Friday, November 20, 2009
Homeland Security Threat Level: YELLOW (ELEVATED) Significant National Weather West A strong cold front will move into the coastal areas of the Pacific Northwest today. The Oregon headlands will see wind gusts up to 80 mph while the ridge tops of the Sierras will see gusts up to 125 mph. Rain is expected from Washington to the northern San Joaquin Valley of Central California. An additional 6 to 8 inches of rain is forecast in the Olympic Peninsula while the rest of western Washington through the San Francisco Bay area may see rain totals of an inch or more. The Cascades and the northern half of the Sierra Nevada will see heavy snow and gusty winds; the strong winds will reach as far east as Idaho, Nevada and Utah. The storm will weaken on Saturday as it moves eastward through the Great Basin to the northern and central Rockies and mountain snow and gusty winds are expected. A second cold front will arrive Saturday night into Sunday, bringing more rain and snow from Washington, Oregon, and northern California to western sections of Montana and Wyoming. A third cold front will move into Washington and Oregon early next week.South Thunderstorms with some very heavy rain is expected later today or tonight for parts of southeast Texas; rainfall totals may reach 5 to 8 inches with some locally heavier amounts which may cause some flooding. Lighter rain is expected northward into eastern Oklahoma, western Arkansas and Louisiana. On Saturday the rain will move northwards into the lower Mississippi Valley and the Southeast as it tapers off in Texas and the Gulf region may see rainfall totals of 1 to 2 inches. On Sunday the rain will move into the western portions of Virginia and North Carolina as the rain tapers off in the Southeast, leaving only occasional showers in the region. Northern Florida may see a few thunderstorms on Sunday.Northeast As a storm system moves up through the Great Lakes into Canada, the Northeast will see some scattered rain today. The rain will be mostly in New York and New England, with a few showers possible into northern Pennsylvania and New Jersey; areas closer to Canada will see the most rain with rainfall totals from one half to one inch. By Sunday night into Monday the rain will move northwards with the heaviest rain expected from the mid-Atlantic coast to southern New England.Midwest The Midwest will be dry today except for a few showers around the Great Lakes. The region will remain dry through Sunday when light showers are possible from western Lake Superior to Kansas as well as a few showers moving southward toward the Ohio River. (NOAA s National Weather Service, Various Media Sources) Fire Management Assistance Grant (FMAG) No activity.(FEMA HQ) Tropical Weather Outlook Atlantic Tropical cyclone formation is not expected during the next 48 hours.Eastern Pacific Tropical cyclone formation is not expected during the next 48 hours.Central Pacific No tropical cyclones are expected through Saturday afternoon.Western Pacific No activity threatening United States Territories. (NOAA, HPC, National Hurricane Center, Central Pacific Hurricane Center and the Joint Typhoon Warning Center) Earthquake Activity No new activity (FEMA HQ) Preliminary Damage Assessments Severe Weather PDAs Nor easter created by Tropical Storm Ida November 13-14: New Jersey: IA and PA PDAs continue in Atlantic and Cape May and Ocean counties. PDAs in Monmouth, Cumberland, Middlesex and Burlington have yet to be scheduled. Virginia: IA PDAs that began November 16 in Virginia Beach, Norfolk, Newport News, Chesapeake, Poquoson, and Hampton have been completed. PA PDAs continue in Norfolk, Hampton, Virginia Beach, and Newport News. Delaware: PA PDAs continue in Kent and Sussex counties. Alabama: PA PDAs continue in Mobile and Baldwin Counties. North Carolina: PA PDAs for Dare, Hyde and Currituck Counties are scheduled to begin November 23. Storms created by Tropical Storm Ida on October 29, 2009: Louisiana IA and PA PDAs continue in Bossier, Caddo and Webster Parishes. Wildfire Update Note: Fire season is coming to an end - the National Interagency Coordination Center will issue reports only on Fridays unless there is significant activity. National Preparedness Level: 1 National Fire Activity as of Friday, November 13, 2009 Initial attack activity: Light (108 new fires) New large fires: 1 Large fires contained: 1 Uncontained large fires: 0 States affected: AZ and MO (NIFC) Disaster Declaration Activity On November 19, 2009 the Governor of Arkansas requested a Major Disaster Declaration due to severe storms, tornadoes, and flooding beginning October 29, 2009 and continuing. The Governor is requesting Public Assistance, including direct Federal assistance, for 37 Counties and Hazard Mitigation statewide. (FEMA HQ)
2009 Hurricane Season Quietest in Decades
High-level winds may have hampered most storms from spawning during the 2009 Atlantic hurricane season–but hurricane activity will likely ratchet up again in 2010, experts predict.
VIDEO: Rare Gold Rush Shipwreck Found
See the only known untouched shipwreck from the Klondike Gold Rush recently discovered in Canada’s Yukon Territory and announced today. The steamboat A. J. Goddard sank in 1901, killing three crew members.
Disaster Recovery Planning International Standard Set by Janco
Disaster Recovery Business Continuity Template Now Accepted as the International Standard Update to the Disaster Recovery Business Continuity Template has just been released by Janco Associates.. Park City, UT - The Disaster Recovery Business Continuity Planning template has been sold to enterprise in over 65 countries around the globe. With the release the latest verison of the template it is in complete compliance with Sarbanes-Oxley, HIPAA, ITIL (Ver 3), ISO 17799, and PCI DSS.M V Janulaitis the CEO of Janco said, “Our DRP /BCP Template has been accepted by enterprise around the globe as the standard for disaster recovery plan and business continuity plan creation.” In response to that need Janco has updated its “Disaster Recovery / Business Continuity Template” by increasing the content of the template as well as updating the entire document to be compliant with Sarbanes-Oxley, HIPAA, ITIL (Ver. 3), ISO 17799, and PCI DSS. The Disaster Recovery Business Continuity Plan has been purchased for use in over 65 countries around the globe including: Angola Australia Austria Bahamas Barbados Belgium Belize Bermuda Brazil Bulgaria Canada Cayman Islands Columbia Croatia Czech Republic Denmark Egypt Finland France Germany Greece Honduras Hungary Iceland India Indonesia Israel Italy Jamaica Japan Jordan Kenya Lebanon Lithuania Macao Malta Mexico Mozambique Namibia Netherlands New Zealand Nigeria Norway Panama Philippines Poland Portugal Puerto Rico Qatar Republic of Ireland Romania Russia Saudi Arabia Singapore South Africa South Korea Spain Sri Lanka Swaziland Switzerland Taiwan Thailand Trinidad & Tobago Uganda United Kingdom United States Venezuela Zambia The Disaster Recovery Business Continuity Plan has been purchased for use in government, public, and private enterprises in almost all industries including: Federal Government State Governments Local Governments Law Firms Think Tanks Chemical Telecommunication Real Estate Manufacturing Universities School Districts Consulting Firms Banks Financial Service Investment Banks Credit Unions Outsourcers Property Mgt Heavy Industry Light Industry Distribution Retail Hospitality Energy Insurance Medical ISPs Application Development Construction Graphics Entertainment Paper Products Defense Aerospace Media
FUTURE HUMANS: Four Ways We May, or May Not, Evolve
On the 150th anniversary of Charles Darwin’s On the Origin of Species, it’s widely accepted that humans descended from apes. But where are we going? Scientists share visions of cyborgs, stout mothers, and dead ends.
