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National Situation Update: Thursday, July 26, 2007

Homeland Security Threat Level: YELLOW (ELEVATED).

National Weather Summary

Midwest:  An upper level low across the Ohio Valley will bring scattered showers and thunderstorms on Thursday. Temperatures will stay cool across the Great Lakes and lower Midwest. A cold front passing through the northern Plains and upper Midwest will bring cooler temperatures but will also bring strong thunderstorms from Minnesota southwest to western Nebraska. High temperatures will be from the 70s over the Ohio Valley and Great Lakes to upper 80s to low 90s in the central Plains and Missouri Valley.

South: Showers and thunderstorms will continue across southern Texas at least through Thursday. Rainfall of 1-2 inches per hour could cause flash flooding and Flood Watches are in effect.

West:  Scattered thunderstorms in the afternoon from Wyoming south to Arizona and New Mexico at least through Saturday. The biggest impacts from these storms will be dust storms, flash floods and lightning. The Southwest will remain cooler than average while the northern Rockies will see warming temperatures due to a building upper-level ridge.

Northeast:  Scattered showers and thunderstorms in the western sections of New York, Pennsylvania, Maryland, and Virginia. High temperatures will be in the 70s and 80s. (NWS, Media Sources)

Murphy Complex Fire, Idaho and Nevada

The Murphy Complex Fire is currently the largest in the nation and has consumed 623,350 acres and is 30% contained. The increase in acreage is due to the inclusion of the Scott Creek Fire as of July 24, 2007, and the additional growth to the south of about 12,500 acres. The fire has now spread from Idaho into Nevada. Power was restored to Murphy Hot Springs and Jarbridge, and the evacuation order for Jarbridge has been lifted. The fire is one mile west of Jarbridge. A Fire Management Assistance Grant (FMAG-2717) was approved July 23, 2007. (NIIC, FEMA Region IX, FEMA Region X)

Fire Management Assistance Grant (FMAG)

No new information to report. (FEMA HQ)

Tropical Weather Outlook

Atlantic/Caribbean/Gulf of Mexico:
Tropical cyclone formation is not expected during the next 48 hours.

Eastern Pacific:
Tropical Storm (TS) Dalila is centered about 250 miles southwest of the southern tip of Baja California, Mexico, moving northwest at 8 mph. Maximum sustained wind speed is 46 mph with gusts up to 58 mph. TS Dalila is winding down faster than previously anticipated and should become a remnant low in about two days.

Elsewhere tropical cyclone development is not expected during the next 48 hours.

Central Pacific: 
No tropical cyclones are expected through Friday afternoon, July 27, 2007.

Western Pacific:
No significant tropical activity to report. (NOAA, National Hurricane Center, Central Pacific Hurricane Center and the Joint Typhoon Warning Center)

Earthquake Activity

An earthquake of 6.7 magnitude occurred at 1:40 am EDT today in the Molucca Sea, 135 miles north of Ternate, Moluccas, Indonesia at a depth of 27.7 miles.  Media sources are reporting that Indonesia had issued a tsunami warning for the archipelago immediately following the earthquake but lifted the warning when no destructive waves were generated.  The West Coast/Alaska Tsunami Warning Center issued a statement that NO TSUNAMI is expected to hit the California, Oregon, Washington, British Columbia and Alaska coasts. (NOAA, USGS, Earthquake Hazards Program, Alaska Earthquake Information Center, Pacific Tsunami Warning Cente, Media Sourcesr)

Preliminary Damage Assessments

Individual Assistance Preliminary Damage Assessments for Missouri storms that occurred June 27-July 3 were completed on July 20, 2007, and Public Assistance PDAs are scheduled for completion on July 27, 2007.   (FEMA HQ)

Wildfire Update

National Preparedness Level:  5
States Most Affected: Idaho, Montana, Nevada and Utah
National Fire Activity as of Wednesday, July 25, 2007:

Initial attack activity: Moderate (245 new fires)
New large fires: 11
Large fires contained: 3
Uncontained large fires: 48

Predictive Services Discussion:  Thunderstorm activity will continue in the West. Scattered thunderstorms are expected across the Cascades and Sierra Nevada mountains with the humidity remaining high. Cooler weather and higher humidity are expected in the Northern Plains. (National Interagency Fire Center, National Incident Information Center, InciWeb, NOAA/NWS Storm Prediction Center)

Disaster Declaration Activity

Maine:
The Governor of Maine has requested a major disaster declaration as a result of severe storms and flooding during the period of July 11-12, 2007. The Governor is specifically requesting Public Assistance for Oxford County and Hazard Mitigation statewide. In requesting the major disaster declaration, Governor Baldacci withdrew his July 17, 2007 request for an emergency declaration for the same event. (FEMA HQ)
Missouri:
FEMA-1708-DR-MO Amendment No. 2 added one county for Individual Assistance.
Texas:
FEMA-1709-DR-TX Amendment No. 6 added eight counties for Individual Assistance and eight counties for Public Assistance.
Kansas:
FEMA-1711-DR-KS Amendment No. 4 added three counties for Individual Assistance.
Oklahoma:
FEMA-1712-DR-OK Amendment No. 3 added one county for Public Assistance. (FEMA HQ)