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National Situation Update: Saturday, July 4, 2009

Homeland Security Threat Level: YELLOW (ELEVATED).

Significant Weather

West:
Showers and thunderstorms will continue to develop across the Rockies and High Plains; a few of the storms in the High Plains could turn severe.
Temperature highs will range between the 80s and 90s in the Pacific Northwest, while the Southwest will vary between 100 and 118 degrees.  Red Flag Warnings remain in effect for most of western Washington until midnight PDT Sunday.
South:
Thunderstorms will be possible from the Texas Panhandle to the Tennessee-Kentucky line today and additional thunderstorms will continue across the Florida Peninsula.  Temperatures will range from the 90s in the Southeast to near 100 across a large portion of Texas.  Flood Warnings continue for rivers in southern Louisiana and west-central and southern Florida.  Red Flag Warnings are in effect for inland portions of the Florida Panhandle and Big Bend until this evening.
Midwest:
A low pressure system will move along a front from eastern Kansas into western Kentucky, bringing showers and thunderstorms; downpours are likely and may produce an inch or more of rain.  Severe thunderstorms with strong winds and hail are possible over the high Plains and across southeast Kansas, Missouri, southern Illinois, southwest Indiana and western Kentucky.  Temperature highs will range from the 70s to 80s across the region.  Flood Warnings continue along portions of the Red River in northern North Dakota, the James River in northern South Dakota and the Illinois River in central Illinois.
Northeast:
Showers and thunderstorms are forecast to continue for northern New York and New England.
The low pressure system approaching from the Midwest will begin to affect southwest Pennsylvania, West Virginia and western Virginia with thunderstorms by this afternoon.  High temperatures today will range from the 60s in New England to the 80s in Virginia. (NOAA, National Weather Service, Various Media Sources)

Tropical Weather Outlook

Atlantic
A non-tropical area of low pressure located about 950 miles southwest of the Azores is producing minimal shower and thunderstorm activity to the east of its center.  Upper-level winds are expected to remain unfavorable for development of this system as it moves eastward near 10 mph toward cooler waters.  There is a low chance (less than 30 percent) of this system becoming a tropical or subtropical cyclone during the next 48 hours.
Eastern Pacific
Shower and thunderstorm activity associated with a trough of low pressure located several hundred miles south-southwest of Acapulco, Mexico has increased over the past several hours.  Upper-level winds are expected to become more conducive for slow development of this system over the next couple of days as it moves west-northwestward at 5 to 10 mph.  There is a low chance (less than 30 percent) of this system becoming a tropical cyclone during the next 48 hours.
Central Pacific:
No tropical cyclones are expected through Sunday morning.
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. (USGS, Earthquake Hazards Program)

Preliminary Damage Assessments

No new activity (FEMA HQ)

Wildfire Update

National Preparedness Level:  1
National Fire Activity as of Friday, July 3, 2009:
Initial attack activity:  Moderate (332 new fires)
New large fires:  3
Large fires contained:  0
Uncontained large fires:  4
States affected:  AK, CA & TX
(National Interagency Fire Center, National Incident Information Center, NOAA/NWS Storm Prediction Center)

Disaster Declaration Activity

No new activity (FEMA HQ)

Last Modified: Monday, 06-Jul-2009 08:39:03 EDT