Skip to content

National Situation Update: Monday, August 10, 2009

Homeland Security Threat Level: YELLOW (ELEVATED).

TROPICAL STORM Felicia:

As of August 10, 2009 at 5:00 a.m. EDT, the center of Tropical Storm Felicia was located about 495 miles east-northeast of Hilo, Hawaii and about 560 miles east of Honolulu, Hawaii. Tropical storm force winds extend outward up to 140 miles from the center; maximum sustained winds are near 50 mph with higher gusts.  Tropical Storm Felicia is moving toward the west near 10 mph and this motion is expected to continue for the next couple of days.The center of Felicia is expected to be near or over the Hawaiian Islands by late today or early Tuesday. (NOAA, HPC, National Hurricane Center, Central Pacific Hurricane Center and the Joint Typhoon Warning Center)

Hawaiian Weather Forecast

A Tropical Storm Watch is in effect for the Big Island, Oahu, Maui, Kahoolawe, Lanai, and Molokaior.  A High Surf Warning remains in effect until 6:00 p.m. HST Tuesday for the east-facing shores of the Hawaiian Islands; waves are likely to reach or exceed 15 feet.  Even though Felicia is still east of the Hawaiian Islands, a building swell generated by the tropical cyclone is expected to reach the east facing shores of the Big Island today and will begin to impact the remaining Hawaiian Islands today.  Gradual weakening is forecast for the next couple of days.  Felicia is expected to reach the Hawaiian Islands as either a tropical depression or a tropical storm.  Regardless of the strength of Felicia when it reaches the Hawaiian Islands, heavy rains are still expected to occur and flash flooding remains a possibility. (NOAA, HPC, National Hurricane Center, Central Pacific Hurricane Center and the Joint Typhoon Warning Center)

Significant National Weather

West
Most of the West will be dry with sunny skies, with the exception of the Pacific Northwest; a low pressure system will move through bringing showers to western Washington and extreme northwest Oregon.  Temperatures will be below average in western Washington with some areas reaching into the 60s; the interior West will range from the 70s to low 90s.
Midwest
A slow-moving cold front and an upper trough will move through today creating scattered showers and storms, affecting the Central Plains and portions of the Great Lakes and Ohio Valley; some locations may receive damaging winds and large hail.  Temperature highs will range from the 70s and 80s across the northern Great Lakes to the Northern Plains, while highs will reach up to the low 90s in the southern Great Lakes, Ohio Valley and mid-Mississippi Valley.
South
A high pressure system will move through the region keeping it mostly dry and hot.  A few isolated to widely-scattered storms may affect portions of the Tennessee Valley southwestward to the eastern and central Gulf Coast.  Temperature highs will reach the 90s throughout most of the region with the exception of 100 degree weather in portions of the interior Carolinas and southern Texas.
Northeast
A system low may produce some isolated to scattered storms over portions of the region; high winds and hail may pose a threat from southern New York to Pennsylvania.  Temperature highs will range from the low 90s in Massachusetts and Connecticut to near 100 degree in Virginia.  An Excessive Heat Warning will be in effect from 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. EDT today for extreme southeast Pennsylvania, northern Delaware, and west-central New Jersey; the afternoon heat index may reach up to 105 degrees.  A Heat Advisory is also in effect for the Wasington DC area from noon to 8 p.m. EDT this evening (NOAA, National Weather Service, media sources)

Fire Management Assistance Grant (FMAG)

No activity. (FEMA HQ)

Tropical Weather Outlook

Eastern Pacific
As of August 10, 2009 at 5:00 a.m. EDT, the center of Tropical Depression Nine-E was located about 940 miles southwest of the southern tip of Baja California.  The depression is moving toward the west-northwest near 9 mph and this general motion is expected to continue during the next day or two.  Maximum sustained winds are near 35 mph with higher gusts.  Gradual strengthening is forecast during the next couple of days and the depression could become a tropical storm later today. 
As of August 10, 2009 at 5:00 a.m. EDT, a broad area of disturbed weather associated with a tropical wave was located several hundred miles south of Acapulco, Mexico.  Conditions appear favorable for some slow development of this system during the next couple of days as it moves generally westward at 10 to 15 mph.  There is a low chance (less than 30%) of this system becoming a tropical cyclone during the next 48 hours.
Central Pacific
National Weather Service also is watching two areas of disturbed weather: As of August 9, 2009, 11:00 p.m. HST, a disturbance centered about 950 miles southeast of Hilo, Hawaii is moving west around 15 mph.  Slow development is possible over the next two days.  As of August 9, 2009, 4:00 p.m. HST, a disturbance centered about 800 miles southwest of the main Hawaiian Islands is moving northwest around 15 mph.  Slow development is possible over the next two days.
Atlantic
As of August 10, 2009 at 5:00 a.m. EDT, a broad area of low pressure located just south of the southern Cape Verde Islands has changed little in organization.  Conditions appear favorable for development of this system and it could become a tropical depression during the next day or two as it moves generally westward at 10 to 15 mph.  There is a medium chance (30% to 50%) of this system becoming a tropical cyclone during the next 48 hours.  Associated showers and thunderstorms with locally gusty winds could affect portions of the Cape Verde Islands during the next 24 hours. 
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 Preparedness Level 3
National Fire Activity as of Sunday, August 9, 2009:
Initial attack activity: Light (164 new fires)
New large fires:  10
Large fires contained:  3
Uncontained large fires:  39
States affected:  AK, AZ, CA, CO, ID, NC, NM, OR, TX, UT, & WA (NIFC)

Disaster Declaration Activity

No new activity (FEMA HQ)

Last Modified: Monday, 10-Aug-2009 07:51:24 EDT