National Situation Update: Saturday, April 29, 2006
Homeland Security Threat Level: YELLOW (ELEVATED).
Slow-Moving Storms
South: Heavy rain and thunderstorms will move eastward into the Mississippi Valley on Saturday. Some thunderstorms may be strong to severe with large hail, damaging winds and a few tornadoes. Meanwhile, rain will linger across eastern sections of Texas. Some of this rain will be locally heavy. Rain will then spread slowly eastward through the Mississippi Valley. By late Sunday, rainfall in western Tennessee, Mississippi and western Alabama could be in the 1-to-3-inch range. To the east it will be sunny across most of the Atlantic coast except for a coastal storm from the Outer Banks to eastern Florida, generating increasing waves, rip currents and some beach erosion. Sunday and Monday, some drizzle and sprinkles will invade Georgia.
Midwest: Rain and thunderstorms across the Midwest. Over the weekend, rain will extend from much of the northern and central Plains, through the Mississippi Valley into the western Great Lakes and the middle and lower Ohio Valley. Severe weather is possible on Saturday across southern Iowa, eastern Kansas and Missouri. As the storm begins to move eastward late Monday, showers will gradually end in the Plains and Mississippi Valley, but linger in the Ohio Valley through Tuesday. More wet weather is in store by the middle of next week.
West: Scattered showers for the Pacific Northwest Saturday. By Saturday night, rain and snow showers will move into the northern Rockies. A stronger system will follow Sunday night and Monday resulting in more scattered showers and thunderstorms. The Southwest will become hot and dry well into next week, cooler along the coast.
Northeast: The Northeast will experience sunshine and mild temperatures through the weekend, except on the coast where an Atlantic storm will cause gusty northeast winds, rough seas, rip currents and some beach erosion from New England to the middle Atlantic coast. Rain may back into the New England coast by Monday and temperatures will be quite chilly. (NWS, Media Sources)
Central Florida brush fires still burning
Authorities closed a 20-mile stretch of a central Florida road after a brush fire erupted near another larger blaze that doubled in size Friday.
That fire ignited just south of another blaze that grew from about 850 acres to about 1,800 acres near Port St. John, a Division of Forestry officer said. The blaze, which had been burning for about a day, had closed I-95 on two occasions, but the state's main east coast artery was open late Friday.
According to a spokesman for the Division of Forestry, no homes were destroyed by the larger fire, but one house was damaged. About 70 firefighters, state and federal authorities were working Friday to extinguish the flames.
The cause of both fires was under investigation. The size of the smaller fire was not known, but it was not threatening any structures, Miller said.
The Division of Forestry reports that more than 20,000 acres have burned in Florida from over 1,500 wildfires. (Media Sources)
Tropical Activity
No new activity (FEMA HQ)
Earthquake Activity
No new activity (FEMA HQ)
Preliminary Damage Assessments
No new activity (FEMA HQ)
Wildfire Update
Fire activity was moderate throughout the nation with 140 new fires reported. Two new large fires were reported in Minnesota. The Sand fire was contained in Arizona.
Red Flag Warnings: In effect for Florida for low humidity and strong, gusty winds. Warnings are also in effect for strong, gusty southeast winds and ongoing drought conditions for south Texas.
Fire Weather Watches: Most of Florida for continued minimum humidity and strong, gusty winds. Watches are also in effect for strong winds and low humidity in southeastern New Mexico into southwest Texas. (NIFC, NICC)
Disaster Declaration Activity
No new activity (FEMA HQ)
Last Modified: Monday, 01-May-2006 08:30:41 EDT