WASHINGTON (Jan. 9, 2004) — The U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s terror alert level will be lowered one step on the five-colour warning scale to Yellow, the government announced.

While airports and airlines will keep their Orange or “high” alert status, borders and bridges will be eased to Yellow, the middle level of the alert scale, which warns the public of what officials classify as the degree to possible terrorist threats. The level rose to Orange, the second highest warning, just before the Christmas and New Year holidays.

Homeland Security ranks threats by colors, starting with green at the bottom and followed by blue, yellow, orange and red as perceived dangers intensify. The warning level can be changed for the entire country or for specific regions and economic sectors.

Trucks entering the U.S. have experienced various delays depending on the border point and the time of day. Truckers and passenger car operators reported experiencing delays up to several hours in the days after Dec. 21st, when the warning was first issued.