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

National Situation Update: Thursday, July 2, 2009

Homeland Security Threat Level: YELLOW (ELEVATED).

Significant Weather

West:
A stationary ridge of high pressure, just off the Pacific Northwest, will mean Oregon, Washington and Idaho will be dry and unseasonably warm - nearly 20 degrees above average in some locations.  Upper level disturbances will pull moisture northward across the interior West from southeastern California and the Four Corners' States to the Rockies and adjacent High Plains.  Combined with daytime heating this will produce numerous showers and thunderstorms. These storms could produce locally gusty winds and heavy precipitation.
South:
The only significant weather for the region will be along the Gulf Coast and in Florida.  The front draped along the Gulf Coast will continue to produce scattered thunderstorms.  Moisture from the Gulf of Mexico will continue to be advected over the central Florida peninsula. Yesterday the area received a record three to five inches of precipitation. Showers and thunderstorms are forecast to produce an additional one to two inches of precipitation. Flood Warnings and Watches are in effect through this evening. 
Midwest:
Under high pressure, the Mississippi Valley will sunny and dry.  The low pressure system over the Great Lakes has started moving east expect a few more showers around the Great Lakes and the Ohio Valley.  Upper disturbances and a frontal boundary will combine to bring scattered showers and thunderstorms from the Northern Plains to Kansas.
Northeast:
An upper level low and surface front will produce another day of precipitation for much of the region.  Scattered showers and thunderstorms are forecast with some producing locally heavy amounts of rain especially in eastern New York and Southern New England. A few of the thunderstorms could turn severe in eastern sections of the region.  The threat for showers and thunderstorms will continue tomorrow. (NOAA, National Weather Service, Various Media Sources)

Tropical Weather Outlook

Atlantic
Tropical cyclone formation is not expected during the next 48 hours.
Eastern Pacific
Tropical cyclone formation is not expected during the next 48 hours.
Central Pacific:
No tropical cyclones are expected through Friday afternoon.
Western Pacific 
No activity.  (NOAA, HPC, National Hurricane Center, Central Pacific Hurricane Center and the Joint Typhoon Warning Center)

Earthquake Activity

• No significant earthquake activity in the United States or its territories.
• On July 1, 2009, an earthquakes of magnitude 6.4 occurred 75 miles south southeast of Iraklion, Crete, at a depth of 6.3 miles.  There were no reports of damage, injuries and no tsunamis were generated.  (USGS, Earthquake Hazards Program)

Preliminary Damage Assessments

No new activity (FEMA HQ)

Wildfire Update

National Preparedness Level:  1
National Fire Activity as of Wednesday, July 1, 2009:

• Initial attack activity:  Light (154 new fires)
• New large fires:  1
• Large fires contained:  0
• Uncontained large fires:  4
• States affected:  CA & TX

(National Interagency Fire Center, National Incident Information Center, NOAA/NWS Storm Prediction Center)

Disaster Declaration Activity

FEMA-1838-DR-West Virginia, Amendment #6: Effective July 1, 2009 this declaration is amended to include Mercer County for Individual Assistance (already designated for Public Assistance). 

FEMA-1843-DR-Alaska, Amendment #1: Effective May 31, 2009 this declaration is amended that the incident period for this disaster is closed effective May 31, 2009.

FEMA-1843-DR-Alaska, Amendment #2: Effective July 1, 2009 this declaration is amended to include Lower Yukon Regional Educational Attendance Area (REAA) for Individual Assistance, Yupiit REAA for Individual Assistance (already designated for Public Assistance), Lower Yukon REAA for Public Assistance and Yukon-Koyukuk REAA for Public Assistance (already designated for Individual Assistance). 

The Governor of the Tennessee requested a Major Disaster Declaration as a result of Severe Storms, Straight-line Winds, Flooding, Hail and Tornadoes beginning on June 12, 2009 and continuing. The Governor is specifically requesting Public Assistance for five counties and Hazard Mitigation statewide. (FEMA HQ)