Weather

January 31, 2008 -- OLYMPIA – Washington Governor Chris Gregoire today signed a proclamation designating a State of Emergency in multiple counties as a result of repeated snow storms hitting mountain passes and Eastern Washington. The counties covered by the proclamation include Adams, Clark, Columbia, King, Kittitas, Klickitat, Lincoln, Okanogan, Pend Oreille, Skamania, Spokane, Stevens, Walla Walla, Whitman and Yakima.    » read more »

January 30, 2008, WASHINGTON, D.C. -- The head of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) today announced that federal disaster aid has been made available for the state of Indiana to help people and communities recover from the effects of severe storms and flooding during the period of January 7, 2008, and continuing.    » read more »

January 29, 2008 -- Saint Paul – Minnesota Governor Pawlenty is directing the Minnesota National Guard to open its armory in Owatonna for travelers who may be stranded because of today’s blizzard conditions in southeastern Minnesota. The Guard will coordinate with local relief agencies to provide emergency assistance for anyone unable to travel through the area.

The Governor has also directed the Guard to make other armories available for emergency shelter if needed by local authorities.    » read more »

Ready Georgia to focus on helping Georgians prepare for disaster

January 28, 2008 -- ATLANTA –Today Georgia Governor Sonny Perdue announced Ready Georgia, a new statewide campaign that will be led by the Georgia Emergency Management Agency (GEMA). Governor Perdue unveiled the campaign during a ceremony proclaiming February 3-9 as Severe Weather Awareness Week (SWAW) in Georgia.    » read more »

27 January 2008 -- Heavy snow in southern China has left thousands of railway passengers stranded as they head home for the Lunar New Year holiday.

Chinese state media says more than 150,000 people were stuck Sunday at the Guangzhou railway station, which is the southern end of a key railway link to the capital Beijing.

Authorities say they expect the number of stranded to rise as high as 600,000 by Monday.

Railway officials say it is not immediately clear when service will be restored.    » read more »

Snow, Sleet and Freezing Rain Expected to Make Some Roads Dangerous

1/16/2008 -- Raleigh - North Carolina Governor Mike Easley today warned citizens in the western and central portions of the state that a wintry mix of snow, sleet and freezing rain could make traveling hazardous on Thursday morning. A low pressure system from the Gulf of Mexico will move into central North Carolina after midnight bringing a brief period of snow and sleet followed by freezing rain that will eventually turn to rain.    » read more »

January 14, 2008, SALEM, Ore. -- The severe storms, wind, mudslides, landslides and flooding that swept through Oregon Dec. 1-17, 2007, left a path of destruction. Oregonians will long remember the swirling floodwaters, damaged homes and tangled debris left in the wake of the storms.    » read more »

January 14, 2008 -- FEMA is closely monitoring the winter storm affecting parts of the Northeast. FEMA stands ready to support and will coordinate with federal partners, tribal, state and local governments and voluntary agencies if needed.

While the federal government continues to monitor and prepare for possible winter storm hazards, FEMA urges citizens also to be cautious. There are steps individuals can take to protect their families during winter storms.

Before A Winter Storm:

Prepare a disaster kit and add the following supplies:

* Rock salt to melt ice on walkways    » read more »

01/14/2008 -- California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger today proclaimed a state of emergency in the county of Mendocino and the cities of Oakland and Grass Valley in response to the extreme winds and heavy rain that began on January 3, 2008. So far, the Governor has proclaimed an emergency in the counties of Butte, Colusa, Del Norte, El Dorado, Glenn, Kings, Placer, Sacramento, San Francisco, Sierra, Sutter, Yuba and Yolo due to the storms.    » read more »

15 January 2008 -- A group of climate researchers says there is evidence that global warming is causing the Antarctic ice cap to melt more quickly than it did 10 years ago.

The scientists said Monday they used satellite data to monitor the Antarctic coastline. They found the ice sheet on the Earth's southern pole lost 59 percent more ice in 2006 than it did in 1996.

The researchers say western Antarctica lost 132 billion tons of ice in 2006, enough to raise worldwide sea levels by 0.5 millimeter.    » read more »

Food, water and cleaning recommendations to help prevent illness and injury

January 11, 2008 -- SPRINGFIELD - After declaring Iroquois and Livingston counties state disaster areas due to severe flooding that has forced more than 430 people from their homes, Illinois Governor Rod R. Blagojevich today urged residents in and around the disaster areas to take precautions to help prevent disease in order to stay safe and healthy.    » read more »

Better than average rain fall recorded in December

January 11, 2008 -- SPRINGFIELD- On January 7, winter weather gave way to spring-like conditions with record-breaking warmth, heavy rains, and severe weather across Illinois. Record high temperatures were set at several locations, including Peoria (67 degrees), Chicago (65 degrees), and Champaign (67 degrees), according to State Climatologist Jim Angel of the Illinois State Water Survey (http://www.sws.uiuc.edu), a division of the Illinois Department of Natural Resources.    » read more »

01/09/2008 -- California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger today proclaimed a state of emergency for Colusa, Del Norte, El Dorado and Sierra Counties in response to the extreme winds and heavy rain beginning January 3, 2008. Since Saturday, the Governor has proclaimed an emergency in Butte, Glenn, Kings, Placer, Sacramento, San Francisco, Sutter, Yuba and Yolo Counties due to the storms.    » read more »

January 07, 2008 -- WATERBURY – Vermont Emergency Management would like to remind homeowners to be aware of snow loads on the roofs of their homes due to forecasts calling for warm, wet conditions. There is a fear that these conditions can lead to roof collapses.    » read more »

06 January 2008 -- Snow is still falling in several western U.S. states where a powerful winter storm has been blamed for at least three deaths and has interrupted power to hundreds of thousands of homes and businesses.

Officials are searching in the mountains east of Los Angeles, California, for a hiker last seen as the snow began falling on Friday. In Colorado's Rocky Mountains, searchers are looking for four snowmobilers also missing since Friday.    » read more »