The USA Disaster Situation Report
The Daily USA Disaster Situation Report
For February 22, 2001
Christopher Effgen, Editor, host{at}disastercenter.com
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IN THIS ISSUE
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=> USA Daily Temperature Extremes
=> Special Notes
=> Current Active National Weather Service Warnings:
=> Severe Weather Probability Forecast
=> Precipitation Forecast, Excessive Rainfall, Heavy Snow And/Or Significant
Icing Forecast
=> USA Flood Report
=> USA Fire Report and Forecast
=> USA Earthquake Report
=> Yesterday's USA Severe Weather Reports
=> Guest Column-
=> Sponsored by The Rothstein Catalog On Disaster Recovery
**** ARTICLES ****
=> Article National Drought Summary --
=> Article The U.S. Fire Administration has received notice of the
following firefighter
fatalities:
=> Article Federal Funds Authorized To Help Fight Florida Wildfires
=> Article Dr. Hamid Ghasemi Named FHWA Engineer of the Year
=> Article Town Meeting On Complementary And Alternative Medicine
=> Classified Ads
=> Links Area
=> How to Be Featured as our Guest Columnist
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Sponsored by the The Rothstein Catalog On Disaster Recovery
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The Daily USA Disaster Situation Report
For February 22, 2001
Christopher Effgen, Editor, host{at}disastercenter.com
------------------------------------------------------------
IN THIS ISSUE
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=> USA Daily Temperature Extremes
National Temperature Extremes
High Wed...86 At Mcallen And Lajitas TX
Low Thu...23 Below Zero At Saranac Lake NY
=> Special Notes
Stratwarm Alert Exists Stratwarm Thursday
Comment: Major warming decaying, disturbed circulation expected to continue.
=> Current Active National Weather Service Warnings:
Active Warnings:
Updated Thu Feb 22 11:32:19 2001
Flood
Arkansas
FORECAST CREST FOR THE SALINE RIVER NEAR RYE REVISED UP TO 27 FEET...
FOR THE SALINE RIVER NEAR RYE (HWY 63 BRIDGE), THE STAGE WAS 26.0
FEET AT 7 AM. THE RIVER HAS REACHED THE 26 FOOT FLOOD STAGE AND IS
FORECASTED TO CREST NEAR 27.0 FEET FRIDAY.
Non Precipitation
Maine
NORTHEAST AROOSTOOK ME-NORTHERN PENOBSCOT ME-NORTHERN
PISCATAQUIS ME- NORTHERN SOMERSET ME-NORTHWEST AROOSTOOK
ME-SOUTHEAST AROOSTOOK ME- SOUTHERN PISCATAQUIS ME-
..WIND CHILL ADVISORY EXTENDED THROUGH THIS AFTERNOON...
New Mexico
Texas
HIGH WIND ADVISORY FRIDAY AFTERNOON AND FRIDAY NIGHT...
A MAJOR LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM WILL GENERATE STRONG
SOUTHWESTERLY WINDS FRIDAY AFTERNOON AND FRIDAY NIGHT ACROSS
SOUTHERN NEW MEXICO AND FAR WESTERN TEXAS.
WIND ADVISORY FRIDAY AFTERNOON AND FRIDAY NIGHT...
.A STRONG UPPER LOW AND AN ASSOCIATED COLD FRONT WILL MOVE
ACROSS SOUTHERN NEW MEXICO AND FAR WEST TEXAS FRIDAY
Winter Storm
California
...MORE SNOW HEADED FOR THE EASTERN SIERRA AND NORTHEAST
CALIFORNIA...
SOUTH CENTRAL SISKIYOU COUNTY- INCLUDING MT SHASTA...MCCLOUD
.SNOW ADVISORY ABOVE 3500 FEET CONTINUES TODAY
A SNOW ADVISORY HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR THE SIERRA NEVADA FROM KINGS
CANYON TO YOSEMITE FOR THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT...
LASSEN-EASTERN PLUMAS-EASTERN SIERRA COUNTIES-SNOW ADVISORY FOR
TODAY...
GREATER LAKE TAHOE AREA-SNOW ADVISORY TODAY AND TONIGHT...
MONO COUNTY-...SNOW ADVISORY THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT...
Colorado
WINTER STORM WATCH FOR THE MOUNTAINS OF SOUTHWEST COLORADO AND
EXTREME SOUTHEAST UTAH FRIDAY AND FRIDAY NIGHT...
Delaware
WINTER STORM WARNING FOR THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT...
...TOTAL ACCUMULATIONS OF AROUND SIX INCHES WITH SOME LOWER
AMOUNTS NEAR COASTAL DELAWARE...
Illinois
WINTER STORM WINDING DOWN BUT ADVISORIES CONTINUE ACROSS MUCH OF
MISSOURI AND ILLINOIS...
Indiana
Kentucky
FREEZING RAIN...SLEET AND SNOW ARE DECREASING OVER CENTRAL
KENTUCKY AND SOUTH CENTRAL INDIANA...
Massachusetts
A PERIOD OF SNOW IS EXPECTED TO DEVELOP THIS EVENING BEGINNING
AROUND 8PM ALONG THE SOUTHERN RHODE ISLAND COAST INCLUDING BLOCK
ISLAND...WESTERLY AND NEWPORT...AS WELL AS THE SOUTHERN
MASSACHUSETTS COAST INCLUDING NEW BEDFORD AND FALL RIVER.
Maryland
SNOW IS FORECAST TO OVERSPREAD THE DELMARVA PENINSULA AT MIDDAY
AND MOVE OVER SOUTHEASTERN NEW JERSEY EARLY THIS AFTERNOON. THE
HEAVIEST SNOW SHOULD FALL DURING THE SECOND HALF OF THE
AFTERNOON AND EARLY PART OF THE EVENING.
THE LEADING EDGE OF SNOW HAS REACHED A FREDERICK-ANNAPOLIS
MARYLAND LINE AT LATE MORNING. THE CORE OF THE HEAVIEST SNOW WILL
MOVE EAST OF THE SHENANDOAH VALLEY AND INTO THE METRO
WASHINGTON AREA AND SOUTHERN MARYLAND BY MIDDAY...AND MOVE INTO
NORTHEAST MARYLAND EARLY IN THE AFTERNOON.
North Carolina
SNOW AND SLEET WAS EXITING FAR WESTERN PORTIONS OF
VIRGINIA... SOUTHEAST WEST VIRGINIA...AND NORTHWEST PORTIONS OF
NORTH CAROLINA LATE THIS MORNING.
New Jersey
WINTER STORM WARNING FOR THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT FOR 4 TO 6
INCHES OF SNOW... ...HIGHEST ACCUMULATIONS TOWARD THE NEW JERSEY
SHORE...
Nevada
MORE SNOW HEADED FOR THE EASTERN SIERRA AND NORTHEAST
CALIFORNIA... .A LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM OFF THE NORTHERN CALIFORNIA
COAST THIS MORNING WILL MOVE INLAND TODAY AND SOUTHEAST OVER THE
AREA TONIGHT
New York
BRONX NY- KINGS (BROOKLYN) NY-NASSAU NY-NEW YORK (MANHATTAN)
NY-QUEENS NY- RICHMOND (STATEN IS.) NY-SOUTHERN WESTCHESTER
NY- WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FROM 500 PM EST THURSDAY UNTIL 600 AM
EST FRIDAY...
NORTHEAST SUFFOLK NY-NORTHWEST SUFFOLK NY-SOUTHEAST SUFFOLK NY-
SOUTHWEST SUFFOLK NY- WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FROM 500 PM EST
THURSDAY UNTIL 600 AM EST FRIDAY...
Pennsylvania
BUCKS PA-CHESTER PA-HUNTERDON NJ-MONTGOMERY PA-..WINTER WEATHER
ADVISORY FOR THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING FOR 3 TO 5 INCHES OF SNOW...
BERKS PA-CARBON PA-LEHIGH PA-MONROE PA-NORTHAMPTON
PA-...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FOR THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING FOR 2
TO 4 INCHES OF SNOW...
Rhode Island
NEWPORT RI-WASHINGTON RI-...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FOR THIS
EVENING THROUGH FRIDAY MORNING
REMAINS IN EFFECT...
Tennessee
WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY CONTINUES FOR NORTHEAST TENNESSEE
MOUNTAINS
THROUGH 1 PM...
Utah
WINTER STORM WATCH FOR THE MOUNTAINS OF SOUTHWEST COLORADO AND
EXTREME SOUTHEAST UTAH FRIDAY AND FRIDAY NIGHT...
Virginia
WINTER STORM WARNING THROUGH THIS EVENING...
THE LEADING EDGE OF SNOW HAS REACHED A FREDERICK-ANNAPOLIS
MARYLAND LINE AT LATE MORNING. THE CORE OF THE HEAVIEST SNOW WILL
MOVE EAST OF THE SHENANDOAH VALLEY AND INTO THE METRO
WASHINGTON AREA AND SOUTHERN MARYLAND BY MIDDAY...AND MOVE INTO
NORTHEAST MARYLAND EARLY IN THE AFTERNOON.
West Virginia
WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FOR TODAY...
LIGHT SNOW WILL CONTINUE THRU THE AFTERNOON BEFORE ENDING FROM
WEST TO EAST. TOTAL SNOW ACCUMULATIONS WILL BE 2 TO 4 INCHES.
=> Severe Weather Probability Forecast
The forecast probability of an event is by the stated percentage or greater
for the event, within 25 miles of any point for the area described.
Tornado Risk - Slight
There is less than a 2% probability of a tornado.
Hail Risk - Slight
There is a 5% probability of hail 3/4 inch or larger over central through
central west California.
Wind Risk - Slight
There is less than a 5% probability of winds in excess of 50 knots.
Tomorrow's Risk - Moderate
There is a 5% probability of any severe weather tomorrow over extreme
eastern New Mexico,
Texas except the west southwestern and southern areas, far central eastern
through far southeastern
Colorado, the south southwestern 1/2 of Kansas, Oklahoma, the southwestern
1/2 of Arkansas, and
the northwestern 1/2 of Louisiana.
The 15% probability area covers Texas except the far western far eastern,
and far southern areas,
Oklahoma except the far western and far eastern areas, and extreme southern
Kansas.
The 25% probability area covers central through central north Texas and
southeastern Oklahoma.
Strong vertical shear and sufficient helicity indicates possibility of a few
supercells forming capable of
producing large hail...damaging wind gusts...and possibly an isolated
tornado. Severe threat is
expected to transition to mainly damaging winds during the evening as a
squall line develops along
the advancing cold front. Severe threat should persist through the overnight
hours as strong upper
divergence lifts northeastward across the southern plains and remains
coupled with convergence
along the front.
=> Precipitation Forecast, Excessive Rainfall, Heavy Snow And/Or
Significant
Icing Forecast
Precipitation Forecast
The 24 hour precipitation forecast is calling for over 1 inch of
precipitation over northeast North
Carolina.
The 24 - 48 hour precipitation forecast is calling for over 1 inch of
precipitation over central north
Texas, the eastern 1/3 of Oklahoma except the far southeastern area, extreme
northwest Arkansas,
southeastern Kansas, and extreme west southwest Missouri.
Excessive Rainfall Forecast
Rainfall is not expected to exceed flash flood values.
USA heavy snow and/or significant icing
>From noon to midnight today EST the probability of 4 inches or greater of
snow is low over
northeast Virginia, central and northeastern Maryland, southeastern
Pennsylvania, Delaware, New
Jersey except the northern area, far southern New York and extreme
southeastern Connecticut.
The moderate probability area is over northeastern Maryland, extreme
southeastern Pennsylvania,
central and southern New Jersey, and the northwestern 2/3 of Delaware.
The probability of 1/4 inch or greater of ice accumulation is less than 20%
>From midnight to noon tomorrow EST the probability of 4 inches or greater of
snow is low over far
southern Rhode Island, extreme eastern Long Island, and far southeastern
Massachusetts.
The probability of 1/4 inch or greater of ice accumulation is less than 20%
Current USA Snow and Ice Cover
http://www.rap.ucar.edu/weather/surface/us_NESDISsnow.gif
=> USA Flood Report
NATIONAL HYDROLOGIC SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HEADQUARTERS
09:00 AM EST THUR FEB 22 2001
FLOOD SUMMARY
FLOODING CONTINUES ACROSS CENTRAL US
RIVERS ACROSS THE CENTRAL US CONTINUE FALLING, WITH MINOR TO SOME
MODERATE FLOODING REPORTED. A FEW RIVERS INCLUDING THE LOWER
OHIO RIVER CONTINUE TO RISE IN RESPONSE TO LAST WEEK'S HEAVY
RAIN, WITH ADDITIONAL RISES POSSIBLE FROM THE PRESENT STORM
FLASH FLOODING:
FLOOD/FLASH FLOOD AND/OR URBAN AND SMALL STREAM FLOOD ADVISORIES
WERE ISSUED DURING THE PAST 24 HOURS FOR LOCATIONS INCLUDING:
PUERTO RICO: MUNICIPALITIES OF ADJUNTAS, AGUAS BUENAS,
ARECIBO, BARCELONETA, BARRANQUITAS, BAYAMON, CAGUAS, CAMUY,
CANOVANAS, CAROLINA, CATANO, CEIBA, CIALES, CIDRA, COMERIO,
COROZAL, DORADO, FAJARDO, FLORIDA, GUAYNABO, GURABO,
HATILLO, HUMACAO, JAYUYA, JUNCOS, LARES, LAS MARIAS, LAS
PIEDRAS, LOIZA, LUQUILLO, MANATI, MOROVIS, NAGUABO,
NARANJITO, OROCOVIS, RIO GRANDE, SAN JUAN, SAN LORENZO, SAN
SEBASTIAN, TOA ALTA, TOA BAJA, TRUJILLO ALTO, UTUADO, VEGA
ALTA AND VEGA BAJA
OREGON: URBAN AND SMALL STREAM ADVISORY FOR LOWER COLUMBIA
BASIN
WASHINGTON: URBAN AND SMALL STREAM ADVISORY FOR LOWER
COLUMBIA BASIN AND BLUE MOUNTAIN FOOTHILLS
RIVER FLOODING:
RIVERS AND STREAMS WITH LOCATIONS EITHER ABOVE FLOOD STAGE OR
EXPECTED TO RISE ABOVE FLOOD STAGE INCLUDE:
THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER: A MINOR FLOOD CREST IS PROCEEDING DOWN THE
MISSISSIPPI RIVER, WITH A CREST JUST AT FLOOD STAGE EXPECTED AT
RED RIVER LANDING BY MARCH 5TH.
THE LOWER OHIO RIVER CONTINUES TO RISE SLOWLY THROUGH MIDWEEK,
WITH FLOODING FROM SHAWNEETOWN TO CAIRO, IL
ALABAMA: THE TOMBIGBEE RIVER
ARKANSAS: THE SALINE, OUACHITA, WHITE AND CACHE RIVERS
ILLINOIS: THE ILLINOIS AND KASKASKIA RIVERS
LOUISIANA: THE RED, ATCHAFALAYA, OUACHITA AND BOEUF RIVERS;
CADDO LAKE, LAKES BISTINEAU AND D'ARBONNE; BAYOUS BODCAU AND
DORCHEAT, RED CHUTE BAYOU
MISSISSIPPI: THE TALLAHATCHIE, BIG SUNFLOWER, UPPER AND
LOWER BIG BLACK RIVERS
TENNESSEE: THE HATCHIE AND SOUTH FORK FORKED DEER RIVERS
TEXAS: THE SULPHUR, SABINE, ANGELINA, NECHES AND TRINITY
RIVERS; BLACK CYPRESS AND ATTOYAC BAYOUS; LITTLE CYPRESS,
WHITE OAK AND LAKE FORK CREEKS
WISCONSIN: THE FOX RIVER
=> USA Fire Report and Forecast
INCIDENT MANAGEMENT SITUATION REPORT
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 2001 - 1000 MST
NATIONAL PREPARDNESS LEVEL 1
CURRENT SITUATION:
The Southern Area reported eight new large fires this past week, with
eight large fires reaching containment. Eastern and Southwest Areas also
reported one large fire each. Initial attack activity was reported on a
daily basis in the Southern Area with a slow decline later in the week in
response to the cold front moving across the Area. High pressure is
expected to move in behind this front later in the weekend bringing warmer
temperatures and drier air.
SOUTHERN AREA LARGE FIRES:
STATION, Florida Division of Forestry. No additional information was
reported.
BIG BEND, Florida Division of Forestry. This fire is in monitor status.
COBB MARSH, Florida Division of Forestry. This fire is in monitor status.
TORY ISLAND, Florida Division of Forestry. This fire is near Homestead, FL
and is in monitor status.
CANAL COMMAND, Florida Division of Forestry. This fire is near Highlands,
FL and engines are currently working the fire.
SOUTHWEST AREA LARGE FIRES:
MACBRIDE #1, Lake Meredith National Recreation Area. This fire is six
miles south of the Alibates Flint Quarries National Monument and is
burning primarily in brush and mesquite.
OUTLOOK:
The current storm system in the region will make its way to Georgia by
this afternoon, with showers tapering off to the west. Most of the
Carolinas and Florida will be under mostly cloudy skies, with the
possibility of precipitation late tonight, early tomorrow. Daytime high
temperatures will reach into the 60's and 70's by the afternoon, and winds
will be gusty throughout the day coming out of the southwest.
A stationary frontal system will begin to move in southward and eastward,
bringing precipitation all the way down the coast to Central California by
late this afternoon. Snow showers can be expected across Montana, Wyoming
and over the Nebraska Panhandle. A high pressure over the Great Basin will
remain for most of the day, and will begin to weaken by late afternoon.
The Southwest will see mostly clear to partly cloudy skies throughout the
day. Daytime high temperatures will be in the 40's in the Pacific
Northwest, with 20's to 30's farther inland, while the Desert Southwest
will see high temperatures in the 50's to 60's.
Cold arctic air will make its way southward through the Midwest and arrive
over much of Kansas by this afternoon. The skies across the Northern
Midwest will be partly to mostly cloudy as the cold air moves its way
south. Rain, freezing rain, sleet and snow will fall over the Eastern
Midwestern states. The Ohio Valley will see precipitation throughout the
entire day. High temperatures will reach into the teen's and 20's. Winds
will be strong out of the North. Texas will finally get a break from the
rain as the storm system in the Southern Midwest moves farther north and
eastward. High temperatures will be in the 30's and 40's before the front
passes through. Most of Texas will reach high temperatures in the 50's and
60's, with 70's farther south.
As the system in the Northern Midwest moves eastward, the storm to the
south will meet with it in the Northeast. Many areas will receive rain,
freezing rain and snow by early afternoon. By evening the precipitation
will change to snow. Temperatures will drop dramatically by noon today.
The winds will be extremely variable throughout the day, first from the
south then from the southeast, finally shifting to an east-to-southeast
pattern. Daytime high temperatures will be in the 30's to 40's just
before the cold front moves in, with a dramatic cool-down.
=> USA Earthquake Report
UNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL SURVEY
NATIONAL EARTHQUAKE INFORMATION CENTER
GOLDEN, COLORADO
LISTS OF U.S. EARTHQUAKES IN THE LAST 30 HOURS
Prepared by USGS/NEIC 2001 FEB 22 at 00:15 UTC
EARTHQUAKES IN NORTHWESTERN UNITED STATES
(40.3 TO 50.0 N, 102.0 TO 125.0 W)
Date Time (UTC) Lat Long Depth Magnitude
2001 FEB 20 18:51:21.00 40.3 N 124.9 W 7 km 3.5
50 miles SW of Eureka, California
4.06 Mag. 60 miles WNW of Punta Gorda, CA
AT 12:45 AM PST Thursday, Feb 22, 2001.
=> Yesterday's USA Severe Weather Reports
Note: All data is considered preliminary
Tornado Reports
No reports received
Hail Reports
Time Size Location County State Lat Lon Comments
1804 75 NEOSHO NEWTON MO 3686 9436 (SGF)
2112 75 NEOSHO NEWTON MO 3686 9436 DIME SIZE HAIL ALONG WITH HEAVY
AMOUNTS OF PEA HAIL OR SLEET. REPORTED BY LAW ENFORCEMENT. (SGF)
2128 175 MAYSVILLE BENTON AR 3634 9421 GOLFBALL SIZED HAIL REPORTED BY
PUBLIC. (TUL)
2135 75 GRAVETTE BENTON AR 3641 9444 STATE POLICE REPORT OF DIME SIZED
HAIL IN GRAVETTE. (TUL)
2155 75 KETCHUM CRAIG OK 3651 9501 SPOTTER REPORTED DIME SIZED HAIL
COVERING THE GROUND. (TUL)
2210 75 LANGLEY MAYES OK 3646 9504 CIVIL DEFENSE REPORTED DIME SIZED
HAIL IN LANGLEY. (TUL)
2215 175 DENNIS DELAWARE OK 3649 9486 GOLFBALL SIZED HAIL REPORTED BY
LOCAL MEDIA. (TUL)
2220 75 JENKINS BARRY MO 3676 9368 DIME SIZE HAIL IN JENKINS. REPORTED
BY COOPERATIVE OBSERVER. (SGF)
2252 100 2 N MAYSVILLE BENTON AR 3634 9421 PUBLIC REPORT OF QUARTER
SIZED HAIL IN MAYSVILLE. (TUL)
0000 75 5 NW KIMBERLING CITY STONE MO 3665 9350 DIME SIZE HAIL
COVERING THE GROUND. REPORTED BY CWIP OBSERVER. (SGF)
0325 100 ADAIR MADISON TN 3571 8896 ALONG HIGHWAY 412. REPORTED BY
LAW ENFORCEMENT (MEM)
0345 175 LA GRANGE FAYETTE TN 3504 8921 REPORTED BY LAW ENFORCEMENT
(MEM)
0355 100 BOLIVAR HARDEMAN TN 3526 8900 HAIL SEVERAL INCHES DEEP.
REPORTED BY LAW ENFORCEMENT (MEM)
0405 75 ROSE CREEK MCNAIRY TN 3519 8869 HAIL SEVERAL INCHES DEEP.
REPORTED BY FIRE DEPARTMENT. (MEM)
0410 75 MASSEYVILLE CHESTER TN 3529 8871 HAIL SEVERAL INCHES DEEP.
REPORTED BY SPOTTER. (MEM)
0440 75 CRUMP HARDIN TN 3521 8831 TREES AND POWERLINES ALSO DOWN.
REPORTED BY LAW ENFORCEMENT (MEM)
0507 88 HAMILTON MARION AL 3413 8798 DIME TO NICKLE SIZE HAIL FELL IN
AND AROUND THE CITY OF HAMILTON. (BHM)
0519 100 GUIN MARION AL 3396 8791 QUARTER SIZE HAIL WAS REPORTED IN
AND AROUND THE CITY OF GUIN. (BHM)
0611 100 JASPER WALKER AL 3383 8728 QUARTER SIZE HAIL WAS REPORTED IN
THE CITY OF JASPER. (BHM)
1140 88 MONTICELLO JASPER GA 3329 8368 NICKEL SIZE HAIL. (ATL)
Wind Reports
Time Speed Location County State Lat Lon Comments
0325 UNK STANTON HAYWOOD TN 3546 8939 TREES DOWN ALONG I-40. 60 MPH
WINDS. REPORTED BY NWS EMPLOYEE. (MEM)
0345 UNK PINSON MADISON TN 3548 8873 TREES DOWN. REPORTED BY LAW
ENFORCEMENT (MEM)
0355 UNK MIDDLETON HARDEMAN TN 3506 8890 TREES DOWN. REPORTED BY
SPOTTER. (MEM)
0420 UNK SELMER MCNAIRY TN 3518 8859 TREES AND POWERLINES DOWN IN
SELMER AND ACROSS NORTHERN HALF OF COUNTY. 1.00 INCH HAIL SEVERAL
INCHES DEEP. REPORTED BY FIRE DEPARTMENT. (MEM)
0500 UNK MARION COUNTY MARION AL 3411 8788 NUMEROUS TREES AND
POWER LINES WERE BLOWN DOWN GENERALLY ACROSS THE SOUTHERN PART
OF THE COUNTY. SOME ROADS WERE BLOCKED. (BHM)
0503 UNK DETROIT LAMAR AL 3403 8816 TREES AND POWER LINES WERE
BLOWN DOWN IN DETROIT. (BHM)
0515 UNK LAMAR COUNTY LAMAR AL 3381 8609 NUMEROUS TREES AND POWER
LINES WERE BLOWN DOWN MAINLY ACROSS THE NORTHERN PART OF THE
COUNTY. LARGE HAIL WAS ALSO REPORTED. (BHM)
0530 UNK FAYETTE COUNTY FAYETTE AL 3373 8774 SEVERAL TREES AND
POWER LINES WERE BLOWN DOWN IN THE NORTHERN PART OF THE COUNTY.
(BHM)
Fields marked UNK are unknown
All Times UTC
Wind Gusts in MPH
Hail Sizes in 1/100 of an Inch (75 = 0.75")
=> Guest Column
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**** ARTICLES ****
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=> National Drought Summary --
The Southeast: Heavy rain (2-6 inches) fell in a large swath from northeast
Texas to West Virginia,
improving many of the drought and abnormally dry areas within this swath.
The severe drought (D2)
area centered on Memphis, TN, improved to D1 (moderate drought). The
moderate drought (D1)
area in western and central Tennessee improved to D0. The abnormally dry
classification (D0) was
eliminated from parts of southeastern Missouri, eastern Arkansas, northern
Mississippi, northern
Alabama, and much of Kentucky because of the rainfall.
In sharp contrast, however, drought deepened across the other drought areas
in the Southeast.
Much above normal temperatures and below-normal precipitation occurred
across Florida, eastern
Alabama, Georgia, and South Carolina. As a result, the extreme drought (D3)
area in western North
Carolina expanded into parts of Georgia and South Carolina. Lakes Marion and
Moultrie, located
between Columbia and Charleston, SC, are at record low levels for this time
of year. In Florida,
wildfires are increasingly becoming a threat, with one fire closing a
portion of Interstate 4 between
Orlando and Tampa beginning on Saturday night, 17 February (Florida
officials will likely keep it
closed for another week). On Sunday, the New York Yankees were forced to end
their spring
training workout in Tampa after only 45 minutes because of the heavy smoke.
As of Saturday, 17
February, a total of 1,230 fires had occurred across the state since the
beginning of the year, burning
a total of 83,150 acres. In southern Florida, precipitation since early
October is running about 20%
of normal. For the South Florida Water Management District, the
district-wide precipitation total for
the October 2000 through mid-February 2001 period has been 2.34 inches,
which is a departure
from average of -9.07 inches!
The Central Appalachians: Heavy precipitation across West Virginia during
the week improved the
hydrological drought conditions occurring in the state. Moderate drought
(D1) conditions improved
to D0 (abnormally dry) across the south, while the D0 area in the northern
part of the state was
eliminated. Abnormally dry (D0) conditions still exist in western and
central Pennsylvania, although
precipitation during the week did allow removal of the D0 designation in the
southwestern corner of
the state.
The Plains: A relatively dry week occurred across the central Plains this
week with no changes to the
drought areas in Iowa, Nebraska, and Kansas. In western Texas, reservoirs
continue to be a
"lingering problem". As of 19 February, the Twin Buttes Reservoir and the
O.C. Fisher Reservoir
near San Angelo were 4.6% and 8.4%, respectively, of conservation storage
capacity. Other
reservoirs in the D2 (severe drought) and D1 (moderate drought) area range
up to 57% of
conservation storage capacity. The International Amistad and Falcon
Reservoirs along the Rio
Grande River continue to slowly improve from last summer's low levels.
Meanwhile, 59 communities
across the state currently have water restrictions to avoid shortages, with
a good number of these
communities located within the drought and abnormally dry areas in western
Texas and the Lower
Rio Grande Valley.
The West: Precipitation amounts varied during the week across the West, but
the overall situation
changed very little from the previous weeks. The precipitation along the
California coast north of San
Francisco and in south-central California did reduce some of the abnormally
dry (D0) conditions in
those two locations, and brought seasonal precipitation totals there closer
to normal. State-level
drought committees met during the week in both Washington and Oregon to
discuss the dry
conditions and the potential impacts that may occur during the year. For the
Columbia River, volume
forecasts issued on 15 February are at 61% and 59% of average at Grand
Coulee and The Dalles,
respectively. The volume observed at The Dalles during the 1977 water year
was 51% of average,
which is the record low in modern times.
Hawaii and Puerto Rico: Relatively dry weather returned again to Hawaii
during the week after the
generous rainfall totals from the week before. It remained dry across the D0
area along the
southwestern coast of Puerto Rico.
Looking Ahead: Weather features to watch in the next 10-day period that may
affect areas
experiencing dryness or drought across the country include: 1) several
weather systems are
projected to affect California during the period, with the latest 6-10 day
forecast from the Climate
Prediction Center (valid 27 February through 3 March) indicating increased
chances for
above-normal precipitation for most of the state; 2) the heaviest
precipitation from these systems
affecting California are projected to stay south of the drought and dry
areas in the Pacific Northwest
and northern Rockies; 3) a major storm forecasted to develop in the southern
Plains on Friday, 23
February, is expected to track across the Great Lakes and northern New
England 24-26 February;
4) heavy snow associated with this storm could be confined to South Dakota
and Minnesota, but
heavy rains will be widespread across the central part of the country and
could help the dry and
drought areas in Kansas, Nebraska, Iowa, and the mid-Mississippi Valley; 5)
warm temperatures
and seasonable amounts of precipitation are expected across most of the
Southeast; and 6) dry
conditions are expected to continue across most of Florida through the
period, which could intensify
the ongoing drought there.
Author: Michael Hayes
=> The U.S. Fire Administration has received notice of the following
firefighter
fatalities:
Name: Donald L. Nester
Rank: Chief Engineer
Age: 56
Status: Volunteer
Years of Service: 10
Date of Incident: 02/18/2001
Time of Incident:
Date of Death: 02/19/2001
Fire Department: Amity Fire Company
Fire Department Address: P.O. Box 383, Douglassville, PA 19518
Fire Department Phone: (610) 689-9550
Fire Department Chief: Kevin Neisweinder
Cause of Death: Chief Engineer Nester died from injuries he sustained from a
fall down a flight of
steps while working at the firehouse.
Names: Lieutenant Clint Talley (Age 27, 5 years of service) and Firefighter
Mike McKean (Age 32,
2 years of service)
Status: Volunteer
Date of Incident: 02/17/2001
Time of Incident: 0820hrs
Date of Death: 02/17/2001
Fire Department: Ashton Fire Protection District
Fire Department Address: Main St., Ashton, IL 61006
Fire Department Phone: (815) 453-7721
Fire Department Chief: Jeff Larson
Cause of Death: Lieutenant Talley and Firefighter McKean were trapped and
killed while fighting a
fire in the basement of a ranch style house.
Memorial Service: Tuesday Feb 20, 2001 at the Ashton High School 611 Western
Ave., Ashton.
Services will begin at 19:00 hours. Firefighters attending the memorial
service are asked to assemble
at the high school no later than 18:30 hours. Visiting fire departments are
asked to bring two fire
department patches, one for each family.
Funeral: Funeral Services for Lt. Talley will be Wednesday Feb 21, 2001 at
10:00 hours at the
Ashton United Methodist Church, Richardson and 4th, Ashton, IL. Funeral
Services for Firefighter
McKean will be Wednesday Feb 21, 2001 at 15:00 hours at the Ashton united
Methodist Church,
Richardson and 4th, Ashton, IL.
Memorial Fund: Memorials for Lt. Talley or Firefighter McKean may be sent
to the Ashton/Amcore
Bank P.O. Box 208, 803 Main Street Ashton, IL 61006. Cards may be sent to
the Ashton Fire
Protection District, 701 Main St. Ashton, IL 61006.
Tribute is being paid to Chief Engineer Nestor, Lieutenant Talley and
Firefighter McKean at:
http://www.usfa.fema.gov/ffmem/
Additional information on firefighter fatalities may be found on the USFA
web site at:
http://www.usfa.fema.gov/nfdc/ff_casualties.htm
To date, 16 firefighter fatalities have been reported to USFA in 2001.
=> Federal Funds Authorized To Help Fight Florida Wildfires
Washington, February 20, 2001 -- Federal funds have been made available by
the Federal
Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to help fight three uncontrolled multiple
wildfires posing a
threat to populated areas in Florida.
The state's requests for federal fire suppression aid were approved over the
past weekend after it
was reported that Lakeland, Caloosahatchee and Okeechobee fire complexes
were endangering
900 homes and had forced the evacuation of more than 1,000 people in a
12-county area.
At the time of the requests, the Lakeland Complex consisting of 24 fires had
burned more than
11,000 acres of land in the counties of Hillsborough, Pinellas and Polk,
while the Caloosahatchee
Complex containing four fires had scorched more than 450 acres in the
counties of Collier, Hendry
and Lee. The Okeechobee Complex comprising 20 fires had consumed another
5,000 acres in the
counties of Glades, Highlands, Indian River, Martin, Okeechobee and St.
Lucie.
Under the authorization, FEMA will pay 70 percent of the state's eligible
firefighting costs that are
above $1,520,356. The figure, called a floor cost, is derived through a
formula based on the state's
five-year annual average cost for fighting fires.
Federal fire suppression aid is provided through the President's Disaster
Relief Fund and made
available by FEMA to assist in fighting fires when they threaten to cause a
major disaster. Eligible
state firefighting costs covered by the aid can include expenses for field
camps; equipment use, repair
and replacement; tools, materials and supplies; and mobilization and
demobilization activities.
=> Dr. Hamid Ghasemi Named FHWA Engineer of the Year
Dr. Hamid Ghasemi has been named the Federal Highway
Administration's (FHWA) Engineer of the Year for 2000 and has received the
agency's Engineering Excellence Award.
"These awards recognize the tremendous contributions that Dr.
Ghasemi has made, not only to advances in structural engineering but to
the agency's work with its other partners and to the people of other
nations," FHWA Deputy Executive Director Vince Schimmoller said. "He is
an outstanding member of our FHWA family."
As the FHWA's engineer of the year, Dr. Ghasemi will be recognized
by the National Society of Professional Engineers along with other
distinguished engineers who work for the federal government. The
Engineering Excellence award is an annual award that the FHWA gives to the
winner of the agency's engineer-of-the-year competition.
Dr. Ghasemi, who joined the FHWA in 1992, is a research structural
engineer in the agency's Office of Infrastructure Research and
Development. He has worked on the seismic isolation of highway bridges,
developing the test plan and became the driving force behind the testing
of 11 seismic isolation devices. In addition, he wrote 12 of the
project's 14 reports, which are used by bridge engineers internationally.
As a member of the American Association of State Highway and
Transportation Officials (AASHTO) Subcommittee on Bridges and Structures'
Technical Committee T3, he assisted in the development of the new AASHTO
Guide Specifications for Seismic Isolation of Bridges. He also is
assisting in building the nation's largest seismic shake-table at the
University of California at San Diego.
At the request of the Turkish government, Dr. Ghasemi was one of
the U.S. seismic engineering experts who provided assistance during
Turkey's recovery effort after two 1999 earthquakes there. His four
reports of two reconnaissance trips to Turkey after the Duzce and Kocaeli
earthquakes led to his role as an advisor to the Turkish Road Directorate
on better seismic design of bridges. He also organized a five-day
Turkish-American workshop on the subject in November 2000.
Dr. Ghasemi has lectured to state and private industry engineers
on bridge dynamics and isolation. He conducted an analytical and
experimental study on modal analysis of skewed bridges, and has written
more than 15 technical publications.
Dr. Ghasemi received bachelor's and master's degrees from the
University of Louisville and earned a doctorate in structural engineering
at the University of Kentucky. He is a member of the American Society of
Civil Engineers, the Civil
Engineering
Research Foundation, and the Highway Innovative Technology Evaluation
Center's seismic isolation evaluation panel.
=> Town Meeting On Complementary And Alternative Medicine
NIH National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine
and Steele Memorial Children's Research Center Host Public
Meeting on Complementary and Alternative Medicine
WHAT:
The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine
(NCCAM), a component of the National Institutes of Health, in
sponsorship with the Steele Memorial Children's Research
Center (SMCRC) in Tucson, Arizona are hosting a town meeting
on complementary and alternative medicine. National and
local medical experts will speak about current developments
in complementary and alternative medicine research at the
local and national levels.
The EVENT IS FREE and will include an extensive question
and answer periods.
WHO:
Speakers include Dr. Stephen E. Straus, NCCAM director, and
Drs. Fayez Ghishan and Andrew Weil, lead researchers at the
Steele Memorial Children's Research Center in Tucson,
Arizona -- a pediatric specialty center funded by NCCAM.
Three experts will discuss current research in
complementary and alternative medicine therapies for
arthritis, women's health, and asthma.
WHEN:
Tuesday, March 6, 2:00-5:00 p.m.
WHERE:
Westward Look Resort,
245 East Ina Road, Tucson, Arizona
WHY:
>From meditation to magnets -- the number of Americans using
complementary and alternative medicine has sharply risen.
According to a recent survey, approximately $14 billion was
spent on dietary supplements in 1999. A 1998 survey in the
"Journal of the American Medical Association" revealed that
4 out of 10 Americans used complementary and alternative
therapies in 1997. The public is vastly interested in
learning more about current and on-going research at the
national and local level, to determine whether various CAM
therapies are safe and effective.
=> Classified Ads
Door-to-Door CoPilot Version 2.0 GPS TravRoute
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Features:
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CoPilot speaks instructions telling you where to turn--every step of the way
Gives you new directions if you miss a turn, encounter traffic, or choose
another route
Complete nationwide information on one CD that features more than 96 million
addresses
GPS receiver picks up satellite signals and uses them to pinpoint your
location on earth
Shipping: Currently, item can be shipped only within the U.S.
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00000J495/thedisastercenteA/
FREE 30 days of StormWarn by Email, Pager, PCS/GSM Phone, Business Fax at no
cost*
Sign up today and you'll receive no obligation, no commitment StormWarn . If
you find it helpful, you can then decide to continue service at very low
rates. Your account is held in strictest confidence and you won't keep
hearing from us if you decide not to keep the service. We believe in the
value of StormWarn, and we think you will too.
*Direct pages and faxes are limited to 50 bulletins during the trial period.
http://www.stormwarn.com/index.asp?a=10296
=> Links Area
TROPICAL CYCLONE 11P (OMA)
South Pacific
Tropical Cyclone 11P (Oma) was located in the Pacific Ocean near 24.S and
160.0W at 09:00
UTC.
Oma has been moving east-southeastward at 19 knots with maximum sustained
winds estimated at
55 knots, gusts to 65 knots.
http://www.osei.noaa.gov/Events/Tropical/S_Pacific/TRComa052_G10.jpg
STORM MOVING THROUGH THE NORTHERN PLAINS
Midwest US
This GOES-10 image show a winter storm system over the northern Plains. The
storm has
dumped a wintry mix of precipitation on parts of Missouri and Iowa.
http://www.osei.noaa.gov/Events/Storms/US_Plains/STMusPL051_G8.jpg
ASH CLOUD FROM CLEVELAND VOLCANO IN ALASKA
Alaska
Cleveland Volcano, in the Aleutian Islands erupted at about 15:00 UTC, with
secondary
eruptions through 03:00 UTC, sending a column of ash and steam to a height
of 32,000 ft.
above sea level on Monday morning, February 19, 2001. This movie loop, made
from images
taken by the GOES-West satellite about every 30 minutes, shows the ash plume
appearing and
drifting northeast over a period of 20 hours. The images were produced using
the "split window"
technique, wherein thermal infrared channel 5 (12 microns) is subtracted
from channel 4
(11 microns), a technique which often will enhance ash signatures, and
discriminate them from
meteorological clouds.
http://www.osei.noaa.gov/Events/Volcano/US_Alaska/VSHcleveland051_G10.avi
Feds buy up drug to fight terror attack
http://www.toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/artikkel?Avis=TO&Dato=20010219&Kate
gori=COLUMNIST29&Lopenr=219002&Ref=AR
=> How to Be Featured as our Guest Columnist
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