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National Situation Update: Monday, January 18, 2010

Homeland Security Threat Level: YELLOW (ELEVATED).

Significant National Weather

West
The first of a week-long series of dangerous Pacific storms, associated with a strong Pacific jet stream, began moving into the Sierra Mountains on Sunday and will continue to inundate California, the Great Basin and the Southwest. The strongest system arrives Wednesday and Thursday, with additional systems moving in through Friday.

A stronger band of rain, snow and high winds today mark the continuation of storms impacting the West. Rainfall in the Coastal and Valley areas of California will intensify throughout the day, reaching 1-3 inches; a possibility of thunderstorms exists by evening. Heavy rain will fall at about one inch per hour in the Mountains near Los Angeles; up to 5 inches of rain is possible by evening.

Another system will arrive by Tuesday bringing 4-8 more inches of rain along the coastal and valley areas and 8-12 inches of rain in the foothills and mountains. Locally, up to 20 inches of rain may fall across the southern facing coastal slopes of California. A significant risk of flooding, flash flooding and dangerous debris flows continues, specifically in burn areas throughout southern California as well as 20 to 30 foot waves and mudslides caused by rain soaked soil.

Snow moving out of California will impact the southern portions of Nevada, Utah and Colorado. The San Juan and Abajo Mountains may see up to 8 to 16 inches of snow. The heaviest snow will fall in the evening and overnight as storms continue in the West. In the San Bernardino Mountains above 6000 feet, snowfall may reach 1 to 3 feet tonight, at higher elevations of the Sierra Mountains, above 7,000 feet, 2 to 4 feet are expected today; up to 10 feet of snow is possible in the Sierra by Friday. Whiteout conditions will occur as snow falls at a rate of 2 or more inches per hour. Winds are expected to increase to 20 to 30 mph with gusts along the Sierra ridge up to 100 mph. (NOAA, National Weather Service) 

Northeast 
A developing storm system over the Mid Atlantic will bring rain into Pennsylvania and New York by this evening. Ice, freezing rain sleet and heavy snow is forecast to New England.
Heavy snow, 5-10 inches, will fall across Southern Maine, southern portions of Vermont and from New Hampshire to Northern Massachusetts throughout the day. Boston may see 5 to 8 inches of snow with this system.

South
The region will remain dry through Tuesday, and then increasing rain, associated with the storms in the West, will begin to impact the lower Mississippi Valley through southern Appalachians and coastal Atlantic areas.
Above average temperatures will continue from the Carolina’s westward to Texas.

Midwest
With the exception of a few scattered snow showers possible across the Great Lakes, the region will remain dry throughout the day. Heavy fog will continue from the middle Mississippi and Ohio Valleys. Above average temperatures will continue throughout the region.   (NOAA, National Weather Service and Media Sources) 

Update - Response and Recovery in Haiti (7.0 Earthquake)

The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance (OFDA) is the lead U.S. Government (USG) office responsible for providing humanitarian assistance in response to international emergencies and disasters.

FEMA elements in Haiti include the National Incident Management Assistance Team (N-IMAT-West), Mobile Emergency Response Support (MERS), and support staff. I

Mobile Emergency Response Support (MERS) personnel and equipment from Thomasville, GA, Frederick, MD, and Maynard, MA are in-place and have established tactical communications for the Embassy for the United States (Embassy), USAID, and US&R Teams. An Incident Response Vehicle is positioned at the Embassy to support these departments and agencies. Additional personnel and equipment from these detachments are en route or staged and awaiting transport.

The Incident Support Base (ISB) Team from FEMA Region IV, augmented by personnel from FEMA Region V, has received all inbound commodities at ISB Homestead, and is preparing assets for deployment to the impacted region.

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: Wednesday, 20-Jan-2010 10:37:11 EST