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National Situation Update: Friday, January 2, 2009

Homeland Security Threat Level: YELLOW (ELEVATED).

Significant National Weather

West:
A low pressure system over the northern Rockies will produce rain, snow and gusty winds in the northern half of the region.  The Cascades, Sierras and northern Rockies are forecast to receive up to a foot of snow.  The snow levels will range from 500 feet in the Washington Cascades to 7000 feet in the Sierras.  The winds in southwest Montana and Wyoming will be 35 to 50 mph with higher gusts of 75 mph.  The next storm will hit the Pacific Northwest on Sunday bringing rain, snow and gusty winds to elevations above 1000 feet.
Midwest:
Most of the region will be dry under high pressure.  Tonight, the system moving out of the Northern Rockies will bring snow to the northern Plains and upper Midwest.  Tomorrow the snow will spread from the Dakotas to the western Great Lakes, while rain and a few thunderstorms move northward into the mid-Mississippi and lower Ohio Valley.
South:
A weak cold front will produce scattered rain showers across the region.  There is a possibility of light icing across parts of North Carolina and sleet in the southern Appalachians as temperatures near freezing.
Northeast:
A weak low pressure system will produce a dusting of snow across much of the Northeast and middle Atlantic regions.  In northern New England, up to 4 inches of snow will fall in the higher elevations. Downwind, east of Lake Erie and Ontario, 6 to 12 inches of lake-effect snow is forecast.  Tomorrow, snow showers are forecast from Upstate New York to Maine with gusty northwest winds for New England. (NOAA, NWS and Media Sources)

Midwest Flooding Update

Thunderstorms and heavy rain, combined with ice melt, led to the flooding of streams and rivers over a large portion of the Midwest last weekend.  Flooding continues or is forecast for numerous rivers in Illinois, Michigan and northwest Indiana.

Michigan: Consumers Energy and Detroit Edison reported there are less than 16,000 customers without power. There is one shelter open with a population of 14.  No requests for Federal assistance are anticipated. (NOAA, NWS, Region V, DOE)

Fire Management Assistance Grant (FMAG)

No activity. (FEMA HQ)

Tropical Weather Outlook

Western Pacific:
The Joint Typhoon Warning Center is monitoring an area of convection 395 miles east-southeast of Manila, Philippines; however, the potential for a significant Tropical Cyclone developing within the next 24 hours is poor. (NOAA, HPC, National Hurricane Center, Central Pacific Hurricane Center and the Joint Typhoon Warning Center)

Earthquake Activity

The swarm of small earthquakes continues in and around Yellowstone National Park (Wyoming, Montana, and Idaho). A total of 257 earthquakes have occurred since December 27, 2008 ranging in magnitude from 0.2 to 3.9.  This area typically has 5 earthquakes a day; however, the average has increased to 50 per day during this period.  There were only 12 earthquakes recorded on Jan 1.  (USGS, Earthquake Hazards Program, Alaska Earthquake Information Center)

Preliminary Damage Assessments

No new activity (FEMA HQ)

Disaster Declaration Activity

No new activity (FEMA HQ)