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National Situation Update: Tuesday, November 20, 2007

Homeland Security Threat Level: YELLOW (ELEVATED).

National Weather

Midwest
Warm air with some record high temperatures across the Plains will continue for another day but a massive cold front will come come down from the north.

Precipitation in the form of snow showers or mixed rain and snow showers will settle from the Dakotas and Minnesota to northern Wisconsin.

Rain will develop across the Midwest and will move eastward on Wednesday, November 21, 2007 while rain will change to snow across parts of Wisconsin and northern Illinois, including Chicago. 
 
Northeast
The approach of a warm front will result in a very light dusting of snow, sleet and freezing rain over interior sections of the Northeast on November 20, 2007, mainly across eastern new York and western New England.

West
The heavy snow of  November 19, 2007 will taper off across the Northwest but higher elevations of western and southwestern Montana may wake up to a two foot coating of snow.  High will range from the teens around freshly snow covered Yellowstone National Park to the 80s in the lower Colorado River Valley, southwest Arizona and far southeast New Mexico.  Santa Ana winds may blow across parts of southern California by Friday, November 23, 2007.

South
Thunderstorms will develop along western sections of the Gulf Coast today, November 20, 2007.  By Wednesday, November 21, 2007, the wet weather will expand rapidly up to Kentucky and Tennessee and eastward to Alabama and the western Florida Panhandle. A few thunderstorms may be severe from Louisiana up to Kentucky.  Some needed rain will move through the Southeast during November 21-22 2007 but not enough rain will fall from this system to put much of a dent into the severe drought. (NOAA, National Weather Service, Media Sources)

Thousands still without power in Montana

Heavy, wet snow left thousands of homes and businesses in western Montana without power on November 19, 2007.  The outages were affecting 200 to 300 customers in the Hamilton area and another 3,000 in the Missoula area, including Alberton, Lolo, Bonner and Clinton. 

The outages were caused by heavy snow and downed tree limbs on power lines, and repair crews were making good progress, but snow, mud and fallen trees and branches were making it difficult to get heavy equipment to some of the affected areas. (Media Source)

Interstate Closure in Louisiana

55 miles of I-10 between Ramah and Baton Rouge likely will remain closed until at least Wednesday, November 21, 2007 because of a natural gas well that leaked and caught fire on Wednesday, November 14, 2007.

Heavy equipment has to be moved through a swamp in the sparsely populated area, then crews have to contain the fire and close the hole in the pipeline that exploded.

Eastbound I-10 traffic will continue to be routed up I-49 at Lafayette on to U.S. 190 into Baton Rouge and I-10 westbound will be routed through Baton Rouge to LA 415 west of Port Allen, where it will link to U.S. 190 toward Opelousas.(Media Source)

Fire Management Assistance Grant (FMAG)

No new activity to report. (FEMA HQ)

Tropical Weather Outlook

Atlantic - Caribbean Sea - Gulf of Mexico
Tropical cyclone formation is not expected during the next 48 hours.

Eastern and Central Pacific:
Tropical cyclone formation is not expected during the next 48 hours.

Western Pacific:
No current tropical cyclone warnings affecting U.S. interests.
(NOAA, National Hurricane Center, Central Pacific Hurricane Center and the Joint Typhoon Warning Center, Media Sources)

Earthquake Activity

A 5.8 magnitude, 6 mile depth tremor occurred 279 miles west southwest of Portland, Oregon at 3:30 p.m. EST.  There were no reports of damages or injuries and no requests for federal assistance.(USGS, Earthquake Hazards Program)

Preliminary Damage Assessments

No new activity (FEMA HQ)

Disaster Declaration Activity

No new activity (FEMA HQ)

Last Modified: Thursday, 04-Jun-2009 16:48:34 EDT