activity

No new activity (FEMA HQ)
Disaster Declaration Activity

On December 21, 2010, the President approved a disaster declaration for Arizona (DR-1950) for severe storms and flooding that occurred on October 3-6, 2010. The declaration makes the Sovereign Nation of the Havasupai Tribe eligible for the Public Assistance Program and the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program. The Federal Coordinating Officer for this disaster response is Michael L. Karl.
(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...