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National Situation Update: Monday, December 31, 2007

Homeland Security Threat Level: YELLOW (ELEVATED).

Significant National Weather

West
The Fire Weather Watch in effect from today, December 31, 2007, through Tuesday afternoon has been upgraded to a Red Flag Warning.  The Red Flag Warning is in effect from 12:00 p.m. PST today, December 31, 2007 until 6:00 p.m. PST Tuesday. 

Gusty winds will pick up in much of the Southwest.  Southern California will experience a weak Santa Ana event.  Snow showers are forecast for the Washington Cascades, Rocky Mountains, and the eastern portions of Montana and Wyoming.  A ridge of high pressure aloft is building over the region. 

Midwest 
Scattered snow showers and flurries are anticipated over parts of the Great Lakes, Upper Midwest and the Great Plains.

A few rain showers or mixed rain and snow showers are possible toward the Ohio Valley.  Behind the low pressure area, windy, cold conditions are forecast for the Plains.

High temperatures for today are expected to range from the single digits in extreme northeastern North Dakota to the 50s in Kentucky.  Temperatures around the lower Great Lakes will peak in the 30s.

South 
The southern United States will continue to be dry until the end of the year with the exception of the Florida Peninsula where there is a potential for a few rain showers.

High temperatures for New Years Eve are forecast to range from the 30s in the Oklahoma Panhandle and northern part of the Texas Panhandle to the 80s in far south Texas and the southern half of the Florida Peninsula.  Highs for much of the Deep South will reach into the 60s.

Northeast 
Snow showers are expected in western New York and western Pennsylvania today.  Snow will end across eastern New York and New England as the East Coast storm moves across the southern Canadian Maritimes.  Up to 10 inches of snow is forecast for New Hampshire and southern Maine.

New Year's Forecast for Selected Cities

Boston
Today: Snow likely, mainly before 9 a.m. EST.  Cloudy through mid morning, then gradual clearing, with a high near 41.  North wind between 9 and 17 mph, with gusts as high as 28 mph.  Chance of precipitation is 70%.  Total daytime snow accumulation of less than a half inch possible. 
New Year's Eve: Mostly clear, with a low around 29.  West wind 13 to 16 mph decreasing to between 5 and 8 mph.
New Year's Day: Snow likely between noon and 3 p.m. EST, then periods of rain and snow.  High near 36.  East wind between 9 and 17 mph.  Chance of precipitation is 80%.  New snow accumulation of less than a half inch possible.

New York
Today: A slight chance of rain before noon.  Mostly cloudy, then gradually becoming sunny, high near 48.  West wind between 7 and 16 mph.  Chance of precipitation is 20%. 
New Year's Eve: Partly cloudy, with a low around 37.  West wind around 6 mph becoming calm.
New Year's Day: Periods of rain, mainly between noon and 3 p.m. EST.  High near 41.  East wind around 11 mph becoming southwest.  Chance of precipitation is 80%.  New rainfall amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch possible.

Atlanta
Today: Widespread dense fog before 10 a.m. EST.  Otherwise, sunny, with a high near 60.  Calm wind becoming south around 5 mph. 
New Year's Eve: Partly cloudy, with a low around 36.  South wind 5 to 10 mph becoming west.  Winds could gust as high as 15 mph.
New Year's Day: Mostly sunny, with a high near 49.  West wind between 15 and 20 mph, with gusts as high as 30 mph.

Chicago
Today: Snow likely after noon.  Widespread dense fog before 8 a.m. CST.  Otherwise, cloudy, with a high near 34.  Calm wind becoming east northeast around 5 mph.  Chance of precipitation is 60%.  New snow accumulation of 1 to 2 inches possible. 
New Year's Eve: Snow likely, mainly before midnight.  Cloudy, with a low around 22.  Blustery, with a north northwest wind 10 to 15 mph increasing to between 20 and 25 mph.  Chance of precipitation is 70%.  New snow accumulation of around an inch possible.
New Year's Day: A 40 percent chance of snow showers.  Cloudy, with a high near 21.  Wind chill values as low as 1.  Blustery, with a northwest wind around 25 mph.

Las Vegas
Today: Sunny, with a high near 54.  North northwest wind between 13 and 15 mph, with gusts as high as 22 mph. 
New Year's Eve: Mostly clear, with a low around 35.  North wind between 8 and 13 mph.
New Year's Day: Sunny, with a high near 53.  Northeast wind between 4 and 7 mph becoming calm.

Los Angeles
Today: Sunny, with a high near 70.  Calm wind becoming northeast between 6 and 9 mph. 
New Year's Eve: Mostly clear, with a low around 48.  Northeast wind between 9 and 15 mph.
New Year's Day: Sunny, with a high near 74.  North northeast wind between 12 and 15 mph becoming calm.  Winds could gust as high as 21 mph.  (NWS)

Fire Management Assistance Grant (FMAG)

No new activity to report. (FEMA HQ)

Disaster Activity

No new activity to report. (FEMA HQ)

Tropical Weather Outlook

Atlantic/Caribbean/Gulf of Mexico/Eastern Pacific/Central Pacific:
The low pressure system that has been producing gale-force winds approximately 1125 miles south-southwest of the Azores has lost some of its convective organization.  This system has little chance at this point to become a named subtropical storm.  The cyclone will move to the southwest in the next couple of days as it continues to weaken.

Western Pacific:
No current tropical cyclone warnings. (NOAA, National Hurricane Center, Central Pacific Hurricane Center and the Joint Typhoon Warning Center)

Earthquake Activity

Nothing Significant to Report.  (USGS/NEIC, West Coast & Alaska Tsunami Warning Center)

Preliminary Damage Assessments

No new activity to report. (FEMA HQ)