3 years 10 months ago
The Walker Creek Fire is back to the local districts, USFS Colville National Forest and Department of Natural
3 years 10 months ago
Crews have been making good progress with containment of the Five Spot Fire, Fire activity has slowed, but a frontal passage from last night has brought high winds. TAMFS is still working in unified command with with local VFDs and Comanche County
3 years 10 months ago
The low level of Lake Mead, which has hovered around 1,068 feet above sea level for the past month, requires that Las Vegas Boat Harbor move 80 feet further into the lake. Moving the harbor also means relocating gas, sewer and electric lines.
KSNV-TV NBC (Las Vegas, Nev.), Aug 25, 2021
3 years 10 months ago
The lack of rain has left produce, such as apples, smaller at farmers’ markets in the Twin Cities.
Farmers work to irrigate their crops, but it’s demanding to monitor irrigation systems around the clock.
FOX 9 (Minneapolis, Minn.), Aug 22, 2021
3 years 10 months ago
THIS FIRE IS NO LONGER BEING UPDATED The Robertson Draw Fire started at approximately 2:17 P.M. on Sunday June 13th. Local fire departments and engines from the Custer Gallatin National Forest responded. By June 15th severe fire weather and behavior resulted in significant fire growth, as it grew from 2,000 acres to over 21,000. Cooler weather occurred on subsequent days, including a 1/4" rain on Sunday June 20th, which helped to moderate fire behavior. The fire has also received an inch of rain between 8/15 and 8/21, which has helped to greatly moderate fire behavior. The fire area is in the midst of a warm/dry trend, and firefighters are remaining vigilant for changes in fire behavior and new fire starts due to the threat of thunderstorms and associated potential for strong, outflow winds. Incident Command and cooperating agencies have discussed the long-term management of the Robertson Draw Fire. The area of concern is a portion of the fire burning on the northwest side of Mt....
3 years 10 months ago
The Department of Energy approved a request from the California Independent System Operator for additional power generation, which “may be necessary for the CAISO to meet demand in the face of extremely challenging conditions including extreme heat waves, multiple fires, high winds, and various grid issues.”
CAISO’s chief operating officer noted that drought was greatly affecting the availability of hydroelectric power. For September, CAISO was expecting “a significant supply deficiency to meet planning reserve requirements during evening hours,” officials stated.
The additional gas-fired capacity is essential to CAISO maintaining reliability and meeting its load obligations.
The emergency order approved by DOE will remain in effect until Nov. 9.
Natural Gas Intelligence (Washington, D.C.), Sept 13, 2021
California is getting five 30-MW gas-fired emergency generators to temporarily provide additional electricity as heat, wildfires and drought strain the electric grid this summer. Gov. Gavin Newsom declared an energy state of emergency previously.
The Golden State has dealt with electric supply shortages of up to 3.5 GW during various peak demand times this summer. Just two years ago, hydropower made up 19% of California’s net electricity generation.
Power Engineering Magazine (Tulsa, Okla.), Aug 23, 2021
3 years 10 months ago
The Caldor Fire burned nearly 144,000 acres, or 225 square miles, in California near the Nevada border southwest of Lake Tahoe and was just 12% contained.
Associated Press News (New York), Aug 27, 2021
The Caldor Fire in El Dorado County consumed more than 73,000 acres and continued to defy containment. The blaze began on Aug. 14 and eventually destroyed the community of Grizzly Flats.
“With historic drought conditions there is heavy dead and down fuels through the fire area,” according to Cal Fire and Forest Service officials.
The Modesto Bee (Calif.), Aug 20, 2021
3 years 10 months ago
Barley production in Idaho is forecast to be down 36%, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture National Agricultural Statistics Service, compared to 2020. Idaho is the top barley producing state in the nation and produced 55 million bushels of barley for 33% of the country’s crop.
The USDA predicts barley production will be down 54% in Montana and 37% in North Dakota from last year.
MagicValley (Twin Falls, Idaho), Aug 21, 2021
3 years 10 months ago
Grass seed farmers had much lower crop yields after an unusually hot and dry spring and summer. Tall fescue, annual and perennial ryegrass and even turf grasses were severely affected by the adverse conditions. The seeds are lighter and smaller than they would normally be.
Albany Democrat-Herald (Ore.), Aug 23, 2021
3 years 10 months ago
On top of drought, Montana farmers had to contend with swarms of Mormon crickets, as did Nevada and eastern Oregon. Drought promotes Mormon cricket outbreaks, which can last from 5 to 21 years, and cause considerable economic losses to rangeland, cropland and home gardens.
The Glasgow Courier (Mont.), Aug 25, 2021
3 years 10 months ago
Lightning ignited several fires southwest of Asotin, WA on July 7. The Lick Creek Fire and the Dry Gulch Fire burned together on July 8 and are now being fought as one fire, called the Lick Creek
3 years 10 months ago
OverviewThe Route Fire started on September 11th at 3:54 P.M. The fire is located near the near I-5 freeway, one mile south of the Templin Hwy. The fire burned in brush and chaparral with a moderate rate of spread and quickly jumped Interstate 5 prompting the California Highway Patrol to shut the interstate down in both directions. Later in the evening as the threat to motorists was reduced, Caltrans and the California Highway Patrol were able to gradually open lanes to motorists and interstate commerce.The fire was declared fully contained on September 17th.Current Situation Firefighters continue to monitor for smoldering vegetation within the fire perimeter and motorists in the area have seen “dust devils.”The fire is currently being managed by fire officials on the Emigrant
3 years 10 months ago
No watches are valid as of Mon Sep 20 13:36:02 UTC 2021.
3 years 10 months ago
No Mesoscale Discussions are in effect as of Mon Sep 20 13:36:02 UTC 2021.
3 years 10 months ago
SPC 1300Z Day 1 Outlook
Day 1 Convective Outlook
NWS Storm Prediction Center Norman OK
0749 AM CDT Mon Sep 20 2021
Valid 201300Z - 211200Z
...THERE IS A SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS THE UPPER
MIDWEST...
...SUMMARY...
Isolated severe thunderstorms are expected across parts of the Upper
Mississippi Valley and Upper Great Lakes southward to the Ozark
Plateau this afternoon and evening.
...Upper Midwest/Upper Great Lakes to Ozarks...
DPVA/height falls will influence the Upper Midwest via the continued
eastward progression of a prominent late-summer trough that is
centered over the northern High Plains and Canadian Prairies early
today. Attendant to the upper trough, a strengthening of
cyclonically curved westerlies aloft will occur especially this
afternoon through tonight, focused near/behind an
east/southeastward-advancing cold front.
Scattered showers and thunderstorms are prevalent this morning near
the front and up to about 100-150 miles ahead (east) of it, and the
potential lingering influence of this activity may effectively
spatially influence downstream convective intensification this
afternoon via outflow/differential heating. Particularly given the
pre-frontal cloud debris and residual precipitation, relatively
modest destabilization (perhaps up to 1000-1250 J/kg MLCAPE) is
expected this afternoon across southeast Minnesota and much of
Wisconsin, with moderately stronger destabilization (up to 2000 J/kg
MLCAPE) expected across eastern Iowa/northern Missouri/far western
Illinois.
As the pre-frontal boundary layer warms, convective intensification
appears most likely to initially occur across central/northeast Iowa
and northwest Missouri northeastward into southeast Minnesota and
far western Wisconsin by around mid-afternoon (circa 20-21Z). While
the strongest winds aloft/vertical shear will tend to lag the
east/southeast-moving front, stronger deep-layer winds will extend
somewhat (eastward) into the warm sector across Iowa into eastern
Minnesota and Wisconsin, where some low-level southeasterly backing
of surface winds may also occur given relative proximity to the
frontal wave/surface low.
Some initial supercells are possible especially within the
aforementioned corridor, while the influence of the cold front and
front-parallel vertical shear otherwise leads to a prevalence of
linear bands/clusters including some bowing segments. Some initial
severe hail is possible, but damaging winds should become the more
common severe risk through the evening. Some tornado risk will also
exist as well via a mixed storm mode, including a QLCS-related
tornado potential. Overall storm intensity is likely to wane into
the late evening and overnight hours as boundary-layer convective
inhibition nocturnally increases.
..Guyer/Smith.. 09/20/2021
Read more
3 years 10 months ago
000
ABPZ20 KNHC 201134
TWOEP
Tropical Weather Outlook
NWS National Hurricane Center Miami FL
500 AM PDT Mon Sep 20 2021
For the eastern North Pacific...east of 140 degrees west longitude:
An area of low pressure is forecast to form several hundred miles
southwest of the southern tip of the Baja California peninsula
within the next couple of days. Thereafter, some gradual
development of this system is possible, and a tropical depression
could form by the latter part of this week while it moves
west-northwestward to northwestward at 10 to 15 mph.
* Formation chance through 48 hours...low...near 0 percent.
* Formation chance through 5 days...medium...40 percent.
$$
Forecaster Latto
NHC Webmaster
3 years 10 months ago
U.S. Geological Survey
3 years 10 months ago
Late season wildfire reaches 2,600 acres On Thursday, September 9, Harney County received abundant late afternoon and evening lightning strikes. Quick response from the Silver Creek Rangeland Fire Protection Association, Burns Interagency Fire Zone and private contractors kept the Silver Creek fire at 86 acres before being fully contained on September 11. The Big Meadow fire, burning in heavy timber continued to grow. Ground crews will continue securing control lines and mop-up from the perimeter as containment improves. Northwest Interagency Incident Management Team 7 assumed command of the Big Meadow fire on September 13. Their Incident Command Post and the firefighter base camp are set up in Hines, Oregon. A closure of both Bureau of Land Management and U.S. Forest Service-administered public lands in the Big Meadow fire area is in place. Roads and trails within the closure are off limits to all access – hiking, biking, horseback, ATV, vehicle, etc. – until further notice....
3 years 10 months ago
The Summit Trail Fire is burning on the Colville Reservation, located 17 miles west of Inchelium, Washington. The fire began on July 12, 2021 as the result of a lightning storm that moved through the area. The lightning-caused fire is burning in steep, rugged terrain with limited access. Future updates will be posted to to the Mt. Tolman Fire Center FaceBook
3 years 10 months ago
The last daily fire update was released on September 19, 2021. For more information, please contact the Sawtooth NRA, Stanley Office at 208-774-3000. Any additional updates for the fire will be posted on the Sawtooth National Forest Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/sawtoothnationalforest/The Jakes Gulch Fire was reported on Sunday, September 5, 2021. The fire is located 2 miles west of Vienna on the Sawtooth National Recreation Area. The fire is burning in lodgepole pine and subalpine fir. It is burning in very steep terrain. Fire personnel initially arrived at the fire which included hotshot crews and smokejumpers. Multiple aerial resources with bucket and water dropping capability were used to assist those working on the ground. Fire personnel continued to look at contingency options including improving roads, trails and natural barriers. A structure group accessed structures as a precautionary measure. A forest closure is in effect around Lake Alturas. There was an...