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National Situation Update: Sunday, November 23, 2008

Homeland Security Threat Level: YELLOW (ELEVATED).

Significant National Weather

Midwest   
A cold front will move eastward into the middle of the country. Moisture will be limited at first, but light snow will break out along the Canadian border as showers move northward toward southern Missouri.
Northeast
Other than a few fading lake-effect systems off of Lakes Erie and Ontario across upstate New York, and lingering snow showers over northernmost New England, the region will be precipitation free.
South
This cold shot of mid-winter air will continue into today across the southeast. Lows will range from the uuper teens and 20s in the Carolinas to the upper 50s in south Texas. During the day, showers will increase across eastern Texas, eastern Oklahoma, Arkansas, and western Louisiana as moisture returns northward ahead of a developing storm in the central U.S.
West
Dense fog in the interior valleys of California in the morning, specifically from Sacramento to Bakersfield. November 23-24 the west will be almost precipitation free. Highs will range from the 40s across the northwest to the 70s and low 80s in the southwest.  (NOAA, National Weather Service and Various Media Sources)

Earthquake Facts

Over 98% of all earthquakes occur within three zones:

• Pacific Belt (Ring of Fire) is most active seismic zone:
  • 90% of the world's earthquakes
  • 80% of the worlds' largest earthquakes
    
• Alpide Belt is the 2nd most active seismic Region Zone:
  
  • 5 - 6% of the world's arthquakes
  • 17% of the world's largest earthquakes
  • Extends from Java to Sumatra, through the Himalayas, the Mediterranean and into the Atlantic
    
• Mid-Atlantic Ridge is the 3rd most prominent earthquake zone:
  
  • 4 - 5% of the world's earthquakes

Largest Recorded Earthquake

• Occurred May 22, 1960, about 700 kilometers south of Santiago, Chile
  
• Great Chilean Earthquake magnitude was 9.5 on the Richter Scale
  
• Over 2,000 people were killed; 3,000 injured; 2,000,000 homeless
  
• The resulting tsunami affected southern Chile, Hawaii, Japan, Philippines, eastern New Zealand, southeast Australia and Aleutian Islands

Deadliest Earthquake in Recorded History

• The worst natural disaster in recorded history, in terms of fatalities, occurred in Shaanxi Province, China, January 23, 1556
  
• Estimated magnitude ranged from 8.0 - 8.3 on the Richter Scale
  
• Records indicate a total of 830,000 fatalities

Largest Recorded US Earthquake

• Prince William Sound, Alaska, earthquake occurred March 27, 1964
  
• Magnitude was 8.4 on the Richter Scale
  
• Triggered tsunamis, which were responsible for 122 of the 131 reported deaths
  
• Tsunamis impacted Valdez, Whittier, Seward, Kodiak and other Alaskan communities, as well as British Columbia, Oregon, California, Hawaii and Japan (USGS)
  

Fire Management Assistance Grant (FMAG)

No significant activity.  (FEMA HQ)

Tropical Weather Outlook

Atlantic/Caribbean:
A broad low pressure system located east of the Panama-Costa Rica border is moving slowly westward. Further development, if any, should be slow to occur due to land interaction.

Eastern Pacific:
No tropical cyclone formation is expected during the next 48 hours.

Western Pacific:
No current tropical cyclone warnings. (NOAA, HPC,  National Hurricane Center, Central Pacific Hurricane Center and the Joint Typhoon Warning Center)

Earthquake Activity

No new activity (FEMA HQ)

Preliminary Damage Assessments

No new activity (FEMA HQ)

Disaster Declaration Activity

No new activity (FEMA HQ)