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National Situation Update: Wednesday, November 5, 2008

Homeland Security Threat Level: YELLOW (ELEVATED).

Significant National Weather

Midwest
Thunderstorms, some severe, may occur from South Dakota to Oklahoma; a few tornadoes are possible in southeast Kansas and east central Oklahoma.

Late in the day, rain will change to snow, first in the Black Hills, and then eastward. Winter Storm and Blizzard Watches are in effect for the Dakotas.

By Thursday, heavy snow, strong winds and colder temperatures are forecast; it will be colder in the northern Plains.

Northeast
Periods of rain and gusty winds are forecast from North Carolina to southern New England as a storm system intensifies and moves slowly up the East Coast. Temperatures will range from the 60s across the Northeast into the 70s in West Virginia.

South
A few severe afternoon thunderstorms are possible across parts of Oklahoma and extreme northern Texas. High temperatures will range from the 60s in the Carolinas and Panhandles of Texas and Oklahoma to the low and mid-80s over a large part of Texas, Louisiana and southern Florida.

West
An approaching weather system will bring rain over western Washington, western Oregon and northwest California today and Thursday.

Rain from Idaho and Montana, southward into the Four Corners region.  Portions of the Rocky Mountains will experience winds on Wednesday.  High temperatures will range from the 20s in the higher ranges to the low and mid-70s in Southern California, southern Arizona and southern New Mexico.(NOAA; National Weather Service; Various Media Sources)

Tropical Weather

Atlantic/Caribbean:
A broad area of low pressure over the southwestern Caribbean Sea is gradually becoming better organized, and could become a tropical depression during the next day or two as it continues moving slowly to the north-northwest or north.

Eastern Pacific:
The National Hurricane Center has issued the last advisory on Tropical Depression Polo, which dissipated about 1135 miles southwest of the southern tip of Baja California. 

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

Fire Management Assistance Grant (FMAG)

No new activity to report. (FEMA HQ)

Earthquake Activity

A 5.3 magnitude earthquake was reported early Wednesday in the Fox Islands area of the Alaska Aleutian Island chain, at a depth of 22 miles. No reports of damage. (USGS, Earthquake Hazards Program,  Pacific Tsunami Warning Center)

Disaster Declaration Activity

No new activity to report. (FEMA HQ)