Friday, August 6, 2010

[FEMA]

Homeland Security Threat Level: YELLOW (ELEVATED)

Significant National Weather

West:Â*
Monsoonal moisture will bring showers and thunderstorms across the Four Corners region during the day. In the Pacific Northwest, widespread showers and thunderstorm activity will move through portions of Idaho, Wyoming and Montana. Some storms in northern Idaho and Montana may become severe with strong winds and large hail possible. Increased winds combined with low relative humidity will result in heightened fire weather conditions in Nevada, Idaho and Oregon.
Midwest:
Most of the region will be dry today. Scattered thunderstorms are expected across the Northern Plains by Saturday. In the Ohio Valley, temperatures will remain just below 90 degrees. Across northern portions of Michigan and Minnesota temperatures will be in the 70s.
South:
Temperatures and humidity will remain high across the South. In Texas, the highs are expected to exceed 100 degrees. For the rest of the region, temperatures will be in the low to middle 90s. Scattered thunderstorm activity is possible from Texas to the coastal Carolinas and in the Florida Peninsula. Some storms may become severe in east-central Georgia and central South Carolina.
Northeast:
A cold front moving across the region will bring cooler temperatures from the Mid-Atlantic to the Southern Plains through Sunday. Afternoon showers are possible near the eastern Great Lakes today. (NOAA and media sources)
Moderate Solar Weather Storm

A moderate space weather storm that began on August 3 continues today with no significant impacts reported. Auroras, sometimes known as the Northern Lights, have been visible this week in Michigan, Wisconsin, and Minnesota. Although harmless to life on Earth, auroras can cause power disruptions in satellite communications as well as radio and TV broadcasts.Â*
(NOAAâs Space Weather Prediction Center)

Mississippi Canyon 252 Update

FEMA is providing personnel and equipment support. Static Kill operations and cement pumping operations are complete and the oil flow remains secured. The well will be evaluated for 24 hours. Approximately 649 miles of coastline is impacted and approximately 57,539 miles or 24 percent of the Gulf of Mexico federal waters remain closed to fishing.Â*Â*
(NIC Daily SitRep Update)

NOAA Tropical Weather Update Released

Â*
On August 5, NOAAâs National Hurricane Center released an updated seasonal tropical outlook for the Atlantic Basin that continues to predict an active season. The seasonal average for tropical cyclones in this area is 11 named storms, six hurricanes, and two major hurricanes. The new forecast predicts with a a 70 percent certainty that there will be a total of 20 named storms reaching top winds of 39 mph or higher. Of that storm total, they expect eight to 12 storms will become hurricanes, or cyclones reaching top wind speeds of 74 mph or more. They further predicted that four to six of those storms will develop into major hurricanes or storms with winds of at least 111 mph. The latest update slightly lowers the storm numbers from the earlier May outlook because the early part of the season did not see the activity that was anticipated.
Tropical Weather Outlook

Tropical Storm Colin (04)
At 5:00 a.m. Tropical Storm Colin was located 410 miles south-southwest of Bermuda moving north-northwest at 14 mph with maximum sustained winds of 45 mph. Tropical storm force winds extend out 105 miles east of the center. Little change in strength is expected today but some strengthening is forecast tonight and tomorrow. In addition to Colin, a westward-moving tropical wave is located near the east coast of Nicaragua. Development is not expected as the system moves over Central America during the next day or two. There is a low chance, near zero percent, of this system becoming a tropical cyclone during the next 48 hours. A third low pressure system is also located over the eastern Tropical Atlantic about 800 miles southwest of the Cape Verde Islands. Environmental conditions are gradually expected to become more conducive for development during the next few days as the disturbance moves northwestward at around 10 mph. There is a low chance, near 20 percent, of this system becoming a tropical cyclone during the next 48 hours.
Eastern Pacific:
Tropical Depression Seven-E is located approximately 130 miles SSW Lazaro Cardenas,Â* Mexico and 205 miles SSE ofÂ* Manzanillo, Mexico. The storm is moving west northwest near 10 mph with maximum sustained winds of 35 mph. The storm is expected to continue on this track during next day or two and is forecast to become a tropical storm Friday. One to three inches of rain are possible along the coast of southwest Mexico.
Central Pacific:Â*
No tropical cyclones are expected through Saturday afternoon.
(NOAA, JTWC)
Earthquake Activity

No new activity (FEMA HQ)
Preliminary Damage Assessments

No new activity (FEMA HQ)
Wildfire Update

Rooster Rock Fire â Deschutes National Forest, OregonÂ*
The Rooster Rock Fire near Sisters, Ore. has burned approximately 6,000 acres but is now 40 percent contained. Major highways are open and no evacuations are in effect. The cause of the fire is under investigation.
National Preparedness Level: 2
National Fire Activity as of Thursday, August 5, 2010:Â*
Initial attack activity: light (171 new fires), new large fires: 4; large fires contained: 2; uncontained large fires: 8, U.S. States affected: WA, OR, CA, NV, ID, MT, WY, CO, &AK(NIFC)
Disaster Declaration Activity

Amendment #3 to FEMA-1925-DR-KY effective August 5, 2010 adds two counties for Individual Assistance and three counties for Public Assistance.
(HQ FEMA) Â*



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