National Situation Update: Monday, March 19, 2007
Homeland Security Threat Level: YELLOW (ELEVATED).
National Weather
West:
A frontal system moving ashore will produce rain over Washington, Oregon and northern California. A stationary front will produce isolated showers in Montana and northern Idaho. High temperatures will range from the 30s in Montana to the 90s in the lower Colorado River Valley and southwest Arizona.
Midwest:
A front extending southwest from a complex low pressure system over the Great Lakes will produce weather in a broad swath from the Great Lakes to New Mexico. The low will move east and the front will drop to the southeast during the day. A wintry mix of wet snow (up to 6 inches) and rain is in the forecast for Minnesota, Wisconsin and Michigan. Rain is forecast for the upper Mississippi and Ohio River Valleys. Further south along the front showers and thunderstorms will push southward during the day. Flood Warnings and Flood Advisories are in effect for many rivers in the northern portions of the region due warm temperatures melting the snow pack. Flooding is occurring in southeastern South Dakota and northwestern Iowa (see http://www.crh.noaa.gov/mbrfc/fop.php). High temperatures will range from the upper teens in North Dakota to the 60s in Kentucky, southern Illinois, Missouri and Kansas.
South:
Much of the Southeast will remain dry but scattered showers and thunderstorms are expected to develop along the cold front from northern Texas into Tennessee. The southern tip of Florida will have a few showers. Temperatures are forecast to be near to above seasonal averages with highs ranging from the 50s in the southern Appalachians to the low 90s in western Texas.
Northeast:
The frontal system moving in from the Great Lakes will bring a wintry mix to New England and rain to the Mid Atlantic tonight and early Tuesday. High temperatures are expected to range from the 20s in far northern New England to the 50s in Virginia and much of West Virginia. (NWS, media sources)
Flood Safety Awareness Week March 19-23, 2007
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is pleased to support The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)-sponsored 2007 National Flood Safety Awareness Week, which takes place from March 19-23 (http://www.floodsafety.noaa.gov/).
Flooding is a coast to coast threat to the United States and its territories in all months of the year. National Flood Safety Awareness Week is intended to highlight some of the many ways floods can occur, the hazards associated with floods, and what you can do to save life and property.
Flooding causes more damage in the United States than any other severe weather related event, an average of $4.6 billion a year in the past 20 years (1984-2003). Flooding can occur in any of the 50 states or U.S. territories at anytime of the year. (FEMA, NOAA)
Vernal Equinox
The astronomical end of winter occurs with the passing of the Vernal Equinox, which falls tomorrow, March 20th at 8:07 pm EDT. At this moment the center of the Sun's disc passes directly over the Earth's Equator at a point out over the middle of the Pacific Ocean near the International Date Line. This marks the beginning of spring in the Northern Hemisphere. (U.S. Naval Observatory http://www.usno.navy.mil/pao/sky/sky_week.shtml)
Fire Management Assistance Grant (FMAG)
No new activity to report. (FEMA HQ)
Tropical Weather Outlook
Atlantic/Caribbean/Eastern Pacific: No significant activity to report.
Western Pacific: No activity threatening U.S. Territories. (NOAA, National Hurricane Center, Central Pacific Hurricane Center and the Joint Typhoon Warning Center)
Earthquake Activity
No significant activity. (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)
Wildfire Update
No new activity to report. (NIFC, Media)
Disaster Declaration Activity
No new activity (FEMA HQ)
Last Modified: Monday, 19-Mar-2007 08:30:02 EDT