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National Situation Update: Friday, July 24, 2009

Homeland Security Threat Level: YELLOW (ELEVATED).

National Weather Forecast

Northeast
A low pressure system will move up the Eastern Seaboard and will produce significant rain across New England today. The rest of the Northeast will see scattered thunderstorms ahead of a weakening front. Scattered thunderstorms will occur over parts of Pennsylvania, New York and New England, with thunderstorms more prevalent Saturday.
Midwest
A cold front, descending from the northern Plains, is forecast to trigger severe weather over parts of the Upper Midwest today. Thunderstorms will affect parts of the Great Lakes, Ohio Valley, mid-Mississippi Valley and Kansas by tomorrow.  The biggest threat of thunderstorms (some severe) today will be over portions of Minnesota, Iowa, Wisconsin, Illinois and Michigan. Scattered thunderstorms are expected Saturday over the Great Lakes, Ohio Valley, Missouri and Kansas.
South
Scattered thunderstorms are expected along the Southeast Coast, northern Gulf Coast and parts of Texas today, with the rest of the region to remain mainly dry. Saturday will bring scattered showers and thunderstorms over Florida. A frontal boundary will stall just north of the area, and rain will be plentiful across the region.
West
The Northwest will experience extreme heat. Areas from California to Washington will experience high temperatures between 5 to 25 degrees above average.  Portland, Oregon is forecast to see 100 to possibly 104 degrees; the all-time record high temperature for Portland, Oregon is 107.  Seattle, Washington is forecast to reach 97 degrees; the all-time record high temperature for Seattle is 100 degrees. Thunderstorms will develop in the Rockies into the weekend and then expand out into the High Plains with a few dry thunderstorms possible as far west as the Sierra and Cascades. (NOAA, National Weather Service, Various Media Sources)

Fire Management Assistance Grant (FMAG)

No new activity. (FEMA HQ)

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 Saturday morning.

Western Pacific
No activity affecting U.S. territories.  (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 Fire Activity as of Thursday, July 23, 2009:
Initial attack activity: Light (163 new fires)
New large fires:  1
Large fires contained: 6
Uncontained large fires:  11
States affected:  AK, CA, MT, NV, TX and UT. (NIFC)

Disaster Declaration Activity

No new activity (FEMA HQ)

Last Modified: Friday, 24-Jul-2009 07:34:38 EDT