Monday, October 4, 2010

[FEMA]

Homeland Security Threat Level: YELLOW (ELEVATED)

Significant National Weather

West:
An approaching cold front will bring below normal temperatures and scattered showers to much of the Pacific Northwest and Northern Rockies today. The system will set off showers and thunderstorms throughout the Great Basin, the Southwest, and portions of Southern California today and Tuesday. Below average temperatures are expected across the Southwest.
Midwest
A chilly high-pressure system will bring temperature highs that are 10-15 degrees below average across portions of the Ohio and Tennessee Valleys and the Mid-Atlantic States. Temperatures will moderate slightly on Tuesday but will still be below normal.
South:
Cool high pressure will build into the region bringing clear skies, nearly calm winds, and temperatures in the lower and middle 30s overnight over portions of the Tennessee and Lower Mississippi Valleys. Red Flag Warnings will be in effect this afternoon for southeast Mississippi, southwest Alabama, and the northwest Florida panhandle due to low humidity and windy conditions.
Northeast:
There will be showers across the Mid-Atlantic and southern New England States today and Tuesday. The more steady rain will be in the Mid-Atlantic States, east of the Appalachians.
(NOAA and media sources)
East Coast Flooding â Recovery

The remnants of Tropical Storm Nicole produced significant rainfall totals along the Eastern Seaboard from Sept. 26 â Oct. 1, 2010. Rainfall totals across North Carolina ranged from 2 inches near Charlotte, to more than 20 inches in the Wilmington area. Most of the rivers and streams have crested, and will continue to recede over the next couple of days. All relevant FEMA Regional Response Coordination Centers are at Watch Steady/State. North Carolina Preliminary Damage Assessments are expected to begin this week, all other States impacted by the recent rain event have returned to normal operations. There are no additional requests for FEMA assistance.
(FEMA HQ, FEMA Regions I, II , III & IV)Â*

NOAA Reopens More Than 5,000 Square Miles in the Gulf of Mexico to Fishing

On Friday October 1, 2010, NOAA reopened 5,628 square miles of Gulf waters off eastern Louisiana, just west of the Mississippi River delta to commercial and recreational fishing. The total area reopened is about two percent of federal waters in the Gulf of Mexico. At its closest point, the area to be reopened is about 75 statute miles south of the BP Deepwater wellhead. The remaining closed area now covers 26,287 square miles, or about 11 percent of the Federal waters in the Gulf. The boundary of the fishery closure has changed 28 times after it was first instituted on May 2, peaking at 37 percent (88,522 square miles) on June 2. For additional information on Federal Fishery Closures, refer to the NOAA National Marine Fisheries Service website at www.sero.nmfs.noaa.gov.
(NOAA)

Fire Management Assistance Grant (FMAG)

No activity(HQ FEMA)

Tropical Weather Outlook

Atlantic, Caribbean Sea, and Gulf of MexicoÂ*
An area of low pressure is located over the northeastern Caribbean Sea and Leeward Islands. Upper-level winds may be marginally conducive for development. There is a low chance, near 20 percent, of this system becoming a tropical cyclone during the next 48 hours. Regardless of development, locally heavy rains are possible during the next day or two over the Leeward Islands, the Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico and Hispaniola.
Another small area of low pressure producing disorganized showers and thunderstorms is located about 1,000 miles east of the southern Windward Islands. There is a low chance, near 10 percent, of this system becoming a tropical cyclone during the next 48 hours.
Central, Eastern and Western PacificÂ*
Tropical cyclone formation is not expected during the next 48 hours.
(NOAA and the JTWC)Â*
Earthquake Activity

No new activity (FEMA HQ)
Preliminary Damage Assessments

No new activity (FEMA HQ)
Wildfire Update

National Fire Activity as of Sunday, October 3, 2010:Â*
Initial attack activity: light (70 new fires), new large fires: 2, large fires contained: 0
Uncontained large fires: 5, U.S. States affected:Â* UT, ID, SD, AZ & AR
(NIFC)

Disaster Declaration Activity

No new activity (FEMA HQ)


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