• Emergency Managers and Personnel
• Situation Reports
• National Incident Management System
• Grants & Assistance Programs
• Training
• Contacts
• Planning
• Best Practices

National Situation Update: Tuesday, January 30, 2007

Homeland Security Threat Level: YELLOW (ELEVATED).

National Weather Summary

Midwest:  Arctic air will keep temperatures in the Midwest and Plains below mid-winter averages today. 

Snow showers and squalls will be prevalent in areas from the Great Lakes southward into eastern Kentucky.

The heaviest squalls (lake-effect) will target southwest Michigan and northeast Ohio where local totals could reach a foot.  Gusty winds will strike most areas.
 
Northeast:  Generally light snow--except downwind of Lakes Erie and Ontario where it will be locally heavy--and snow showers will cover much of New York state, Pennsylvania and West Virginia.

Temperatures will continue to run below seasonal averages although they should be a few degrees higher than today's readings.

South:  Most of the region will stay dry, but some rain may strike southeastern Texas and southern Louisiana.  A few showers could reach eastward along the Gulf Coast toward the western end of the Florida Panhandle.  A freeze warning is posted for early in the day for most of Florida and southern Georgia.

West:  Scattered areas of light precipitation will dot much of the West today. 

In the Intermountain region and higher elevations of the Southwest, precipitation will be in the form of snow showers.

Scattered rain showers will hit Southern California with about a quarter-of-an-inch near the coast.
In the Pacific Northwest, air stagnation advisories will remain effect until 10 a.m. for western Washington and portions of the Columbia Basin.  (NWS, Media Sources)

Tropical Weather Outlook

No new activity (FEMA HQ)

Earthquake Activity

At 11:54 pm EST, January 29, 2007 a strong (6.7 magnitude) earthquake struck about 1,360 miles  south from Canberra, Australia at a depth of 6.2 miles.  There was no tsunami generated and there were no reports of damage.  (USGS, Earthquake Hazards Program, Alaska Earthquake Information Center, Pacific Tsunami Warning Center, and West Coast/Alaska Tsunami Warning Centers)

Preliminary Damage Assessments

Joint PDAs for Individual Assistance for 38 counties and the city of St Louis, MO begin today.  (FEMA HQ)

Disaster Declaration Activity

FEMA-1676-DR-MO was amended dated January 29, 2007, closing the incident period effective January 22, 2007.

FEMA-3272-EM-OK was amended dated January 29, 2007, closing the incident period effective January 26, 2007. (FEMA HQ)