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National Situation Update: Tuesday, January 23, 2007

Homeland Security Threat Level: YELLOW (ELEVATED).

National Weather Summary

South:  Low pressure aloft will produce a mixture of rain and snow across western Texas and rain in southern Texas and coastal Louisiana. A few showers are likely across parts of Florida. Elsewhere, most of the South will be cool and dry.

Midwest:  Wintry conditons are becoming more apparent across the Great Lakes and and will increase later in the week.  Today there will be snow showers in the lee of Lakes Superior and Michigan. Overall accumulations will be modest. An approaching cold front may trigger snow showers from the Dakotas to Iowa, as well.

West:  This should be the last morning of frost across parts of the San Joaquin Valley in California.
Freezing temperatures are expected across desert areas of Southern California and Arizona. Gusty offshore winds will maintain critical wildfire danger in Southern California.

Northeast:  Most of the Northeast will continue with chilly temperatures and widespread snow showers. By tonight, lake-effect snow will increase east of Lake Erie but will be more prevalent east of Lake Ontario.  (NWS, Media Sources)

USACE Lowering Water Level at High Risk Dam

Frankfort, KY - The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers began lowering the water level at the 240-foot-high Wolf Creek Dam (Lake Cumberland), in Russell County, KY, effective immediately to elevation 680 feet, in response to Corps and independent studies that have classified the dam as being at "high risk" for structural failure. Normal pool levels correspond to elevation 723 feet in the summer and 690 feet in the winter. Lowering the lake level will reduce the risk of dam failure by decreasing water pressure on the dam and reducing foundation seepage. This reservoir level change is in concert with the ongoing rehabilitation program for the dam, which has continually suffered foundation seepage problems for several years. Corps experts will continually monitor conditions at the site and will reevaluate lake levels after the summer.  (NICC)

Winter Storm Dumps Snow On Portions Of NM

Snowplows and sand trucks were out again Monday as yet another winter storm hit parts of New Mexico, sending motorists skidding, closing 145 miles of the state's main north-south artery for hours and shutting down dozens of schools.

The National Weather Service issued a winter storm warning for western New Mexico between Gallup and Glenwood and heavy snow warnings for the southwest mountains, Tularosa Basin, southern deserts and southern Sacramento Mountains.  Snow advisories remained in effect until 1 pm EST Tuesday, January 23, 2007 for the southwest desert, including Lordsburg, Deming and Las Cruces. 

The weather service said it couldn't rule out a chance of snow showers from Ruidoso to the east and south through Tuesday night. In addition, a system in northern Mexico could begin to move north, bringing scattered to isolated snow showers to the south, west and central sections of New Mexico by Thursday night.

Interstate 25 was closed between Socorro and Las Cruces and Interstate 10 was closed from Las Cruces to the Arizona state line for much of Monday morning. Both highways reopened early in afternoon.
The storm also closed some state roads in southern New Mexico and forced the cancellation of classes at Animas, Artesia, Clovis, Estancia, Hatch, Melrose, Mescalero, Moriarty, White Sands Missile Range and Truth or Consequences.

The storm had dropped 1 to 2 feet of snow across the southern mountains and more than 6 inches in the lower elevations north of Las Cruces by midday Monday.  Lows before dawn Monday ranged from zero at Taos to 34 degrees at Alamogordo and Silver City. High temperatures Sunday ranged from 27 degrees at Gallup to 53 degrees at Carlsbad.  (Media Sources)

Wind Drives Small Blaze In Thousand Oaks Area Of Ventura County

Santa Ana winds spread a wildfire over seven acres of brush Monday.  Wind was blowing the fire uphill in a southerly direction.  A helicopter was making water-dropping runs over the area of modern homes, many set in cul de sacs amid hills.

The blaze broke out as ``red flag'' warnings were posted for fire danger due to gusty offshore winds and low humidity levels in Ventura County and parts of neighboring Los Angeles County.
Thousand Oaks is about 40 miles west of downtown Los Angeles.  (Media Sources)

Tropical Weather Outlook

• Formation of a tropical cyclone is possible within within the next 6 to 24 hours.
• The system is approximately 275 nm west-northwest of Pago Pago, American Samoa
• The system is moving east-southeastward at 4 mph.
• Current winds in the area are estimated to be 28 to 35 mph.
• Minimum pressure at sea level is 1000mb.
• Infrared satellite imagery depicts a large area of deep convecion over the low level circulation center.
• Based on the favorable environment, potential for development of a significant tropical cyclone within the next 24 hours remains good. ( NOAA, National Hurricane Center, Joint Typhoon Warning Center)

Earthquake Activity

At 10:45 pm EST on January 22, 2007, a minor earthquake (Magnitude 3.6) struck at a depth of 31 miles about 30 miles west of Anchorage, AK.  There was no tsunami generated, and no injuries or damages were reported  (USGS, Earthquake Hazards Program, Alaska Earthquake Information Center, Pacific Tsunami Warning Center, and West Coast/Alaska Tsunami Warning Centers)

Preliminary Damage Assessments

No new activity (FEMA HQ)

Disaster Declaration Activity

Amendment number 1 to FEMA-1675-DR for Kansas has been approved.  42 counties added for Public Assistance Categories C-G.  (FEMA HQ)