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National Situation Update: Wednesday, July 8, 2009

Homeland Security Threat Level: YELLOW (ELEVATED).

Significant Weather

West:
An upper-level trough will produce rain in western Washington and northwest Oregon. Scattered showers and thunderstorms are forecast from the Northern Rockies to the High Plains of Montana.
Low relative humidity and gusty winds will create an elevated fire danger from the Sierras of California to eastern Arizona and Colorado. Red Flag Warnings are in effect for southwestern Utah until tonight.
Midwest:
Scattered showers and thunderstorms are forecast along the front extending from the Ohio Valley to the Dakotas.  An upper-level disturbance will move into the Northern Plains later today. This will produce severe thunderstorms from eastern Montana to Minnesota.
 South:
The quasi-stationary frontal boundary will continue to produce scattered showers and thunderstorms from the Central Gulf Coast to the Carolinas.  With the ground already saturated, localized flooding is forecast and the Big Bend area of the Florida Gulf Coast will again receive the most precipitation - over two inches.
Northeast:
Precipitation will be limited to Pennsylvania, New York and New England as the low pressure system moves offshore. (NOAA, 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
The center of Tropical Depression Blanca is located 600 miles west-southwest of the southern tip of Baja California. Blanca is moving west-northwest near 14 mph.  Maximum sustained winds are near 35 mph with higher gusts. Weakening is forecast during the next 24 hours.
Tropical Depression 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

No new activity (FEMA HQ)

Preliminary Damage Assessments

No new activity (FEMA HQ)

Wildfire Update

National Preparedness Level:  1
National Fire Activity as of Tuesday, July 07, 2009:
Initial attack activity: Heavy (349 new fires)
New large fires:  3
Large fires contained:  11
Uncontained large fires:  0
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: Wednesday, 08-Jul-2009 08:23:17 EDT