National Weather News

NOAA is accepting applications through January 30, 2009 for a scholarship program in honor of retired South Carolina Sen. Ernest F. Hollings, who promoted oceanic and atmospheric research throughout his career. This is the fifth year this scholarship is being made available to students interested in pursuing degrees in ocean and atmospheric sciences and education.

To check on the latest road conditions, as well as construction delays, the U.S. Department of Transportation offers traffic information at their site www.fhwa.dot.gov/trafficinfo/

Weather in one part of the country can have a significant impact on airport delays in other parts of the country. For the latest information on airport delays, check the Federal Aviation Administration site at www.fly.faa.gov

The 2008 Atlantic Hurricane Season produced a record number of consecutive storms to strike the United States and ranks as one of the more active seasons in the 64 years since comprehensive records began.

In announcing the 2008-2009 U.S. Winter Outlook for meteorological winter from December through February, forecasters at the NOAA Climate Prediction Center are calling for warmer-than-normal temperatures for much of the central part of the nation, and a continuation of drier-than-normal conditions across the Southeast.

NOAA is accepting applications for a scholarship program in honor of retired South Carolina Sen. Ernest F. Hollings, who promoted oceanic and atmospheric research throughout his career. This is the fifth year this scholarship is being made available to students interested in pursuing degrees in ocean and atmospheric sciences and education.

At 1000 PM EST the center of weakening Tropical Depression Paloma was located about 40 miles north Of Camaguey Cuba and about 180 miles southwest of the central Bahamas. Maximum sustained winds are near 30 MPH with higher gusts. Continued weakening is forecast during the next 24 hours. The last public advisory has been issued by the National Hurricane Center on this system.

Central interior Alaskan residents, visitors, barge captains and railroad operators now have access to weather information anytime, thanks to a new NOAA Weather Radio All-Hazards transmitter recently installed on Toghotthele Hill in Nenana, the 1,000th of these transmitters installed by NOAA.

At 1100 AM AST the center of the remnant low, former Tropical Storm Omar, was located about 820 miles east of Bermuda and about 1365 miles west of the Azores. Maximum sustained winds are near 40 MPH with higher gusts. Omar no longer has enough thunderstorm activity to be considered a tropical cyclone. The remnant low is expected to weaken and dissipate over the next day or so. This is the last public advisory issued by the National Hurricane Center on this system.

The latest U.S. Drought Monitor shows improvement in drought conditions over the Plains and the Midwest, in part due to landfalling tropical systems, and also shows lingering drought for the interior Southeast, south-central Texas, and California.

At 1100 AM AST the center of Laura was located about 315 miles east of Cape Race Newfoundland. Maximum sustained winds are near 45 MPH with higher gusts. Even though Laura is no longer a tropical cyclone, it is expected to maintain its strength as an extratropical low for at least the next couple of days. This is the last public advisory issued by the National Hurricane Center on this system.