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National Situation Update: Tuesday, November 17, 2009

Homeland Security Threat Level: YELLOW (ELEVATED).

Significant National Weather

West 
A strong Pacific storm continues to impact the Northwest, with sustained winds of 20 to 40 mph and gusts over 60 mph possible through late this morning.  Heavy morning rain will taper off to showers in western Washington and Oregon by this afternoon.  The band of rain and snow will move into western Montana and Idaho overnight Tuesday and into Wednesday morning.  Another round of strong winds and heavy valley rain and mountain snow are likely Wednesday afternoon through Thursday.  Overall, parts of the Washington Cascades may see three to four feet of snow over the next few days.  The avalanche danger is also high over the mountains of the Pacific Northwest.
Midwest
Low pressure over southeastern Missouri will move northward today and Wednesday, resulting in light rain and some light wet snow across southwestern Missouri, southeast Kansas, and extreme northwest Arkansas; accumulations of 1 to 3 inches are possible.  Light to moderate rain (an inch or more accumulation) is likely today from Des Moines through Chicago to Indianapolis and Cincinnati.
South
A cold front will produce scattered showers today from the middle Mississippi Valley to the southern Appalachians.  Snow accumulations of 1 to 2 inches are possible across the Ozark Mountains in northwest Arkansas.
Northeast
An area of moisture from the Southeast and Midwest will move toward the Mid-Atlantic on Wednesday, producing light showers over the Virginias.  (NOAA’s National Weather Service, Various Media Sources)

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 Monday afternoon.
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)

Wildfire Update

 

Note: Fire season is coming to an end - the National Interagency Coordination Center will issue reports only on Fridays unless there is significant activity.
• National Preparedness Level:  1
• National Fire Activity as of  Friday, November 13, 2009
• Initial attack activity:  Light (108 new fires)
• New large fires:  1
• Large fires contained:  1
• Uncontained large fires:  0
• States affected:  AZ and MO  (NIFC)

Disaster Declaration Activity

No new activity (FEMA HQ)