Monday, September 20, 2010

[FEMA]

Homeland Security Threat Level: YELLOW (ELEVATED)

Significant National Weather

South
Rain accumulations of five to six inches have been recorded in some of south Texas and heavy rain will continue today along areas where Flash Flood Watches and Warnings remain in effect. The rest of the South will see hot and dry weather, with much of the Southeast approaching record highs.Â* Along the Atlantic Coast, swells from Hurricane Igor will increase the threat of rip currents and make swimming conditions hazardous for the next few days. Red Flag Warnings are in effect through this evening across portions of the Florida Panhandle due to long periods of low relative humidity.
West
A storm system moving into the Pacific Northwest will bring cooler than average temperatures as well as locally heavy rain and mountain snow to the Pacific Northwest and Northern California. Highs today will range from the 40s in the mountains to near 110 in the deserts.Â* Red Flag Warnings are in effect today across Utah, southern and central Wyoming, southern and central Colorado, and western Nebraska as a result of gusty winds and low relative humidity.
Midwest
A strong warm front will bring gusty winds and much warmer temperatures to the Central Plains and Upper Midwest today. Some scattered thunderstorms will be possible tonight across the Plains and the Upper Great Lakes. Showers and thunderstorms will continue on Tuesday from Michigan to Kansas.
Northeast
Along the coast, swells from Hurricane Igor will increase the threat of rip currents and make boating and swimming conditions hazardous for the next few days. Temperatures will generally be near average over the next few days before heating up around midweek.Â*
(NOAA and media sources)

Utah Wildfire

Machine Gun Fire;
A wildfire now called the Machine Gun Fire started at Camp Williams Weapon Firing Range in Herriman, Utah on Sep 19. The fire is zero percent contained and acres burned are unknown at this time. Mandatory evacuations are in effect for 200-250 homes with additional voluntary evacuations.Â* An FEMA Fire Management Assistance Grant was approved on Sep 19 for this fire.

Fire Management Assistance Grant (FMAG)

An FMAG was approved for the Machine Gun Fire in Herriman, Utah on Sep 19, 2010.Â*(HQ FEMA).Â*
Tropical Weather Outlook

Atlantic, Caribbean Sea, and Gulf of MexicoÂ*
Hurricane Igor is barely a Category 1 storm with maximum sustained winds at 75 mph. It is located 200 miles north of Bermuda moving north-northeast at 21 mph and will continue to move away from Bermuda today and be near Newfoundland on Tuesday. Large swells will continue to impact the East Coast of the United States through Tuesday.
Tropical Storm Julia is now 1165 miles west of the Azores moving east-northeast near 9 mph and the cyclone is expected to accelerate toward the north-northeast during the next two days.Â* Maximum sustained winds are near 45 mph, with higher gusts. Some weakening is forecast during the next 48 hours and Julia is expected to deteriorate into a remnant low in about a day.
A separate area of low pressure is located about 400 miles west of the Cape Verde Islands is expected to become a tropical depression during the next day or so. There is a high chance, near 80 percent, of this system becoming a tropical cyclone during the next 48 hours.
Eastern PacificÂ*
A broad area of low pressure is located a couple hundred miles west-southwest of Manzanillo, Mexico, moving northwestward at about 10 mph. There is a medium chance, near 50 percent of this system becoming a tropical cyclone during the next 48 hours.
Central North Pacific
An area of thunderstorms persists around a small low 800 miles southeast of Hilo Hawaii.Â* The low has been moving toward the northwest around 15 mph.Â* There is a low chance, near 10 percent, of this system becoming a tropical cyclone during the next 48 hours.
Western Pacific
No tropical cyclones expected during the next 48 hours.
(NOAA, JTWC)Â*

Earthquake Activity

No new activity (FEMA HQ)
Preliminary Damage Assessments

No new activity (FEMA HQ)
Wildfire Update

National Preparedness Level: 2
National Fire Activity as of Sunday, September 19, 2010:Â*
Initial attack activity: light (48 new fires), new large fires: 1, large fires contained:Â* 0
Uncontained large fires: 4, U.S. States Affected:Â* CA, UT, OR, FL and AR(NIFC)

Disaster Declaration Activity

No new activity (FEMA HQ)


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