Thursday, November 17, 2011

[FEMA]

Homeland Security Threat Level: YELLOW (ELEVATED)

Significant National Weather:

Northeast
Rain and some snow showers will taper off near the coast as the day progresses, lingering into tonight across New England. Near the Great Lakes, lake-effect snows should increase in the wake of the departing system, with the greatest snowfall amounts expected in northwestern Pennsylvania, southwestern New York, and the Tug Hill Plateau east of Lake Ontario. Cooler temperatures are also expected across the region, with highs mostly in the 30s & 40s.
South
Showers will taper off near the Southeast coast as the day progresses, although showers and thunderstorms should persist into the afternoon and overnight tonight across the Florida Peninsula. Some snow is possible in the mountains of western North Carolina and western Virginia, with breezy conditions possible across the Southeast. Highs should generally be cooler than average across the region, and much cooler than the last few days in the Southeast.
Midwest
Lake-effect snow showers are possible around the Great Lakes today and tonight, with breezy/windy conditions possible in the Plains and the Upper Mississippi Valley. Cool temperatures are expected for areas east of the Mississippi River and in the Ozarks, while warmer than average temperatures are expected in parts of the Western Plains.
West
Widespread rain, snow, and wind are expected from the Pacific Northwest through the Northern Rockies into the Northern High Plains, with rain, snow, and wind moving into parts of Northern California tonight as a second system moves ashore. Strong winds are expected in the Sierra Nevada Mountains beginning tonight, and rough surf is expected along parts of the Pacific Northwest Coast. Highs will range from the 20s in the mountains to around 80 in the deserts.
Southeast Severe Weather, November 16, 2011:

On Wednesday and Wednesday evening, November 16, severe weather moved across much of the Southeastern U.S., with possible tornadoes reported in Mississippi, Georgia, Alabama, and the Carolinas. Additionally, power outages were reported in Mississippi, Alabama and North Carolina, although full restoration is expected today. All tornado warnings and watches have ended and damage assessments are planned to get underway today. No state EOCs are currently activated and there were no requests for federal assistance.Â*
Oklahoma Struck by Series of Recent Quakes

Earlier this month, Oklahoma was hit with a sequence of significant earthquakes, including a magnitude 5.6, the largest quake to hit Oklahoma in modern times. Earthquakes are not unusual in Oklahoma; they are often simply too small to be felt. However, earthquake activity in this area has increased over the past 4 years.
From 1972 through 2007, the USGS recorded about two to six earthquakes a year in Oklahoma. But in 2008, earthquake activity began to increase, with more than a dozen earthquakes recorded that year. In 2009, the rate continued to climb, with nearly 50 quakes recordedâmany big enough to be feltâand in 2010, the trend continued. There has also been a change in the distribution of the earthquakes. From 1973 to 2007, the earthquakes were scattered broadly across the east-central part of the State. The events since 2008, however, have been more clustered in the vicinity northeast and east of Oklahoma City and generally southwest of Tulsa.
There is always a small possibility of an earthquake of larger magnitude following any earthquake, but the occurrence of the magnitude-5.6 earthquake and the increase in activity in recent years does not necessarily indicate that a larger more damaging earthquake will occur. Earthquakes of magnitude-5.6, like the one that occurred Saturday, are believed to be capable of striking anywhere in eastern North America at irregular intervals. We cannot predict exactly when and where earthquakes will occur; therefore, it is important to know the risks for your area and to be prepared.
Space Weather:

No space weather storms were observed during the past 24 hours and none are predicted.Â*
Tropical Weather Outlook

Atlantic / Caribbean / Gulf
No tropical cyclone activity is expected during the next 48 hours.
Eastern Pacific
Area 1 (Invest 90E)
A broad area of low pressure moving west at 10-15 mph continues to produce disorganized showers and thunderstorms several hundred miles south of the Guatemalan coast. Environmental conditions appear conducive for gradual development during the next few days, and this system has a low (20%) chance of becoming a tropical cyclone during the next 48 hours.
Central Pacific
No tropical cyclones are expected through Friday evening.
Earthquake Activity

No significant U.S. activity.Â* (FEMA HQ)
Disaster Declaration Activity

Yesterday, November 16, FEMA-4003-DR-PA concluded operations at the Joint Field Office in Harrisburg, PA and transitioned to the FEMA Region III office in Philadelphia, PA.Â*


More...