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National Situation Update: Monday, April 24, 2006

Homeland Security Threat Level: YELLOW (ELEVATED).

Severe Storm Threat in Midwest and Southern Plains Monday

Midwest: A band of scattered showers with a cold front will push eastward through the Upper Midwest Monday. Rain will dampen areas from Missouri to the Great Plains, especially southern South Dakota, Nebraska and parts of Kansas as a storm center cranks up over the southern Plains.

Snow mixing with the rain will move into southwestern South Dakota and western Nebraska. 

Scattered severe storms are forecast over eastern Kansas and much of Missouri eastward into far western Kentucky.

The primary threats: large hail and strong winds, and possible tornado warnings may be issued for eastern Kansas and far southwestern Missouri.

South: Except for isolated afternoon showers or thundershowers in southern Florida and Tennessee Monday, the Southeast will have fine spring weather. 

Farther west, scattered thunderstorms, a few severe, will rumble through eastern Oklahoma and Arkansas, and later in the day, northern Texas as low pressure strengthens over the southern Plains. A tornado threat may develop over northeastern Oklahoma and far northwest Arkansas.

West: Scattered, or maybe only isolated, showers and thunderstorms will dot northern California and the Great Basin Monday, while snow or mixed rain and snow are forecast for much of Wyoming and Colorado as colder air moves southward out of Canada. Accumulating wet snow could fall, even in the lower elevations of southeastern Wyoming.

Meanwhile, a good deal of sunshine seems a good bet for much of Washington and Oregon, as well for Southern California, Arizona and New Mexico.

Northeast:  Low pressure both at the surface and aloft will keep showery weather going in much of the Northeast Monday, although West Virginia and Virginia (except for Tidewater area) may get through the day dry. (National Weather Service, media sources)

Officials say Flood Threat in South Dakota Appears to have Passed

The threat of flooding in the northern Black Hills and surrounding areas appears to have passed, state officials say.

The National Weather Service and the U.S. Geological Survey have been monitoring river and creek gauges since last week's blizzard dumped several feet of snow in parts of western South Dakota. Officials had been worried that warmer temperatures would accelerate the snow melt and inundate some area waterways.

Crews have restored power to all but 662 of the 15,200 residents who lost electricity during the storm.

State officials on Sunday deactivated the new Emergency Operations Center (EOC) in Pierre. The flood threat was the first opportunity EOC officials had to test the new Center.  A state spokesman indicated it worked extremely well.

Local, state and FEMA officials plan to conduct a preliminary damage assessment in Bennett, Harding, Lawrence, Meade, Jackson and Perkins counties. The assessment will help determine if the state will qualify for federal disaster recovery assistance.  (Media sources)

Tropical Activity

No new activity (FEMA HQ)

Earthquake Activity

No new activity (FEMA HQ)

Preliminary Damage Assessments

PDAs will begin on Monday, April 24 in the California counties affected by heavy rain storms and flooding during the past several days.

PDAs will begin in South Dakota on Tuesday, April 25.

PDAs are scheduled to begin on Monday, May 1 in the North Dakota counties affected by recent flooding.  (FEMA HQ)

Wildfire Update

Initial attack activity was light nationally with 109 new fires reported. Very high to extreme fire
indices were reported in Arizona, Colorado, Illinois, Kansas, Massachusetts, Maine, New
Hampshire, Oklahoma, Texas, and Vermont.

Disaster Declaration Activity

No new activity (FEMA HQ)