Friday, December 9, 2011

[FEMA]

Homeland Security Threat Level: YELLOW (ELEVATED)

Significant National Weather:

Northeast
Snow showers and flurries are forecast to fall today from western Pennsylvania to Maine. Some rain may mix with snow showers across parts of central New York. Lake-effect snow will increase from Buffalo northward into western New York by this morning, with accumulations of 4-6 inches possible.
South
A few light showers are possible in coastal North Carolina. Scattered showers are also expected across parts of the Florida Peninsula and south Texas into the weekend.
Midwest
Snow showers are likely from the Great Lakes to north of the Ohio River, with some light accumulations possible over parts of northern Michigan. Mostly sunny skies are expected over the Plains and the Mississippi Valley. Some colder air will be sweeping across the Great Lakes, with temperatures 5-10 degrees below average from the Plains to the Great Lakes.
West
Low clouds and fog will persist over western sections of Washington and Oregon. Dry conditions will prevail over the entire region, with winds of 15-25 mph expected across central Montana. Highs will range from the 30s to the 40s across the Northwest and Rocky Mountain states and from the 50s to mid-60s over California, southern Nevada, and southern Arizona.
Winter Outlook for 2011-2012

NOAA's official Winter Outlook for 2011-2012 shows probabilities of well above or well below normal temperature and precipitation in the continental United States for December 2011-February 2012, according to the official forecast issued by the Climate Prediction Center in late November. For more information, and to view the full article, see www.climatewatch.noaa.gov/image/2011/2011-2012-winter-outlook
On the NOAA maps, locations likely to experience well above or well below normal temperatures are shaded in red or blue, and precipitation forecasts are shown in shades of green (well above normal) and brown (well below normal). Places without shading indicate areas where there is an equal chance of well above, well below, or near-normal conditions.
The Upper Missouri River Basin, including Montana, Wyoming, and the Dakotas are covered by the shades of blue and green, which indicate a greater than 33 percent chance of well below normal temperatures and well above normal precipitationâthe same conditions that helped set the stage for the devastating flooding that washed over the region beginning in May 2011. Meanwhile, the probability for well above normal temperatures and well below normal precipitation is greater than 33 percent across most of the southern half of the United States. Outside of Texas and the U.S. Southwest, a mild winter outlook might be welcome, but in those areas, it means less chance of drought relief.
Underlying the pattern of Northwest/Southeast "opposites" in this winter's outlook is La Niña conditions in the equatorial Pacific. During La Niña episodes, the Pacific jet stream tends to meander north more frequently than normal, guiding winter storms into the northern tier of the country.
Space Weather:

No space weather storms were observed during the past 24 hours and no space weather storms are predicted for the next 24 hours.Â*
Tropical Weather Outlook

No new activity (FEMA HQ)
Earthquake Activity

On Thursday, December 08, 2011 at 8:25 pm EST, a magnitude 4.4 earthquake occurred approximately 151 miles ENE of Anchorage, Alaska, at a depth of 13.4 miles.Â* No injuries or damages were reported and no tsunami was generated.Â*
Disaster Declaration Activity

No new activity (FEMA HQ)


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