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National Situation Update: Tuesday, November 14, 2006

Homeland Security Threat Level: YELLOW (ELEVATED).

National Weather

South:
Showers and thunderstorms are forecast over eastern Texas, northern Louisiana and southern Arkansas by Tuesday afternoon and turn severe by evening. Large hail, damaging winds and even tornadoes are possible in this area during the evening and overnight hours. Severe weather is possible from extreme eastern Texas to Mississippi.

Northeast:
Rain across New England is predicted overnight and through Tuesday. Fog will limit visibilities along the coast and may result in some flight delays in cities like Boston and Portland. Scattered showers will dot New York State and parts of Pennsylvania.

West:
Another powerful Pacific storm will invade the Northwest late Tuesday into Wednesday. Winds will increase across coastal Washington and Oregon on Tuesday night and continue into Wednesday. Meanwhile, some significant snow will continue in the Cascades and eastward to parts of Montana, Wyoming and Colorado. Very windy weather is forecast from the Continental Divide to the Front Range.

Midwest:
Changes are coming to the Midwest and they will be felt first across the Plains with an increase in wind and rain on Tuesday. Wednesday will be quite wet from the lower Great Lakes to the Mississippi Valley and eastward to the Ohio Valley. Rain may change to a little snow across southern Minnesota and Iowa on Wednesday.  (National Weather Service, various Media Reports)

Tropical Weather Outlook

Atlantic/Gulf of Mexico/Caribbean Sea:
Tropical cyclone formation is not expected through Tuesday.

Central and Eastern Pacific:
The National Hurricane Center is issuing advisories on newly-formed Tropical Depression
Twenty-One-E, located about 430 miles south of Manzanillo, Mexico. On the present forecast track, this storm is not a threat to the U.S. coast.

Western Pacific:
Tropical Storm 23W (Chebi) continues to track westward. No U.S. interests are affected. (USDOC/NOAA/NWS, National Hurricane Center, Central Pacific Hurricane Center, and the Joint Typhoon Warning Center)

Earthquake Activity

No new activity (FEMA HQ)

Preliminary Damage Assessments

PDAs for Washington State are anticipated to begin this week, for Individual Assistance. (FEMA HQ) 

Wildfire Update

Pine Haven Fire:  The fire has been fully contained.  The Caughlin Ranch residential area was threatened, but no homes were lost or structures damaged. A Fire Management Assistant Grant (FMAG) was issued on Saturday, November 11, 2006.

Firefighters fully contained the 300-acre blaze in Riverside County, near Lake Elsinore California Monday night.  Named the Lookout Two fire, no injuries were reported, and no structures lost.

More dangerous Santa Ana conditions are expected through Tuesday. (Media sources)

Disaster Declaration Activity

The Governor of Alaska has requested a major disaster declaration for Individual and Public Assistance as a result of severe storms, flooding, landslides and mudslides, October 8-13, 2006.  Specific areas requested are: Kenai Peninsula Borough to include the Cities of Seward and Seldovia, the Chugach Regional Educational Attendance Area (REAA), including the Cities of Cordova and Valdez, and the Copper River REAA. The Governor is also requesting Hazard Mitigation statewide. (FEMA HQ)