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National Situation Update: Saturday, May 6, 2006

Homeland Security Threat Level: YELLOW (ELEVATED).

National Weather

South:  As one disturbance exits the Carolinas and another continues to roam eastward along the northern Gulf Coast both touching of more thunderstorms, the main action will continue over the south-central states. A stronger upper-level disturbance will arrive from out of the Southwest, triggering more heavy flooding rain and thunderstorms across Oklahoma, Texas, Arkansas and Louisiana. Severe thunderstorms with hail, damaging winds and a few tornadoes will shift across Texas into Louisiana and the lower Mississippi Valley. By tomorrow, the stalled front across the Deep South will provide the track for low pressure heading from Texas eastward into Alabama. Rain and thunderstorms will extend from the lower Mississippi Valley to the Carolinas, Georgia and northernmost Florida. A few severe thunderstorms may pop over the central and southern parts of Alabama and Georgia plus northern Florida.

Northeast:  As a storm deepens and wraps up over the western Canadian Maritimes, northern New England will turn windy and remain showery. Much cooler air will infiltrate the Northeast. By tomorrow morning, temperatures will be in the 30s and even a few 20s from the mountains of West Virginia to Upstate New York. Even northern New England and interior southern New England will drop into the 30s. The remainder of the region will be in the 40s with 50s in the Chesapeake Bay area. After a beautiful day tomorrow with highs mainly in the 60s, the southern storm will edge northward from northeast Tennessee to the Delmarva.

Midwest:  Most of the Midwest will be dry this weekend. The next southern storm will brush the southern part of the region with a few showers for Kansas and Missouri today and then Kentucky tomorrow. Moving into the new week, a cold front will gradually take shape in the Plains as warmer, moister air returns northward.

West:  As the final remnants of the Southwest disturbances exit eastward this weekend, the showers and mountain snow in the Rockies and south-central high Plains will dwindle and finally end. Meanwhile, a new upper-level system and cold front will sweep through the Northwest with cool showers from Washington and Oregon into the northern Rockies tomorrow and from the northern and central Rockies to the high Plains Monday and Tuesday.   (NWS, Media Sources)

FEMA Public Assistance Creates Jobs in CA

U.S. Secretary of Labor Elaine L. Chao announced a grant of $5.5 million to create 1,007 temporary jobs for eligible dislocated workers to assist in clean-up and recovery efforts in the aftermath of severe flooding in 18 California counties.  ``Northern California has been severely impacted by flood damage that has left many areas in need of clean up and repair,'' said Secretary Chao. ``This $5.5 million emergency grant will put people who have lost their jobs because of flooding, back to work to help their communities recover and rebuild.''

On Feb. 3, 29 counties in Northern California were declared eligible for public assistance by the Federal Emergency Management Agency as a result of devastation caused by storms. The state has targeted 18 counties for assistance, and may add more counties at a later date.  The grant, awarded to the California Employment Development Department, will be used to create temporary jobs on projects that provide food, clothing, shelter, and other humanitarian assistance for disaster victims. Projects may include the demolition, renovation and reconstruction of destroyed public structures, facilities and lands. The funds also may be used to perform work on the homes of disadvantaged individuals who are eligible for the federally funded weatherization program. Priority will be given to services for the elderly and individuals with disabilities.

Workers eligible to apply for the temporary jobs funded through this grant include those dislocated as a result of the storms, other dislocated workers, and the long-term unemployed. Counties targeted by the state for assistance under the grant include Alpine, Butte, Colusa, Del Norte, El Dorado, Humboldt, Lake, Lassen, Mendocino, Napa, Plumas, Siskiyou, Solano, Sonoma, Sutter, Trinity, Yolo and Yuba.
National Emergency Grants are part of the secretary's discretionary fund and are awarded based on a state's ability to meet specific guidelines.  (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

Current situation:   Initial attack activity was light nationally with 120 new fires reported. One new large fire was reported in Nevada and three large fires were contained in Florida. Very high to extreme fire indices were reported in Arizona, Colorado, Delaware, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas, Kansas and Pennsylvania.

Fire Weather Watches:  Most areas of interior Florida on Friday for continued low afternoon humidity. Southeast Arizona, southwest and south-central New Mexico for strong southwest winds and low humidity.

Outlook:   An upper trough moving through the Great Basin is expected to elevate fire potential in portions of the Southwest, especially over southern Arizona, southern New Mexico and west Texas where gusty winds and low humidity are expected. Showers are forecast for much of the Southeast except for Florida where low humidity will continue over much of the state.  (NIFC, NICC)

Disaster Declaration Activity

No new activity (FEMA HQ)