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National Situation Update: Thursday, November 19, 2009

Homeland Security Threat Level: YELLOW (ELEVATED).

Significant National Weather

 West 
Additional low-pressure systems will continue to impact the Northwest for the remainder of the week.
The first system will swing up near Vancouver Island today, with strong winds impacting the Oregon and Washington coasts; sustained winds may be as high as 40 mph, with gusts to 60 mph.  A Winter Storm Warning remains in effect through late this afternoon for the west slopes of the north and central Cascades.  Snow levels in the Washington Cascades will climb to between 3,500 and 4,500 feet, and the Olympic Mountains will see snow levels rise to near 5,500 feet.  Total snow accumulation in the Washington Cascades from this multi-day event will be between 1 and 3 feet.  Through Friday, rain amounts of 7 inches or more will impact the Olympic Mountains, resulting in possible river flooding.
Coastal areas of northwest Oregon and western Washington may see between 3 and 6 inches of rain; farther inland, 1 to 3 inches are possible in Seattle and Portland.  The cold front will begin to swing inland with the next area of low pressure on Friday.  This will spread rain, gusty winds, and mountain snow farther south into northern California and Nevada impacting San Francisco, Sacramento, Redding, and the Reno/Tahoe area.
Scattered showers and cloud cover will impact areas from the Mississippi River eastward and from the Ohio River northward.  Rainfall amounts will generally be light, though portions of eastern Ohio may see an inch of rain through today.
South
Showers will push through the Carolinas today, as a departing front moves east.  High pressure will bring sunny skies to the Tennessee and lower-Mississippi Valleys, and also help to pull moisture back into Texas.  This moisture will interact with an approaching upper level disturbance and develop into rain and thunderstorms over central and east Texas Thursday night through Friday.  Locally heavy amounts of several inches are possible, especially near the southeast Texas Coast
Northeast
Light rain is forecast over much of West Virginia and western Virginia this afternoon.  Showers will impact much of the Mid-Atlantic and southern New York today, then spread northward overnight through northern Upstate New York and New England.  Dry conditions will return to the central Appalachians and Mid-Atlantic as high pressure builds eastward.  (NOAA’s 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
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

Severe Weather PDAs
Alabama began PA PDAs for two counties on November 17.
Louisiana began IA and PA PDAs on November 17 for two parishes.
New Jersey Joint IA PDAs for 7 counties have been completed; PA PDAs are ongoing for 4 counties and have been completed for 7.
Virginia Joint IA PDAs have been completed for seven counties; Joint PA PDAs have been requested for 11 locations, with 7 now completed and 4 remaining.
Delaware PA PDAs are scheduled to begin on November 19.

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)