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National Situation Update: Thursday, June 18, 2009

Homeland Security Threat Level: YELLOW (ELEVATED).

Significant National Weather

Midwest 
Severe weather including damaging winds, hail, a few tornadoes and heavy rain are possible from Ohio Valley northwestward to Illinois, Iowa, northeast Nebraska, eastern South Dakota and the southern half of Minnesota.

Region VII reported three tornadoes overnight, two in Nebraska and one in Iowa. According to the NE State EOC one near Aurora, NE caused significant damage to two businesses, a farmstead, and partial derailment of a Burlington Northern train. No injuries reported. Iowa has not submitted any reports nor have any damages been reported via the National Weather Service.

South
High temperatures will reach the mid to upper 90s and even a few 100s from Georgia and South Carolina westward to Texas and Oklahoma. Heat index values will be in the triple digits in many locations.

Northeast  
Rain is forecast for most of the northeast today, with some areas receiving over one inch. 

West  
Continuing showers and thunderstorms are predicted for parts of the northern and central Rockies and the High Plains. There is a slight chance of thunderstorms across portions of New Mexico and Arizona.(National Weather Service, Various Media Sources)

Fire Management Assistance Grant (FMAG)

No activity. (FEMA HQ)

Tropical Weather Outlook

Atlantic:
Tropical cyclone formation is not expected during the next 48 hours.

Eastern Pacific:
Showers and thunderstorms associated with an area of low pressure located about 275 miles southwest of Manzanillo Mexico continue to show signs of organization.  A tropical depression could form in the next day or so as the system moves slowly northwestward to northward.  There is a high chance, greater than 50 percent, of this system becoming a tropical cyclone during the next 48 hours. Regardless of development, locally heavy rains may spread over portions of southwestern Mexico during the next day or two.

An area of disturbed weather is located about 900 miles southwest of Manzanillo Mexico.  Slow development of this system is possible during the next day or two.  There is a low chance, less than 30 percent, of this system becoming a tropical cyclone during the next 48 hours.

Western Pacific:
No activity. (NOAA, HPC, National Hurricane Center, Central Pacific Hurricane Center and the Joint Typhoon Warning Center)

Earthquake Activity

No new activity (FEMA HQ)

Preliminary Damage Assessments

No new activity (FEMA HQ)

Wildfire Update

National Preparedness Level:  1
National Fire Activity as of Wednesday, June 17, 2009:
Initial attack activity:  Light (68 new fires)
New large fires:  2
Large fires contained:  1
Uncontained large fires:  6
States affected:  AK, AZ & NM.  
 (National Interagency Fire Center, National Incident Information Center, NOAA/NWS Storm Prediction Center, NGB)

Disaster Declaration Activity

No new activity (FEMA HQ)

Last Modified: Thursday, 18-Jun-2009 08:09:48 EDT