swas blog

• …The Tsunami Advisory remains in effect for coastal areas of California and for Alaska from Sitka to Attu….
  Tsunami amplitudes along southeast Alaska and British Columbia coasts have are below danger levels. Amplitudes observed along the California coast are still above danger levels at a few locations. Tsunami amplitudes are arriving and increasing along the southern Alaska and Alaska Peninsula coasts.

Well over thirteen hours before this post was put up, swasalert.com’ s own Tsunami alert system was triggered, and many hours before most Tsunami alerts were issued by any other source. This feed is pulled from USGS earthquake alerts and filtered so that it only displays for the end user when the magnitude of an earthquake reaches the level that may cause a Tsunami.

When our alert is posted it displays a prefix of “Potential tsunami?” followed by the date, time, and a link. If you click on the link it will take you to a USGS page that displays a map of where the earthquake occurred. If the earthquake was located near you, it is advisable that you begin to monitor for watches and warnings being offered by your local governments. If the earthquake was centered on the other side of the world from your location, you can then rest easy.

To our knowledge this is the fastest alert available for Tsunamis anywhere in the world. These alerts are issued normally within seconds of a USGS posting, and we encourage you to spread the word of it’s availability to anyone who might live in an area that is vulnerable to Tsunamis or volcanic activity. Today’s quake provided ample warning because of the distances involved but that will not always be the case.

• …NOAA Tsunami Warning Centers are issuing updates on the Pacific tsunami…
  NOAA’s Tsunami Warning Centers are issuing Warnings and Supplemental Statements on the tsunami generated by the 8.8 earthquake.

• …Stage Set for Possible Major Spring Floods on Red River, Devils Lake…
  For the second year in a row, weather conditions are setting the stage for another round of major spring flooding along the Red River in North Dakota and Minnesota.