Homeland Security Threat Level: YELLOW (ELEVATED)
Significant National Weather:
West:Â*
Â*
A complex series of disturbances will produce rain and snow across the Pacific Northwest tonight. Precipitation will continue overnight with total accumulations of 6-11 inches of snow possible by Wednesday morning.
Midwest:
A change in temperature, from cold to mild, will overspread the region today as a strong warm front spreads eastward from the Northern Plains. Tonight, light rain will develop along the front from the Mid Mississippi Valley into the Midwest. Runoff from the Jan. 19 snowstorm in Montana has produced elevated river levels along the Missouri River in North Dakota. The River is nearing Minor Flood Stage. Impacts are expected to be primarily confined to agricultural areas.
South:
Scattered showers and thunderstorms will spread eastward into the Central Gulf Coast this afternoon. This system could produce isolated very heavy rain from southern Louisiana to the Panhandle of Florida.
Northeast:
A mix of rain, snow and freezing rain will move into New England today, and depart by Wednesday evening. Widespread showers and high elevation snow is expected in portions of Maine. Accumulations of 4-8 inches of snow are possible by Wednesday morning.Â*Â*(NOAA, National Weather Service and media sources)Â*
Space Weather:
Space weather for the past 24 hours has been minor. Solar radiation storms reaching the S1 level occurred. Space weather for the next 24 hours is predicted to be minor. Solar radiation storms reaching the S1 levels are expected.Â* (SWPC)Â*
Tropical Weather Outlook
No new activity (FEMA HQ)
Earthquake Activity
At 6:39 p.m. EST Jan. 30, 2012, a magnitude 3.2 earthquake occurred 6 miles east of Mineral, Va., at a depth of 1.9 miles. The quake is considered an aftershock of the M5.8 that occurred August 2011 near the same location. No damages or injuries were reported. No requests for assistance have been received or are expected. The North Anna Nuclear Plant declared an Unusual Event (UE) due to the earthquake.Â* An inspection of the plant was completed and the UE was closed at 12:35 a.m. EST this morning. No damages were reported at the plant and both units are running at 100% power.Â* (USGS)Â*
Preliminary Damage Assessments
Joint Preliminary Damage Assessments are currently underway in Alabama.Â*(FEMA HQ)Â*
Disaster Declaration Activity
No new activity (FEMA HQ)
More...