National Situation Update: Sunday, March 9, 2008
Homeland Security Threat Level: YELLOW (ELEVATED).
Significant National Weather
Northeast: The northeastern storm will exit the Canadian Maritimes Sunday, but wind and snow showers will continue over the Northeast for the next 48 hours.
Winter Weather Advisories and Warnings are in effect until 8:00 a.m. EDT Sunday for northern Vermont, northern New Hampshire and western Maine. Mixed precipitation will produce one to four additional inches of snow or sleet.
Due to severe storms, numerous Flood Warnings are in effect until late tonight for New Hampshire, northern Maine, south central New York and northeastern Pennsylvania. The Delaware River and its tributaries, Susquehanna, Chenango, and Hoosic Rivers are all forecasting minor to moderate flooding.
Temperatures Sunday, March 9, and Monday, March 10, will be below average region-wide. Highs will range from the upper teens and 20s along the Canadian border to the 50s and near 60 degrees in Virginia.
On Tuesday, the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic will be dry except for a few snow showers in upstate New York and northwest Pennsylvania.
South: Sunday will be quiet across the South. An upper-level disturbance coming out of the Four Corners States could bring rain and winds to western Texas.
Precipitation should be minimal Sunday; however, the day is expected to be very cold, especially from the lower Mississippi River Valley to the southeast coast. Morning lows will be 10 to 20 degrees below average, ranging from the teens in northeast Tennessee to the low 50s in southern Florida.
Sunday afternoon, temperatures will remain mostly below average with the exception of some highs from the 40s in northern Tennessee to the low 70s in southern Florida and the 70s and low 80s across the southern section of Texas.
A Red Flag Warning will be in effect from 1:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. EDT Sunday for the eastern Florida Panhandle, Florida Big Bend, southern Florida, and central Georgia areas due to long durations of relative humidity below 35 percent.
Red Flag Warnings will be in effect from 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. CDT Sunday for south Texas. A low pressure area moving into the region will interact and produce sustained southerly winds and combined with the abundant cured fuels will create an enhanced risk of dangerous wildfires.
Monday through Wednesday, rain and possible thunderstorms will move from Texas and the lower Mississippi Valley, through the Gulf of Mexico to Florida. Snow is forecast for the Tennessee Valley and southern Appalachian Mountains on Monday.
Midwest: A broad upper-level disturbance will dominate the Mississippi Valley, Great Lake and Ohio Valley Sunday, March 9, producing clouds and overcast; however, minimal precipitation is forecast.
The winter storm system that affected Indiana and Ohio moved out Saturday afternoon. Weather conditions continue to improve and strong winds that caused problems of drifting and blowing snow decreased significantly.
Numerous Flood Warnings with minor to moderate flooding continues for the Kankakee, Illinois and Scioto Rivers until Monday.
Snow showers are anticipated for the upper Mississippi Valley, southern Great Lakes and southern Missouri.
Sunday morning lows will range from below zero along the Canadian border to the 20s in Kansas and Missouri and the teens in the Ohio Valley. Highs today will be 10 to 20 degrees below average from the eastern Plains to the Great Lakes and Ohio Valley, ranging from the upper teens and 20s in the upper Midwest to the 40s and 50s in Kansas and the 30s and 40s in Kentucky.
An upper-level disturbance will bring light snow and rain through the southern Ohio Valley on Monday and a second weak disturbance may bring snow showers to Michigan and northeast Ohio on Tuesday, March 11, 2008.
Overall, the Midwest and Plains will be dry throughout early next week. Temperatures will be well above average over the Plains, but still below average in the Ohio Valley.
West: An upper-level disturbance over the Four Corners region Sunday, March 9, will produce mountain snow and lower elevation showers across sections of Colorado, eastern Arizona and northern New Mexico.
The mountains of southern Colorado could see heavy snow.
A Winter Weather Advisory remains in effect until 6:00 p.m. MDT Sunday, March 9, for northern and western New Mexico and along the Colorado border. Snow accumulation is anticipated through the affected areas up to three inches.
A new front will approach the Pacific Northwest on Sunday; however, it will lose strength rapidly as it moves inland Sunday night.
High temperatures for Sunday will range from the 30s in the Rockies to the 80s in the lower Colorado Valley of southeast California and southwest Arizona.
Monday and Tuesday, a stronger Pacific cold front is forecast to move across the Northwest. Some rain and mountain snow will press inland from Washington, Oregon and northern California into the Rockies and then lose intensity over the Rockies by midweek.
Temperatures will be well above average ahead of the front, but below average behind the front. Snow levels in the Washington Cascades will drop from 6,000 feet Monday to 2,000 feet Tuesday night.(NWS, Media Sources)
Reminder:
Set your clocks ahead one hour (effective 2 a.m. local time today, Sunday, March 9, 2008) to reflect the annual change to daylight-saving time. In areas of the United States that observe this change, standard time will return November 2, 2008. The longer daylight-saving time period - the second Sunday in March to the first Sunday in November - was established in the Energy Policy Act of 2005. Daylight-saving time is not observed in Arizona, Hawaii, American Samoa, Guam, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
Tornado Touchdowns Impact North Florida
State Emergency Response Team is currently activated at a Level 3 (Monitoring) and FEMA Region IV State Liaison is on standby. The State of Florida has requested a PDA for Columbia County as a result of recent tornadoes. Region IV scheduled the PDA for Monday, March 10, 2008. The Joint PDA team will conduct IA and SBA assessments only. There are no current Tornado Warnings/Watches. (FEMA Region IV, NWS)
Flooding Update
Midwest:
The Rock River ice jam near Joslin, Illinois has broken up. The river is forecast to remain above moderate flood stage through March 15, 2008. River flooding is occurring, and is forecast to continue through the day along numerous rivers in Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, and Wisconsin.
Northeast:
Localized flooding is expected in parts of eastern Pennsylvania, southeastern New York, northern New Jersey, southern New England, New Hampshire and northern Maine through Monday, March 10, 2008. The National Weather Service (NWS) posted numerous Flood Watches and Warnings for the region. Flood Warnings remain in effect for numerous river points in upper Susquehanna and upper Delaware Basins in Pennsylvania and New York; rivers are forecast to rise to near or above flood stage by tonight. Flood Watches are expected to continue as another one to four inches of mixed precipitation impact the region over the next 48 hours.
Southeast:
Recent significant rainfall has resulted in river and stream flooding across the Lower Mississippi River Valley. Flood Warnings remain in effect for rivers across the region through Monday. (NWS, FEMA Regions I, II, IV, and V)
Fire Management Assistance Grant (FMAG)
No activity to report. (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: Monday, 10-Mar-2008 07:45:09 EDT