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National Situation Update: Saturday, January 28, 2006

Homeland Security Threat Level: YELLOW (ELEVATED).

National Weather

West:  Two wet and windy storms are following a plume of sub-tropical moisture across the Pacific to hit Washington, Oregon and northern California first today and then again from late tomorrow into Monday. The two storms will provide a steady onslaught of wind, heavy rain and snow. The winds this morning could gusts over 65 mph along the Oregon Coast and the Cascades. During the day, winds could gust to 120 mph over the ridge tops of the Sierra and 80 mph through the foothills of western Nevada. Rainfall by Monday from southwest Washington to northwest California could locally exceed 6 inches, renewing flooding and mudslides. Snow will spread as far east as western Montana, western Wyoming, northern Utah and the northern Colorado Rockies where the season's accumulations are above average. The Southwest and southern Rockies continue to be largely ignored by these wet storms.

South:  Two storms will keep the South wet through Monday. The first low-pressure area, heading from Kansas to the Great Lakes this weekend, will bring some rain and thunderstorms during the day to the drought area: central and eastern parts of Texas and Oklahoma plus Arkansas and Louisiana. A few of the thunderstorms could turn severe. Many areas will just pick up a few tenths of an inch of rain but localized inch-or-more amounts are possible. The rain will slip across the Tennessee Valley and northern Gulf Coast States tonight and into the Southeast tomorrow with a few more severe thunderstorms possible nearer to the Gulf. A second area of low pressure will zip from the Ark-La-Tex to the Carolinas tomorrow night and Monday with more rain east of the Mississippi River.

Midwest:  A storm tracking from Kansas to the Great Lakes this weekend will produce mostly rain. The rain will first surge northward into southeast Minnesota, Wisconsin and southwest Lower Michigan and then head eastward across the mid-Mississippi and western Ohio Valleys. Tomorrow, the rain will shift eastward across the remainder of Michigan and Ohio Valley. A little wet snow will fringe the far northern edge of the rain shield. The corridor from the Ozarks to Lower Michigan could pick up over an inch of rain by tomorrow. A little very light snow or sprinkles changing to light snow will keep the Great Lakes and Ohio Valley damp on Monday. Southeast Kentucky may see heavier rain changing to snow later Monday as the second southern storm moves into the Carolinas.

Northeast:  After a quiet milder day today, the Midwest storm will bring showery rains to the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic tomorrow. Colder air sagging south of the Canadian border will cause wet snow to fall from northernmost New York and west-central Maine. On Monday, any lingering light rain will gradually change to very light snow or light wintry mix from West Virginia to New England.  (NWS, Media Sources)

Major Earthquake Strikes Indonesia -- No Tsunami Threat

A major earthquake occurred at 11:58 EST on Friday, January 27, 2006 in the Banda Sea region of Indonesia. The magnitude 7.7 event was 212 miles deep and has been located 120 miles south of Ambon, Moluccas, Indonesia.

This earthquake is located outside the Pacific. No destructive tsunami threat exists in the Pacific or elsewhere based on historical earthquake and tsunami data.  This will be the only bulletin issued for this event unless additional information becomes available.   (United States Geological Survey (USGS) Earthquake Hazards Program, Pacific Tsunami Warning Center) 

Tropical Activity

No new activity (FEMA HQ)

Earthquake Activity

A minor earthquake occurred at 1:48 pm EST on Friday, January 27, 2006. The magnitude 3.0 event has been located 20 miles WSW  from Cokedale, CO.  There were no injuries or damage reported.

A minor earthquake occurred at 3:10 EST on Friday, January 27, 2006. The magnitude 3.0 event has been located 1mile SW from Mount St. Helens Volcano, WA.  No injuries or damage was reported.  (United States Geological Survey (USGS) Earthquake Hazards Program)

Preliminary Damage Assessments

Public Assistance PDAs are scheduled for 17 counties in Oregon beginning on January 30, 2006 as a result of Severe Storms and Flooding from mid-December, 2005 through January 22, 2006. (FEMA HQ)

Wildfire Update

National Preparedness Level - II

Current situation:  Initial attack activity was light nationally with 97 new fires reported. Two new large fires were reported in the Southern Area. One large fire was contained in the Southern California Area.  High to extreme fire indices were reported in Kansas, Wyoming, Nebraska, South Dakota, and Florida.

Oklahoma:  Eastern Oklahoma IA (Oklahoma State): 123,331 acres at an unknown percent contained. An Oklahoma State Type 2 Incident Management Team is assisting local, federal, and state jurisdictions in managing fires and initial attack in Oklahoma.

BOLEY (Okmulgee Field Office, Bureau of Indian Affairs): 110 acres at 80 percent contained. The fire is burning two miles southwest of Boley City. Minimal fire behavior was observed. The fire is being monitored.

Texas:  North Central Texas (Texas Forest Service): A Unified Command between a Florida State Type 2 Incident Management Team and a Texas State Type 2 Incident Commander is in place in Granbury, TX.

Florida:LAST YEAR (Florida Division of Forestry): This fire is on private land 6 miles east of Sebring, FL in muck, brush and grass. The fire started on 12/31/2005 and the difficulty of the terrain has impeded containment efforts. Structures are threatened. Active fire behavior was reported.  (NIFC, NICC)

Disaster Declaration Activity

FEMA-1623-DR-OK is amended to add 14 counties eligible for Individual Assistance.

The Joint Field Office (JFO) for FEMA-DR-1622-MN will close on February 10,2006. (FEMA HQ)