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National Situation Update: Monday, May 8, 2006

Homeland Security Threat Level: YELLOW (ELEVATED).

Severe Storms Possible but Mostly Moderate Weather Expected

Northeast: An offshore storm will keep the Mid-Atlantic region damp and breezy Monday, with rain in southeastern Pennsylvania, New Jersey, the Delmarva Peninsula and eastern Virginia. Partly cloudy skies will prevail farther north in New England.

South: Scattered showers and thunderstorms are expected in northeast North Carolina, along the Gulf Coast, southern Georgia and northern Florida and into the lower Mississippi Valley, Louisiana, eastern Texas, much of Oklahoma and Arkansas. A few severe storms could erupt in Louisiana, far eastern Texas and extreme southern Arkansas.

Midwest: Showers and thunderstorms will be scattered over the Upper Midwest, Great Plains and portions of the lower Midwest--Iowa, Illinois and Missouri. A few severe thunderstorms may occur in the afternoon from southwest Minnesota/southeast South Dakota southward into Kansas.

West: A few showers (mountain snow showers) and isolated thunderstorms are likely in Wyoming, Colorado and northern Utah, and to a lesser extent in western Montana and the Washington Cascades.

Puerto Rico and U.S. Virgin Islands: A hazardous Weather Warning has been issued Sunday night and Monday due to a gradual increase in moisture across the area. This rainfall could then lead to urban and small stream flooding. St. Croix has the potential to see the most numerous and intense activity. Some showers and thunderstorms will produce heavy rainfall. Moderate to heavy rain is expected into the middle of the week.(National Weather Service, media sources)

FEMA Regional Activity

FEMA-1633-DR-IL Joint Field Office will close on or about May 20, 2006.  (FEMA HQ)

Tropical Activity

No new activity (FEMA HQ)

Earthquake Activity

No new activity (FEMA HQ)

Preliminary Damage Assessments

No new activity (FEMA HQ)

Wildfire Update

The National Preparedness Level remains at Level 2. Initial attack activity was light nationally with 52 new fires reported. Two new large fires were reported, one each in the Southern and Eastern Areas. One large fire was contained in the Southwest Area. Very high to extreme fire indices were reported in Arizona, New Mexico, Kansas, Pennsylvania, and Texas.

On Sunday a wildfire in Volusia County, FL, jumped I-95 and moved toward several neighborhoods. Structures are threatened and approximately 800 residents have been evacuated. I-95 is closed in both directions. Strong, shifting winds are picking up embers and starting small fires in several locations. Power has been cut off to homes in the area, power poles catching fire.

A shelter has been opened in New Smyrna Beach, with the possibility of opening two more in Port Orange and Edgewater. The Florida Emergency Operations Center is monitoring.  There has been no request for federal assistance.

In Arizona, New Mexico, and west Texas near critical fire conditions will materialize Monday afternoon in response to increased wind speeds. The most likely area for critical conditions will be   across central and southern New Mexico as well as far southwestern Texas in areas that have received little precipitation recently..
  
A marginal fire threat will exist Monday in the lower part of northern Michigan due to dry air and sustained winds of 10-15 mph. (FEMA, Region IV, National Interagency Fire Center, NWS, media sources)

Disaster Declaration Activity

No new activity (FEMA HQ)