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

National Situation Update: Saturday, April 7, 2007

Homeland Security Threat Level: YELLOW (ELEVATED).

National Weather

South
Saturday morning lows should dip into the 20s as far south as the Tennessee Valley and West Texas.
Thirties prevail over the Florida Panhandle, Deep South, and central Texas. Freeze warnings are numerous from the Carolinas to southern Alabama to Oklahoma.  A late season winter storm will move into Texas. Up to 6" of new snow may accumulate in the Panhandle by late Saturday.  Some wet snow or sleet may mix in with a chilly rain over parts of north and central Texas Saturday

Midwest
Saturday morning, low temperature records are likely in both Kansas City and St. Louis (both low 20s).
Records lows in Nebraska and Kansas, where teens and a few single-digit lows are possible.
Temperatures in the teens into central Illinois and Indiana, including Chicago and Indianapolis. Freeze warnings are posted from Ohio to Kansas. The lake-effect snow machine will continue through Saturday downwind of the Great Lakes Parts of Upper Michigan. Up to another foot could fall through Saturday in the U.P.

Northeast
Snow from the mountains of West Virginia to the Del-Mar-Va Peninsula and southern New Jersey. Most areas should see an inch or two of snow, however some amounts up to 4-5" are possible on the Delmarva Peninsula by Saturday afternoon. Lows into the teens from the valleys of northwest Pennsylvania to northern New England.  Freeze warnings are posted from New Jersey to West Virginia.
Highs will hold below freezing in the Lake Erie. Some parts of Upstate New York may see another foot of snow, especially just south of Watertown.

West
Rain may fall from coastal areas of Washington to northern California and temperatures will be cooler.
Along the Front Range of the Rockies, areas of freezing drizzle and/or light snow are possible from eastern Colorado (including Denver and Colorado Springs) to northeast New Mexico.  Significant snowfall in northeast New Mexico, with up to 6" possible by Saturday evening.(NWS, Media Sources)

Tropical Weather Outlook

No new activity (FEMA HQ)

Earthquake Activity

On Saturday, April 7, 2007 at 3:09 am EDT an earthquake measuring 6.0 struck about 65 miles east of Ponta Delgada, Azores, Portugal.  There were no reports of damage or injuries and there was no tsunami generated (USGS Vancouver, Washington; University of Washington, Pacific Northwest Seismic Network, Seattle, Washington; NOAA)

Preliminary Damage Assessments

No new activity (FEMA HQ)

Wildfire Update

National Preparedness Level 1 (lowest of five levels): minimal large fire activity nationally. There is little or no commitment of national fire management resources.
A Red Flag Warning is in effect for Florida, southeast Alabama, coastal South Carolina, and southern and coastal Georgia. 

National Fire Activity as of 6 April, 2007:

Initial attack activity: Light (55 new fires)
New large fires: 1
Large fires contained: 2
Uncontained large fires: 2  (NIFC)

Disaster Declaration Activity

No new activity (FEMA HQ)