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National Situation Update: Wednesday, January 24, 2007

Homeland Security Threat Level: YELLOW (ELEVATED).

National Weather Summary

Northeast:  Colder weather accompanied by scattered snow showers and flurries will push into the Northeast today and tonight.

Some modest accumulations are possible southeast of Lakes Erie and Ontario. No flurries are expected downwind of the mountains from Boston to Philadelphia. A few flurries could move through northern Virginia.

Midwest:  Light snow showers and flurries will dot the Midwest while the Plains remain dry.
Some minor accumulations are possible on Michigan's Upper Peninsula and across northern lower Michigan.

South:  Wet weather in the South will be confined to southern Texas, Florida and areas along the immediate Gulf Coast.
Light rain and showers will prevail, but the rain may be a bit heavier and steadier in parts of southern Texas and the Louisiana coast.

West:  Under a strong high pressure ridge, the West will be dry and largely sunny today.
Hazy conditions will prevail in the Great Basin where the air mass has stagnated.  (NWS, Media Sources)

Heavy Snow Shuts Down West Texas Interstates Overnight

Heavy snow in parts of West Texas forced the overnight closure of about 200 miles of interstates for about 12 hours, officials said.

Interstates 10 and 20 reopened about 11 a.m. Tuesday after the snow stopped. As much as 9 inches fell in Van Horn in the Trans-Pecos region, and 6 inches fell in Balmorhea. Andrews, in the northwest portion of the Permian Basin near the eastern New Mexico border, got 6 inches.

There were no serious car accidents, a Texas Department of Public Safety communications dispatcher in Midland said. The roads reopened after the weather system that produced the snow fell apart, a National Weather Service meteorologist said.

Roads were impassable west of where the two interstates intersect in southwest Reeves County, about 180 miles east of El Paso. Transportation officials closed about 130 miles of I-20 and about 70 miles of I-10.  (Media Sources)

Homes Out Of Danger From Ventura County Fire

A brush fire that burned thirty acres and briefly threatened twenty homes was extinguished Tuesday. The blaze broke out Monday in a hilly area off the 101 Freeway near Hampshire Road. 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 located about 40 miles west of downtown Los Angeles. The cause of the fire is under investigation..  (NICC, Media Sources)

Tropical Weather Outlook

Formation of a tropical cyclone is possible within within the next 6 to 24 hours.
The system is approximately 100 nm west-northwest of Pago Pago, American Samoa
The system is moving east-southeastward at 13 mph.
Current winds in the area are estimated to be 28 to 35 mph.
Minimum pressure at sea level is 1002 mb.
Infrared satellite imagery depicts cycling deep convection near the system center with a larger area of deep convection displaced northeast of the system.
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

No new activity (FEMA HQ)

Preliminary Damage Assessments

 PDAs in four counties in Washington are scheduled to begin today, January 24, 2007. ( FEMA HQ)

Disaster Declaration Activity

Amendment number 6 to FEMA-1664-DR for Hawaii has been approved effective January 23, 2007. 
One county added for Individual Assistance (limited to Disaster Unemployment Assistance (DUA). DUA is further limited to the communities of Kaupo, Kipahulu, and Hana.  (FEMA HQ)