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Floods, Winds, Fires — Today's Emergency Outlook
Episode 265 • 25th September 2026 • EM Morning Brief • Brian Colburn
00:00:00 00:10:51

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Hurricane Nolo is the day's dominant event, and I report that it is presently situated roughly 240 miles south of South Point with maximum sustained winds near 80 mph while advancing north-northeast at approximately 5 mph. Forecasters anticipate that Nolo will intensify into a major hurricane by Saturday and, although its core is expected to pass well south of the main Hawaiian islands, I underscore that significant hazardous impacts will extend far beyond the center. Tropical-storm-force winds may arrive on the Big Island as early as midday with hurricane-force gusts possible tonight, and the Weather Service warns of locally catastrophic flash flooding and mudslides, with an additional 10 to 15 inches of rain possible and localized amounts approaching 20 inches. Consequently, Hawaii County is under a hurricane watch and tropical storm warning, Maui County is under a tropical storm watch, schools and state and county offices are closed, and parks and campgrounds have been shuttered ahead of the storm. Concurrently, a strong nor'easter is forecast to produce coastal inundation and damaging northeast winds from the North Carolina Outer Banks through eastern Massachusetts, with two to three feet of inundation in vulnerable shorelines and gusts to 60 mph expected to bring down trees and power lines. I also note that CISA added two entries to the Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog affecting WSO2 and Adobe, with federal remediation deadlines on Sunday, September 27, and that the National Interagency Fire Center holds the national preparedness level at 2 amid numerous large, uncontained fires.

Takeaways:

  • I report that Hurricane Nolo is located roughly 240 miles south of South Pointe with sustained winds near eighty miles per hour and slow north-northeast motion.
  • We expect Nolo to strengthen into a major hurricane and to pass well south of the main Hawaiian islands while producing far-reaching impacts.
  • I warn that tropical storm force winds may arrive on the Big Island by midday with hurricane force gusts possible tonight and a significant damage risk.
  • We note that forecasters warn of locally catastrophic flash flooding and mudslides on windward and southeast Big Island with an additional ten to twenty inches of rain possible in some locations.
  • I summarize that coastal flood and high wind warnings extend from the North Carolina Outer Banks through eastern Massachusetts with two to three feet of inundation expected in several shore communities.
  • We report that northeast gusts to sixty miles per hour are likely to down trees and power lines and cause widespread power outages from the mid Atlantic through southern New England.
  • I announce that CISA added known exploited vulnerabilities affecting multiple WSO2 products and Adobe, and that remediation deadlines for federal civilian agencies fall on September twenty-seventh.
  • We describe numerous large uncontained wildfires across the nation with growth and containment details, road and trail closures, and threats to residences and energy infrastructure.

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Descript, Edit video by editing text - https://link.bcolburn.com/DB-Descript

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Sources

Hurricane Nolo and Hawaii

New Mexico and West Texas flooding

Nor'easter, New England

Nor'easter, mid-Atlantic and New York

Wildfire

Cyber

Texas air quality

Territories

Transcripts

Cedric:

Good morning, I'm Cedric and this is your EM Morning Brief

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for Friday, September 25, 2026.

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Hurricane Nolo is the

day's dominant event.

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The Central Pacific

Hurricane Center's 11 p.m.

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Hawaii time advisory places Nolo

about 240 miles south of South Point

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with maximum sustained winds of 80

mph, moving north-northeast at 5 mph.

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A Hurricane Watch and a Tropical Storm

Warning cover Hawaii County, and a

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Tropical Storm Watch covers Maui County.

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Forecasters expect Nolo to strengthen into

a major hurricane Saturday and to pass

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well south of the main islands, though

impacts reach far outside the center.

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Tropical storm force winds arrive on the

Big Island as early as midday today, with

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hurricane force winds possible tonight.

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The Weather Service in Honolulu warns

of locally catastrophic flash flooding

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and mudslides across windward and

southeast Big Island, with an additional

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10 to 15 inches of rain possible

and local amounts near 20 inches.

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A strong nor'easter is the second event.

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Coastal Flood Warnings extend from

the North Carolina Outer Banks

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through eastern Massachusetts.

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Two to three feet of inundation above

ground level is forecast for the

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Currituck Banks and for the western

Long Island Sound shoreline, including

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the Bronx, northern Queens, southern

Westchester and southern Fairfield County.

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High Wind Warnings cover eastern

Massachusetts, Rhode Island, coastal

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New Jersey and Delaware, where

northeast gusts to 60 mph are expected

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to bring down trees and power lines.

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Forecasters say power outages are

expected, and breaking waves will run

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8 to 15 feet from the mid-Atlantic

through southern New England.

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On the federal side, CISA added

two entries to the Known Exploited

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Vulnerabilities catalog Thursday evening.

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One is a path traversal flaw in

multiple WSO2 products, the other

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an incorrect authorization flaw

in Adobe Commerce and Magento.

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Both carry a remediation deadline

of Sunday, September 27, for

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federal civilian agencies.

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The National Interagency Fire

Center's situation report holds the

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national preparedness level at 2,

with 29 uncontained large fires and

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7,344 personnel assigned nationally.

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Let's run through the states.

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California.

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The Dome Fire in Yosemite National

Park stands at 3,989 acres and 15

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percent containment after growing

306 acres, with moderate behavior

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including flanking and uphill runs.

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Area, road and trail closures

remain in effect near Wawona.

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On the Los Padres National Forest, the

Timber Fire has reached 25,443 acres

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at 59 percent containment, and fire

managers report numerous structures

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and communication infrastructure

threatened southeast of Big Sur.

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A complex incident management team

is assigned to the neighboring

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Plaskett Fire and to Timber.

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Colorado.

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The Swiss Roll Fire on the San

Juan National Forest sits at 777

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acres and 36 percent containment

east of Pagosa Springs, with energy

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infrastructure threatened and

road and trail closures in effect.

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Connecticut.

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A Coastal Flood Warning for southern

Fairfield County takes effect at 6 p.m.

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tonight and runs through 6 p.m.

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Sunday, with two to three feet

of inundation above ground level

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expected along the shoreline.

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Delaware.

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A Coastal Flood Warning for the

Delaware beaches carries one to

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two feet of inundation above ground

level, paired with a High Wind

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Warning and breaking waves to 12 feet.

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Hawaii.

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Hawaii County is under both a

Hurricane Watch and a Tropical

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Storm Warning, and Maui County

is under a Tropical Storm Watch.

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Public schools and state and county

offices on Hawaii Island and in

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Maui County are closed today, and

the University of Hawaii has closed

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affected campuses (official update

published about 38 hours ago).

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State parks, forest lands and camping are

closed on Hawaii Island, Maui and Molokai.

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Hawaii Volcanoes National Park began

temporary parkwide closures at 5 p.m.

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Thursday ahead of Nolo's arrival.

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A High Surf Advisory covers south and

east facing shores, and forecasters

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note tornadoes and large waterspouts

are possible near the Big Island.

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Separately, Kilauea remains at Volcano

Alert Level Watch and aviation color

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code Orange, with precursory overflows

from the north vent resuming Tuesday

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night and 22 overflows counted since.

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Idaho.

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The Upper Smith Fire on the

Idaho Panhandle National Forest

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is at 4,848 acres and 41 percent

containment west of Porthill, with

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road and trail closures in effect.

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Massachusetts.

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A High Wind Warning runs from 8 a.m.

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this morning to 2 a.m.

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Sunday across eastern, northeastern and

southeastern Massachusetts, with northeast

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winds of 25 to 35 mph and gusts to 60 mph.

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The Weather Service states plainly

that damaging winds will bring down

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branches and power lines and that power

outages are expected, with difficult

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travel for high profile vehicles.

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A Coastal Flood Warning

takes effect at 5 p.m.

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this afternoon and runs through 8 p.m.

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Sunday for eastern Essex, Suffolk,

eastern Norfolk, eastern Plymouth,

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Barnstable, Dukes and Nantucket counties,

with up to one foot of inundation above

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ground level and tide levels of 4.2

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to 12.8

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feet above Mean Lower Low Water.

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Breaking waves of 6 to 13 feet

and an extended period of beach

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erosion are also expected.

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We have more to cover this morning, but

first, a quick word from our sponsors.

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Thanks for supporting our sponsors who

help make EM Morning Brief possible.

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Now, back to this morning’s updates.

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Mississippi.

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The Merit Creek Fire on the National

Forests in Mississippi is at 800 acres and

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75 percent containment south of McLain,

with active behavior including flanking

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and backing and structures threatened.

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Montana.

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A High Wind Warning covers the northern

and southern High Plains through 6 a.m.

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Saturday.

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The Nature Grove Fire on the Bitterroot

National Forest is a new large incident

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at 1,422 acres and zero percent

containment, and the Davis Coulee Fire

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on Crow Agency lands stands at 15,470

acres and 50 percent containment.

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Nevada.

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A Red Flag Warning runs through 10 p.m.

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tonight for the Sierra Front, the

West Humboldt Basin and the Lahontan

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Basin, with gusts of 25 to 35 mph and

relative humidity of 12 to 18 percent.

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New Jersey.

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Coastal Flood Warnings along the

coastal ocean carry one to two feet of

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inundation above ground level, with a

High Wind Warning, breaking waves to

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12 feet and dangerous rip currents.

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New Mexico.

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Heavy rain upstream of Hondo produced

catastrophic flash flooding overnight

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and sent a dangerous flood wave

down the Rio Hondo, according to

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the Weather Service in Albuquerque.

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The Rio Hondo above Roswell reached 26.4

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feet against a bankfull stage of

25 feet and is forecast to fall

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below flood stage this morning,

with downstream impacts limited by

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controls at Two Rivers Reservoir.

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Flood Warnings cover southeastern

Lincoln, southern Curry, Roosevelt

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and Chaves counties until 9:30 a.m.,

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with low water crossings inundated

and streams still rising on runoff.

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A Flash Flood Warning covers central

Otero County, where torrential rain hit

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the headwaters of the Sacramento River

above Timberon and arroyos flowing toward

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Bug Scuffle, on soils already saturated

from several inches of rain this week.

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In the southeast, a Flash Flood Warning

for northeastern Eddy and Lea counties

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includes Hobbs, Lovington and Tatum.

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New York.

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Coastal Flood Warnings cover New

York City, Long Island and southern

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Westchester, with two to three feet

of inundation above ground level

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on the western Long Island Sound

shoreline and breaking waves of 9

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to 15 feet on the ocean beaches.

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North Carolina.

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A Coastal Flood Warning for eastern

Currituck and the northern Outer

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Banks carries two to three feet

of inundation above ground level,

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with breaking waves of 8 to 12 feet

and a high risk of rip currents.

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Rhode Island.

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A High Wind Warning runs from 8 a.m.

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to 2 a.m.

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Sunday for Kent County and southeast

Providence, with north winds of

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20 to 30 mph, gusts of 45 to 60

mph, and power outages expected.

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Texas.

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Flood Warnings cover northeastern El Paso

and northwestern Hudspeth counties after

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2 to 3 inches of rain, with low water

crossings inundated and flooding ongoing.

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Air Quality Alerts issued Thursday

afternoon run through this evening

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for the Houston and Galveston area and

for 13 north Texas counties including

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Dallas, Tarrant, Collin and Denton.

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Virginia.

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Coastal Flood Warnings cover Accomack

and Northampton counties and the

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Chesapeake Bay shoreline, with one to

two feet of inundation above ground

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level and breaking waves of 8 to 12 feet.

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Washington.

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The Three Queens Fire on the

Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest

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is at 9,551 acres and 31 percent

containment east of Snoqualmie

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Pass, with numerous residences and

critical infrastructure threatened.

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The Sisi Fire northwest of Stehekin

grew 165 acres to 4,158 acres at 15

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percent containment, with active behavior

including isolated torching and residences

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and energy infrastructure threatened.

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The King Fire northeast of Snoqualmie

Pass grew 74 acres to 3,409

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acres at 19 percent containment.

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Area, road and trail closures

are in effect on all three.

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Wyoming.

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The Moonshine Fire on Bureau of Land

Management ground southwest of Wheatland

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is at 7,325 acres and 65 percent

containment, with residences threatened.

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District of Columbia.

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A Coastal Flood Advisory runs until 9 a.m.

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for the District shoreline, with up to

one half foot of tidal inundation in low

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lying areas around the time of high tide.

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Puerto Rico and the U.S.

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Virgin Islands.

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A Heat Advisory runs from 10 a.m.

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to 3 p.m.

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today for all of Puerto Rico, including

Vieques and Culebra, and for the U.S.

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Virgin Islands.

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That wraps today's EM Morning Brief.

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New episodes drop Monday through

Friday in the 5:00 AM hour P.T.,

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so the day starts with

clarity instead of catch-up.

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Follow on your favorite podcast player.

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EM Morning Brief is an EOC Voices Podcast.

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Stay Safe.

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