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National Situation Update: Thursday, January 7, 2010

Homeland Security Threat Level: YELLOW (ELEVATED).

Significant National Weather

West:
In a break between weather systems the precipitation in the region will be limited to scattered snow showers in the Southern Rockies.  The next front moving in off the Pacific will produce a few showers in the Pacific Northwest this evening.  Under a cold dome of high pressure, Montana, Wyoming and Colorado will have high temperatures in the single digits and wind chills well below zero.
Midwest:
The frontal system will produce three to six inches of new snow from Nebraska to Ohio. In Wisconsin and Illinois, moisture from Lake Michigan will enhance snowfall so accumulations of up to eight inches to a foot are expected.  Winds gusting to 40 mph will produce near-blizzard or blizzard conditions from the Dakotas to southern Illinois.  A very strong ridge of high pressure will continue to bring extremely cold air to the region. Highs will range from zero in the Dakotas, single digits in the upper-Mississippi Valley to the 20s in the Great Lakes and Ohio Valley. Wind chills could reach -40F in the upper Midwest.
South:
A cold front will quickly move through the region today.  This system will produce light snow across northern Alabama, eastern Tennessee, northern Georgia and North Carolina. Accumulations will range from a light dusting to two inches in the higher elevations.  To the south, rain showers will spread from the central Gulf Coast to southern Georgia and northern Florida.  The arctic air moving down from the Midwest will keep temperatures well below average through the weekend.
Northeast:
Northwesterly flow from the low in the Canadian Maritimes will continue to bring snow showers to New England and western New York.  The system moving out of the Midwest will move into western Pennsylvania and West Virginia by this evening. A wintry mix of snow and freezing rain will then spread across the rest of the region tonight into Friday. The greatest accumulation of snow will be in western Pennsylvania where a half a foot or more of snow could fall by tomorrow night.
After the front passes, lake-effect snow will develop and continue into the weekend southeast of Lakes Erie and Ontario.  The air behind the front is extremely cold and by Saturday temperatures will be as much as 20 degrees below average. Lows will be from zero to 20F over the weekend.(NOAA, National Weather Service and Various Media Sources) 

Fire Management Assistance Grant (FMAG)

No activity (FEMA HQ)

Tropical Weather Outlook

No new activity (FEMA HQ)

Earthquake Activity

No new activity (FEMA HQ)

Preliminary Damage Assessments

No new activity (FEMA HQ)

Disaster Declaration Activity

No new activity (FEMA HQ)

Last Modified: Thursday, 07-Jan-2010 07:58:19 EST