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National Situation Update: Saturday, December 24, 2005

Homeland Security Threat Level: YELLOW (ELEVATED).

National Weather Summary

West: A new storm will bring heavy rain to northwestern Washington Friday night and into Saturday. Rainfall amounts over the Olympic Peninsula could locally exceed 6 inches. Mild temperatures will melt a good deal of mountain snow in the Cascades on Saturday. Downpours plus snow could bring localized  river flooding. Dense fog could develop early Saturday over parts of Oregon and California. Temperatures will be a warm 5 to 25 degrees above average across the West this weekend.

Midwest: Early Saturday rain will develop ahead of a cold front and then change to light snow over eastern South Dakota, southern Minnesota and eastern Nebraska. Later on Saturday, the rain will change to wet snow across Iowa, easternmost Kansas, northern Missouri and northern Illinois. Late Saturday into early Sunday, the wet snow will accumulate over northern Missouri and the northern half of Illinois. On Sunday as the storm sweeps from Indiana into the Mid-Atlantic, the advancing band of snow will lay down a few inches across southern and southeast Michigan while any lingering rain showers will change over to snow in the Ohio Valley.

Northeast: A weak system will bring some rain and wet snow overnight to northern New England. A developing Midwest storm will bring rain to the Northeast late Saturday night and Sunday. As the storm moves away Sunday night and Monday, the rain will change to snow from West Virginia to New England with several inches possible across the Poconos, Hudson Valley, central New England and coastal Maine.

South: A cold front will move from the lower Mississippi Valley Saturday to off the Southeast Coast by Sunday evening. Rain will dampen the South ahead of the front. On Sunday behind the front, any lingering rain showers could turn over to flurries from the Tennessee Valley into the southern Appalachians. The southern Appalachians could pick up a few inches of snow Sunday night.  (Source: NOAA/NWS and various media outlets)

Tropical Activity

There is no tropical activity in the Atlantic, Caribbean, or Gulf of Mexico.

There is no tropical activity in the Eastern Pacific, Western and Central Pacific, or Indian Ocean.(Source: USDOC/NOAA/NWS, National Hurricane Center, Central Pacific Hurricane Center, and the Joint Typhoon Warning Center)

Earthquake Activity

A magnitude 5.1 earthquake occurred on Saturday, December 24, 2005 at 0730L Guam time (Dec 23, 1630 EST).  The earthquake was located 120 miles ESE of Hagatna, Guam.  The depth of the earthquake was 6.2 miles.  There are no reports of injuries, damage to utilities or structural damage at this time.

A magnitude 4.7earthquake occurred Friday, December 23 at 1338 PST, 2005, 73 miles west of Eureka, California. The hypo-central depth was 1.6 miles.  Preceding the 4.7 earthquake, a 3.6 earthquake occurred 58 miles west southwest from Eureka at 0857 PST.  There are no reports of damage or injuries. (Source: United States Geological Survey (USGS) Earthquake Hazards Program)

Preliminary Damage Assessments

No new activity (FEMA HQ)

Disaster Declaration Activity

No new activity (FEMA HQ)