Severe storms

February 11, 2009 -- FRANKFORT, Ky. — As recovery efforts continue in the aftermath of the recent winter storms that pummeled more than 100 of Kentucky’s 120 counties, the National Weather Service has issued severe thunderstorm and high wind warnings for numerous counties across the state.

Gov. Steve Beshear urges Kentuckians to use extreme caution traveling and operating alternative heat sources in the event of power outages during this most recent wave of inclement weather. With many trees already damaged by the ice storm, Kentuckians are urged to be cautious and watch for falling limbs and downed trees from the high winds and locally strong storms.    » read more »

February 3, 2009 -- JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- There are less than scrupulous contractors out there, who prey on people in difficult circumstances.

Even more incredible are the fake offers of state and federal aid to disaster victims. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) encourage Missouri property owners to beware of scam artists that tend to follow disasters.

"Beware of imposters," said Tom Hall, FEMA's federal coordinating officer for disaster operations in Missouri. "FEMA and SEMA representatives always wear photo IDs."

Missouri residents who suspect price gouging or other fraud can file a complaint with the Attorney General's Office at www.ago.mo.gov, or by calling the Consumer Protection Hotline at (573) 751-3321.    » read more »

Declaration would bring federal assistance for estimated $77 million in ice-storm damage

Feb 3, 2009 -- LITTLE ROCK - Arkansas Governor Mike Beebe this afternoon asked President Obama to declare a major disaster in 25 Arkansas counties hit hard by last week's ice storm. The counties include Baxter, Benton, Boone, Carroll, Clay, Conway, Craighead, Cross, Franklin, Fulton, Greene, Independence, Izard, Jackson, Johnson, Lawrence, Madison, Marion, Mississippi, Newton, Searcy, Sharp, Stone, Van Buren and Washington.

The declaration would bring federal assistance to cover 75 percent of the estimated $77 million in damages to public infrastructure in the affected counties, including utility systems, roads and bridges, water-control facilities and debris removal.    » read more »

February 02, 2009 --FRANKFORT, Ky. -- Kentucky Governor Steve Beshear today asked President Barack Obama to declare a major disaster for the commonwealth of Kentucky, following the devastating winter storm that has paralyzed parts of the state and left hundreds of thousands of Kentuckians without electricity, water and heat.

Moreover, given the breadth of the crisis, the governor is asking the federal government to pick up additional costs incurred for the use of an unprecedented number of National Guardsmen and storm costs that already have exceeded an estimated $45 million. The storm is believed to be the worst natural disaster in modern Kentucky history.    » read more »

January 29, 2009 -- Following is a summary of key federal disaster aid programs that can be made available as needed and warranted under President Obama's emergency declaration issued for Kentucky.

"Emergency" is any occasion or instance in which the president determines that federal assistance is needed to supplement state and local efforts to save lives and protect property and public health and safety or to avert the threat of a catastrophe in any part of the United States.

Assistance for the State and Affected Local Governments Can Include as Required:

* FEMA will direct other federal agencies and provide 75 percent federal funding for emergency measures taken to save lives and protect property and public health, limited to this direct federal assistance.    » read more »

January 29, 2009 -- WASHINGTON, D.C. -- The head of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) today announced that Federal emergency aid has been made available for the Commonwealth of Kentucky to help supplement state and local response efforts in the area struck by a severe winter storm during the period January 27, 2009, and continuing.    » read more »

January 29, 2009 -- Following is a summary of key federal disaster aid programs that can be made available as needed and warranted under President Obama's emergency declaration issued for Arkansas.

"Emergency" is any occasion or instance in which the president determines that federal assistance is needed to supplement state and local efforts to save lives and protect property and public health and safety or to avert the threat of a catastrophe in any part of the United States.

Assistance for the State and Affected Local Governments Can Include as Required:

* FEMA will direct other federal agencies and provide 75 percent federal funding for emergency measures taken to save lives and protect property and public health, limited to this direct federal assistance.    » read more »

NWS TPC/NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL AL072008
400 AM CDT MON SEP 01 2008

...GUSTAV NEARING THE LOUISIANA COAST...HEAVY RAIN BANDS APPROACHING
NEW ORLEANS...

AT 4 AM CDT...0900 UTC...THE HURRICANE WARNING EAST OF THE
MISSISSIPPI-ALABAMA BORDER TO THE ALABAMA-FLORIDA BORDER HAS BEEN
CHANGED TO A TROPICAL STORM WARNING. A HURRICANE WARNING REMAINS
IN EFFECT FROM JUST EAST OF HIGH ISLAND TEXAS EASTWARD TO THE
MISSISSIPPI-ALABAMA BORDER...INCLUDING THE CITY OF NEW ORLEANS AND
LAKE PONTCHARTRAIN. PREPARATIONS TO PROTECT LIFE AND PROPERTY
SHOULD HAVE BEEN COMPLETED.

A TROPICAL STORM WARNING IS IN EFFECT FROM EAST OF THE
MISSISSIPPI-ALABAMA BORDER TO THE OCHLOCKONEE RIVER.

FOR STORM INFORMATION SPECIFIC TO YOUR AREA...INCLUDING POSSIBLE    » read more »

HURRICANE GUSTAV INTERMEDIATE ADVISORY NUMBER 28A
NWS TPC/NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL AL072008
100 PM CDT SUN AUG 31 2008

...GUSTAV WEAKENS A LITTLE MORE...BUT STILL A MAJOR HURRICANE...

A HURRICANE WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR THE NORTHERN GULF COAST
FROM CAMERON LOUISIANA EASTWARD TO THE ALABAMA-FLORIDA BORDER...
INCLUDING THE CITY OF NEW ORLEANS AND LAKE PONTCHARTRAIN. A
HURRICANE WARNING MEANS THAT HURRICANE CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED
WITHIN THE WARNING AREA WITHIN THE NEXT 24 HOURS. PREPARATIONS TO
PROTECT LIFE AND PROPERTY SHOULD BE RUSHED TO COMPLETION.

A TROPICAL STORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM EAST OF THE
ALABAMA-FLORIDA BORDER TO THE OCHLOCKONEE RIVER....AND FROM WEST OF
CAMERON LOUISIANA TO JUST EAST OF HIGH ISLAND TEXAS. A TROPICAL    » read more »

26 August 2008 -- Tropical Storm Gustav has slightly weakened as it moves towards the Caribbean island nations of Jamaica and Cuba, but forecasters say it will grow stronger during the next few days.

The National Hurricane Center in Miami says Gustav is has maximum sustained winds of 95 kilometers an hour. Forecasters say the storm is heading northwest on a path that will take it between Jamaica and the southeastern coast of Cuba between Wednesday and Thursday.

Gustav is expected to regain hurricane strength today once it clears the southwestern peninsula of Haiti. Forecasters said late Tuesday it could become a Category Two storm on the scale that measures a hurricane's power and potential destructiveness.    » read more »

NWS TPC/NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL AL072008
500 AM EDT TUE AUG 26 2008

...GUSTAV STRENGTHENING SOUTH OF HAITI...SHOULD MAKE LANDFALL LATER
TODAY...

AT 5 AM EDT...0900 UTC...THE GOVERNMENT OF CUBA HAS ISSUED A
HURRICANE WATCH FOR THE CUBAN PROVINCES OF LAS TUNAS...
GRANMA...HOLGUIN...SANTIAGO DE CUBA...AND GUANTANAMO. ALSO THE
GOVERNMENT OF JAMAICA HAS CHANGED THE TROPICAL STORM WATCH TO A
HURRICANE WATCH FOR JAMAICA. A HURRICANE WATCH MEANS THAT
HURRICANE CONDITIONS ARE POSSIBLE WITHIN THE WATCH AREA...GENERALLY
WITHIN 36 HOURS.

A HURRICANE WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM BARAHONA IN THE DOMINICAN
REPUBLIC WESTWARD TO LE MOLE ST NICHOLAS HAITI. PREPARATIONS TO
PROTECT LIFE AND PROPERTY SHOULD BE RUSHED TO COMPLETION.    » read more »

August 24, 2008 -- George W. Bush today declared a major disaster exists in the State of Florida and ordered Federal aid to supplement State and local recovery efforts in the area struck by Tropical Storm Fay beginning on August 18, 2008, and continuing.

Federal funding is available to State and eligible local governments and certain private nonprofit organizations on a cost-sharing basis for emergency work and the repair or replacement of facilities damaged by Tropical Storm Fay in the counties of Brevard, Monroe, Okeechobee, and St. Lucie.

Federal funding is also available on a cost-sharing basis for hazard mitigation measures statewide.    » read more »

23 August 2008 -- Authorities in the the southeastern U.S. state of Florida say Tropical Storm Fay has killed at least 10 people since it began pounding the state with torrential rain last Monday.

Fay became the first storm of its kind in recorded history to make landfall four times in Florida - coming ashore again Saturday along the state's Gulf of Mexico coast.

Flooding in the aftermath of Tropical Storm Fay: Photo by J.S. Clark (CC)

Its winds never have been strong enough to declare it a hurricane, but Fay has dumped more than 63 centimeters of rain on parts of Florida, flooding hundreds of homes and forcing numerous evacuations.    » read more »

August 21, 2008 -- The President today declared an emergency exists in the State of Florida and ordered Federal aid to supplement State and local response efforts due to the emergency conditions resulting from Tropical Storm Fay beginning on August 18, 2008, and continuing.    » read more »

22 August 2008 -- Tropical Storm Fay has come ashore on the Florida coast for a third time since Monday, bringing more of the torrential rain that has flooded hundreds of homes and prompted numerous evacuations. Fay began moving west across mainland Florida Thursday, after stalling along the northeast Atlantic coast for hours, lashing the area with rain.

Major flooding in the aftermath of Tropical Storm Fay: Photo by Jeremy G. (CC)    » read more »