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National Situation Update: Friday, July 14, 2006

Homeland Security Threat Level: YELLOW (ELEVATED).

Potentially Life-Threatening Heat Wave Forecast for Much of the U.S.

West: The Desert Southwest will see high temperatures this weekend ranging from 100-125 degrees. Much of the region will see highs in the 90s-100s through the weekend. An exception will be the Pacific Northwest where the temperatures will be cooler. The high temperatures will be accompanied by very dry and sunny weather that will be bad news for western firefighters.

Midwest: Temperatures throughout the Midwest will be in the 90s-100s on Friday and continuing through the weekend. Some isolated thunderstorms are forecast for Friday. The lower Midwest will see some locally heavy rainfall on Friday.

Northeast: The Northeast will see highs in the 90s for most of the weekend. The area from the Great Lakes to the Mid Atlantic will see some thunderstorms on Saturday, otherwise the Northeast will be hot, dry, and sunny through the weekend. The National Weather Service has issued heat advisories for several portions of the region where the high temperatures will be accompanied by high levels of humidity producing dangerous heat indices.

South: The region is expected to be hot and humid for the next several days. Thunderstorms are forecast in several parts of North Carolina on Friday and in the Deep South on Saturday. Temperatures in the region will begin to cool to seasonal levels on Sunday. (NWS, Media Sources)

Tropical Weather Outlook

Atlantic/Gulf of Mexico/Caribbean Sea: As of 8:00 pm EDT July 13, one tropical wave is being tracked in the Atlantic Ocean and two tropical waves are being tracked in the Caribbean Sea. The well-defined Atlantic wave is along 26W/27W south of 16 N. Scattered showers and isolated thunderstorms are within approximately 180 miles either side of the wave axis. A tropical wave is over the eastern Caribbean along 65W/66W south of 22N moving westward near 17 mph and further development is not expected at this time due to unfavorable upper level winds. Another tropical wave in the Caribbean is along 49W south of 14N moving westward at 17 mph. Little shower activity is associated with this wave at this time. Currently these tropical waves do not pose an immediate threat to the U.S. or its territories.

Eastern Pacific: As of 11:00 pm EDT Thursday July 13, both Hurricane Bud and Hurricane Carlotta continue to move off into the ocean and decrease in intensity. Hurricane Bud will be moving over cooler water which is expected to weaken below depression strength or actually dissipate in 48 hours. Hurricane Carlotta is affected by an upper-level ridge that is moving into the hurricane that will tend to decrease intensity. Carlotta is moving over progressively cooler sea water and is expected to wind down to become a depression in about 4 days. These hurricanes do not pose a threat to the U.S. or its territories.

Western Pacific: Nothing significant to report.(USDOC/NOAA/NWS, National Hurricane Center, Central Pacific Hurricane Center, and the Joint Typhoon Warning Center)

Earthquake Activity

No new activity (FEMA HQ)

Preliminary Damage Assessments

No new activity (FEMA HQ)

Wildfire Update

As of 7:30 am EST Thursday, wildfire activity was light with 167 new fires reported. Nine new large fires were reported, three in the Eastern Great Basin Area, two each in the Northern Rockies and Western Great Basin Areas, and one each in the Northern California and Northwest Areas.

Six large fires were contained, two in the Eastern Great Basin Area and one each in the Southern California, Western Great Basin, Northern California and Southern Areas.

Very high to extreme fire indices were reported in Arizona, Alaska, California, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oregon, South Dakota, Utah and Wyoming. The severe drought in the West continues to create conditions that are unfortunately ideal for wildfire development. So far this year (since January 1) the wildfire statistics have been breaking new records. The ten-year average number of wildfires to this date is 45,090, however so far this year the National Interagency Fire Center (NIFC) reports 63,070 wildfires. The ten-year average number of acres consumed by wildfires to this date is 2,204,007, however so far this year the total has been 4, 082,673 acres. (National Interagency Fire Center)

Disaster Declaration Activity

A major disaster declaration was approved by the President for FEMA-DR-1655-VA on July 13, 2006. Eight counties and the City of Alexandria were approved for Public Assistance. All jurisdictions in the state were declared eligible for the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program. (FE MA HQ) 

Last Modified: Thursday, 04-Jun-2009 16:22:40 EDT