Skip to content

National Situation Update: Tuesday, July 7, 2009

Homeland Security Threat Level: YELLOW (ELEVATED).

Significant Weather

West:
Widely-scattered showers and thunderstorms are forecast from the Pacific Northwest across the Northern Rockies to Montana. A ridge of high pressure will result in dry, cloud free conditions across the Southwest. High temperatures in the Desert will exceed 100F. Gusty winds and low humidity will result in high fire danger over portions of Nevada, Utah, northern Arizona and the Sierra Nevada of California. Red Flag Warnings are in effect during afternoon and evening hours.

Midwest:
A front stretched across the upper Midwest will produce a broad swath of precipitation including scattered thunderstorms from the Dakotas to the Great Lakes.  Severe thunderstorms are possible from the Dakotas and Nebraska eastward to Iowa.

South:
A quasi-stationary front will produce showers and thunderstorms along the Gulf Coast into parts of Georgia, the Carolinas and Florida. Isolated severe thunderstorms with damaging winds or hail are possible along the front. Given the abundance of moisture, localized flooding is probable. Texas and Oklahoma will be hot with widespread 90s and over 100F in southern Texas.

Northeast:
A frontal system will produce showers and scattered thunderstorms from New England to the Mid Atlantic. Severe thunderstorms are possible from northern New Jersey to southern New England. The primary threat will be large hail and gusty winds. (NOAA, National Weather Service, Various Media Sources)

Tropical Weather Outlook

Atlantic
Tropical cyclone formation is not expected during the next 48 hours.
Eastern Pacific
The center of Tropical Storm Blanca is located 425 miles southwest of the southern tip of Baja California. Blanca is moving west-northwest near 9 mph and this general motion is expected to continue through the next 48 hours with a decrease in forward speed on Wednesday. Maximum sustained winds are near 50 mph with higher gusts. Blanca is forecast to weaken tonight as it moves over cooler waters.
Tropical Storm Blanca poses no threat to the United States or its territories.
Central Pacific
No tropical cyclones are expected through Wednesday evening.
Western Pacific 
No activity.  (NOAA, HPC, National Hurricane Center, Central Pacific Hurricane Center and the Joint Typhoon Warning Center)

Earthquake Activity

On Monday, July 6, 2009, at 10:53 a.m. EDT, an earthquake of 6.1 magnitude occurred in the Rat Islands, Aleutian Islands, AK, 1460 miles west-southwest of Anchorage, AK, at a depth of 16.3 miles. There were no reports of injury or damage and no tsunami was generated. (USGS, Earthquake Hazards Program)

Preliminary Damage Assessments

No new activity (FEMA HQ)

Wildfire Update

National Preparedness Level:  1
National Fire Activity as of Monday, July 6, 2009:
Initial attack activity: Moderate (289 new fires)
New large fires:  3
Large fires contained:  0
Uncontained large fires:  9
States affected:  CA, AK & TX (National Interagency Fire Center, National Incident Information Center, NOAA/NWS Storm Prediction Center)

Disaster Declaration Activity

No new activity (FEMA HQ)

Last Modified: Tuesday, 07-Jul-2009 08:35:27 EDT