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National Situation Update: Wednesday, February 15, 2006

Homeland Security Threat Level: YELLOW (ELEVATED).

National Weather Outlook

West: A winter storm will develop over the Rockies on Wednesday and spread into the Plains by evening. Look for significant snowfall from Wyoming eastward to western sections of Nebraska and South Dakota and parts of Utah.

Elsewhere, the recent warm spell over Southern California has been replaced by significant cooling. Morning drizzle is likely around coastal areas.

It will turn very cold over the northern Rockies while the southwest remains warm. Much of the Desert Southwest will remain warm and sunny. 

Midwest: Weather conditions will worsen across the midsection of the nation. The heaviest snow is expected in the Nebraska Panhandle and the Black Hills of South Dakota where amounts of around six inches are expected by late Wednesday. Snow will spread through Iowa on Wednesday night and into Wisconsin by Thursday.

Northeast: Much of the Northeast will be dry and mild on Wednesday.  Snowmelt will be rapid in areas hit hard by the recent blizzard. Mild temperatures will continue through Thursday but much colder temperatures are on tap for the end of the week. 

South: Most of the South will be dry and mild Wednesday. Rather windy from the western Gulf region to the lower Mississippi Valley.  (USDOC/NOAA/NWS and Various Commercial and Media Sources)

Northeast Snowstorm called Category 3

In its first use of a new impact scale, the NOAA National Climatic Data Center ranked last weekend's Northeast snowstorm as a Category 3.

The Northeast Snowfall Impact Scale or NESIS, scale, ranked the storm as having the 20th biggest impact out of 32 storms sampled between 1956 and 2006.

The scale ranks the severity of an East Coast snowstorm based on snowfall amount and the population of the affected areas. The five categories are: Notable, Significant, Major, Crippling or Extreme. (NOAA)

Cold Snap in Florida Causes Minimal Damage to Crops, Citrus

Most central Florida citrus and other crops appear to have survived a freeze scare after a patch of cold weather that dipped into the 20s, officials said Tuesday.
A Florida Citrus Mutual spokesperson said only a handful of growers reported damage from Monday night's freeze.

Perhaps worst hit were string bean and sweet corn growers in the Everglades area, said a spokesman for the Florida Fruit & Vegetable Association. It would take a few days before people could inventory visible damage.

Damage to most fruit and vegetables can occur at 30 degrees, though citrus trees are usually OK at 28 degrees for several hours. The National Weather Service registered the overnight low in Melbourne at 29 degrees. A warm-up is forecast throughout the state for the rest of the week. (Various media sources)

Volcano Activity

Alaska's Augustine volcano remains at the Current Level of Concern Color Code: ORANGE (United States Geological Survey (USGS) Earthquake Hazards Program, Alaska Volcano Observatory)

Tropical Activity

There is no tropical activity affecting U.S. interests in the Eastern, Central, or Western Pacific Ocean. (Source: USDOC/NOAA/NWS, National Hurricane Center, Central Pacific Hurricane Center, and the Joint Typhoon Warning Center)

Earthquake Activity

A strong earthquake with a magnitude 6.2 occurred in the MARIANA ISLANDS REGION at 10:00 a.m. EST on Tuesday, February 14, 2006.  No Tsunami warning was issued and no reports of damage or injuries. (Source: United States Geological Survey (USGS) Earthquake Hazards Program)

Preliminary Damage Assessments

Individual and Public Assistance PDAs are scheduled for  February 13-6, 2006 in American Samoa, as a result of Severe Storms, Flooding, and Landslides January 31, 2006 and continuing. (FEMA HQ)

Wildfire Update

Gila County, AZ. Approximately 12 miles north of Payson, AZ. Current fire size is 4,243 acres with 90% containment. The projected final size of fire is 4,243 acres. No structures have been damaged or destroyed. There are 512 personnel working the fire. Estimated containment date: 02-15-2006

Red flag warnings are in effect for strong winds and low humidity for portions of the Texas and Oklahoma panhandles, southeast, north, and central New Mexico, west Texas, south-central Missouri, and southeast Kansas.

Fire weather watches are in effect for unseasonably warm weather conditions, gusty winds, and dry air for west and central Oklahoma, central Texas, and southeast Arizona.  (National Interagency Fire Center, FEMA Region IX)

Disaster Declaration Activity

No new activity (FEMA HQ)