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National Situation Update: Friday, June 15, 2007

Homeland Security Threat Level: YELLOW (ELEVATED).

National Weather Summary

West: A frontal system moving in off the Pacific will produce showers and thunderstorms over the Pacific Northwest, northern Great Basin, northern Rockies and Montana through the weekend. High temperatures will be over 100 in the Desert Southwest.

Midwest: A front over the northern Plains and Upper Midwest will produce thunderstorms with heavy rain. High temperatures will reach the 90s. On Sunday, thunderstorms are forecast for the northern sections of the region and parts of the southern Plains.

South: For much of the weekend an upper level low pressure center will produce precipitation over Oklahoma and northern Texas. Expect accumulations of two to four inches. A few thunderstorms may be severe with large hail and damaging winds. Upper-level disturbances moving southward from the Appalachians to the Southeast will trigger scattered strong to severe thunderstorms. High temperatures will be near 100 along the Rio Grand. The weekend will feature drier conditions across the region with the exception of the Florida Peninsula with scattered afternoon thunderstorm.

Northeast: Expect one more unseasonably cool day in the region with a few showers from coastal New England to the Middle Atlantic. Saturday will be generally dry with a few isolated thunderstorms. By Sunday, temperatures will increase into the 70s across most of New England and the 80s in the Middle Atlantic. (NWS, Media Sources)

Tropical Weather Outlook

Atlantic/Caribbean/Gulf of Mexico:
Cloudiness and showers over the northwestern Caribbean Sea are associated with a broad and elongated area of low pressure. Upper-level winds are currently unfavorable for development but may become more favorable during the next 48 hr as the system drifts toward the northwest.  An air force reserve hurricane hunter aircraft is scheduled to investigate the system Friday afternoon if necessary.

Elsewhere, tropical cyclone formation is not expected during the next 48 hours.

Eastern Pacific:
Tropical cyclone formation is not expected during the next 48 hours.

Western Pacific:
No significant activity. (NOAA, National Hurricane Center, Central Pacific Hurricane Center and the Joint Typhoon Warning Center)

Earthquake Activity

On Thursday, June 14, 2007 at 5:57 pm EST an earthquake measuring 3.9 struck about 87 miles east southeast of Portland, Oregon.  At a depth of 14.2 miles. There were no reports of damage or injuries and there was no tsunami generated. (NOAA, USGS, Earthquake Hazards Program, Alaska Earthquake Information Center, Pacific Tsunami Warning Center)

Preliminary Damage Assessments

No new activity (FEMA HQ)

Wildfire Update

National Preparedness Level:   2
States Most Affected: Georgia and Florida
National Fire Activity as of Wednesday, June 13, 2007 at 10:00 a.m. EDT:

• Initial attack activity: Light (148 new fires)
• New large fires: 1
• Large fires contained: 1
• Uncontained large fires: 5
• The National Preparedness Level remains at 2, while the Southern Area is at Level 3.
• Nationally, there are two Type 1 and one Type 2 IMTs committed.

Predictive Services Discussion: Warm, dry weather will continue over much of the West today with gusty winds developing over the northern Sierras and western Nevada. Interior Alaska should see scattered showers and thunderstorms. Scattered thunderstorms will continue over the Southeast. (National Interagency Fire Center, National Incident Information Center, Joint Information Center FL/GA), media)

Disaster Declaration Activity

• Amendment #5: FEMA-1593-DR-AL. Federal funds for all categories of Public Assistance, including direct Federal assistance for which a request for public assistance form has been submitted as of May 25, 2007 and other needs assistance (section 408) applied for before May 25, 2007 are authorized at 100 percent of total eligible costs in the State of Alabama.
• Amendment #4: FEMA-1594-DR-MS. Federal funds for all categories of Public Assistance, including direct Federal assistance for which a request for public assistance form has been submitted as of May 25, 2007 and other needs assistance (section 408) applied for before May 25, 2007 are authorized at 100 percent of total eligible costs in the State of Mississippi.
• Amendment #9: FEMA-1595-DR-FL. Federal funds for all categories of Public Assistance, including direct Federal assistance for which a request for public assistance form has been submitted as of May 25, 2007 and other needs assistance (section 408) applied for before May 25, 2007 are authorized at 100 percent of total eligible costs in the State of Florida.
• Amendment #5: FEMA-1602-DR-FL. Federal funds for all categories of Public Assistance, including direct Federal assistance for which a request for public assistance form has been submitted as of May 25, 2007 and other needs assistance (section 408) applied for before May 25, 2007 are authorized at 100 percent of total eligible costs in the State of Florida.
• Amendment #12: FEMA-1603-DR-LA. Federal funds for all categories of Public Assistance, including direct Federal assistance for which a request for public assistance form has been submitted as of May 25, 2007 and other needs assistance (section 408) applied for before May 25, 2007 are authorized at 100 percent of total eligible costs in the State of Louisiana.
• Amendment #15: FEMA-1604-DR-MS. Federal funds for all categories of Public Assistance, including direct Federal assistance for which a request for public assistance form has been submitted as of May 25, 2007 and other needs assistance (section 408) applied for before May 25, 2007 are authorized at 100 percent of total eligible costs in the State of Mississippi.
• Amendment # 10: FEMA-1605-DR-AL. Federal funds for all categories of Public Assistance, including direct Federal assistance for which a request for public assistance form has been submitted as of May 25, 2007 and other needs assistance (section 408) applied for before May 25, 2007 are authorized at 100 percent of total eligible costs in the State of Alabama.
• Amendment #10: FEMA-1606-DR-TX. Federal funds for all categories of Public Assistance, including direct Federal assistance for which a request for public assistance form has been submitted as of May 25, 2007 and other needs assistance (section 408) applied for before May 25, 2007 are authorized at 100 percent of total eligible costs in the State of Texas.
• Amendment #17: FEMA-1607-DR-LA. Federal funds for all categories of Public Assistance, including direct Federal assistance for which a request for public assistance form has been submitted as of May 25, 2007 and other needs assistance (section 408) applied for before May 25, 2007 are authorized at 100 percent of total eligible costs in the State of Louisiana.
• Amendment #7: FEMA-1609-DR-FL. Federal funds for all categories of Public Assistance, including direct Federal assistance for which a request for public assistance form has been submitted as of May 25, 2007 and other needs assistance (section 408) applied for before May 25, 2007 are authorized at 100 percent of total eligible costs in the State of Florida.
• The Joint Field Office (JFO) for FEMA-1697-DR-TX will close on June 22, 2007 (FEMA HQ)