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National Situation Update: Tuesday, November 3, 2009

Homeland Security Threat Level: YELLOW (ELEVATED).

National Weather

Northeast
Winds and showers are forecast over northern and western New York and northern New England. During the day, 10 to 20 mph sustained winds will occur across New York, Pennsylvania, western Maryland, West Virginia, and northwestern Virginia. Blustery winds will move into New England, Long Island, New Jersey, and the Delmarva Peninsula on Tuesday night.

Midwest
Winds accompanied by rain and snow are possible across northern sections of the region; any snow accumulations will be light. A few rain showers may extend down to Iowa and extreme northern Missouri. The western Great Lakes will experience rain and snow showers on Tuesday night.

South
Scattered showers are expected across central and southern Florida; rainfall amounts should be light, with most areas receiving less than a half inch over the next couple of days.
West
Some high temperature records could be broken across the deserts and in the Central Valley of California on Tuesday.  (NOAA’s National Weather Service) 

Flooding and Tornados in Louisiana

 On October 28, 2009, severe storms producing heavy rain, wind, and tornadoes moved through the north and west portions of Louisiana. Twenty parishes have declared local States of Emergency.
Flooding of low lying areas has been reported in Catahoula, Bossier, DeSoto, and Vernon Parishes.
Flood warnings continue along the Sabine River at Burkeville, Bon Weir and Deweyville. Burkeville is at minor stage; major flooding is forecast for Bon Weir and Deweyville by mid to late week. Several roads are closed throughout the state.

The State Levee District Police, Monroe Parish Unit, requested that the USCG issue a closure notice for the Ouachita River for all commercial vessels due to rising floodwaters and saturated conditions of the levees. The Monroe floodwall will be raised today. An order to move livestock from the levees has also been issued.
Bossier Parish
The voluntary evacuation order remains in effect; 2,500 people have evacuated. Flood water is expected to begin receding over the next week; however, the northern and southern areas of the parish may experience more flooding today. Levee operations are ongoing and expected to continue over the next week. Nine homes were reported destroyed and twenty one having incurred major damage. Some areas remain inaccessible, in those areas it is estimated that less than one hundred homes have water damage.
State/Local Response:
On October 30, 2009, the Governor declared a statewide State of Emergency to assist in the deployment and staging of state assets to support affected parishes. The Louisiana Governor’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness activated its Crisis Action Team (CAT) on October 22, 2009. The CAT will remain activated until further notice. Louisiana National Guard is providing levee support and high water vehicles. PDA teams will begin work as soon as there is no immediate threat to life and property.
Federal Actions:
Region VI RRCC is at Watch / Steady State and monitoring. The State LNO is on standby. IA and PA PDA teams are on standby. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is providing technical assistance to Louisiana. There has been no request for Federal assistance. (Region VI, Upper and Lower Mississippi River Forecast Centers) 

Tropical Weather Outlook

Atlantic
At 1:00 a.m. EST, showers and thunderstorms associated with a trough of low pressure in the extreme southwestern Caribbean Sea shows some change in organization. There is a low, less than 30 percent, chance of the system becoming a tropical cyclone in 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 Tuesday morning.
Western Pacific
No activity threatening United States 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)

Disaster Declaration Activity

No new activity (FEMA HQ)