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National Situation Update: Friday, September 22, 2006

Homeland Security Threat Level: YELLOW (ELEVATED).

Commercial Aviation ORANGE

Severe Weather in Midwest on Friday

Midwest
Steady rain and thunderstorms are predicted on Friday for the area from the Upper Midwest through northern Michigan and from Wisconsin southward through Illinois and Missouri. Some thunderstorms may be severe with damaging wind, large hail and isolated tornadoes.

Rain is also forecast for the northern Plains. Rain will extend eastward all the way to the Appalachians and more severe weather is possible from Ohio and the Mississippi Valley.

West
Locally heavy snow and wind is forecast across the Rockies through Friday night. Six to twelve inches of snow could fall over parts of Utah and Colorado. A soaking rain will linger over the high Plains of eastern Montana and eastern Wyoming.

Strong, Santa Ana winds with gusts exceeding 60 mph are expected in Southern California and the Southwest which may make existing fires uncontrollable and keep the fire danger extremely high.

South
Widely scattered thunderstorms across the Gulf coast region and in southern Florida. Parts of western Arkansas may see severe thunderstorms with large hail, damaging winds and possible tornadoes.

Northeast
Dry conditions and high temperatures in the 60s-70s.  By Saturday, a storm system moving slowly out of the Midwest will begin to affect the Northeast.   (NWS, Media Sources)

Severe Storms and Tornadoes in Kansas on Thursday

Early Thursday afternoon the National Weather Service began tracking a line of severe thunderstorms across central Kansas.  As the storms moved northeast across the State, tornado warnings were issued for Cloud, Ellsworth, Harvey, Jewel, Lincoln, Marion, Mitchell, Ottawa, Rice, Russell, Saline and Sedgwick Counties.  There were numerous reports of funnel clouds as well as Doppler-indicated rotation.  There were also several reports of brief "down and up" tornado (unconfirmed) touchdowns.

The Kansas Division of Emergency Management received a report of a tornado (unconfirmed) touchdown on the west side of Russell (Russell County) Kansas just before 2:00 pm CDT. The tornado caused damage to several metal buildings. The State Emergency Operations Center (EOC) was partially activated and spotters were used throughout northern Russell County.

Strong winds downed a power line near the State EOC around 4:45 pm CDT Thursday.  The State EOC switched to backup generator. The State EOC was activated to a Level 2 (minimal staffing) around 5:00 pm as a result of the severe weather.  Emergency Management staff was asked to report any damages to the State via the 24-hour number.  At 7:00 pm, the State had only received damage reports from Russell County.

The storms were expected to leave the state around 12:00 am CDT (midnight) Thursday.  The potential for severe weather across Missouri increases beginning Friday as the storm system continues to move northeast.

Potential for Federal involvement is unlikely.  The FEMA Region VII State Liaison and the State Operations staff will continue to coordinate and assess the situation.  New information will be forwarded to the appropriate sources as it becomes available.  (FEMA Region VII, Kansas Division of Emergency Management)

Australian, New Zealand, and Canadian Wildfire Specialists Assist the U.S.

Wildland fire specialists from Australia, New Zealand and Canada have been providing assistance to U.S. firefighters to fight this year's record-setting wildfires. The firefighters were requested through a mutual-aid agreement formalized in 2001. Bringing the fire specialists from Australia and New Zealand filled requests for supervisory personnel such as strike team leaders and division supervisors, as well as trained helicopter managers.  Canada provided a total of ten Type-1 crews or 200 highly experienced firefighters to work the front lines.  The firefighters from all three countries offer extensive experience gained from fighting fires in rugged parts of their own countries; they train and hold qualifications very similar to those required in the U.S. 

On August 12, forty-eight (48) fire specialists from Australia and New Zealand arrived in Boise, Idaho followed by 44 more on August 25 and a final wave of 24 on September 18.  The firefighters were assigned to incidents in the Pacific Northwest as well as in Idaho, Montana and California.  The firefighters normally work 14-hour days, fourteen days straight - have two days off - then work two more weeks. The first contingent from Australia and New Zealand returned home September 16, where they will soon see action as their own summer fire season begins.

This year's assistance from Australia and New Zealand is the fourth time since the 2000 wildfire season that the two countries have provided assistance to the U.S.

The U.S. reciprocated previous mutual aid support during the 2002-2003 bush fire season in Australia when 36 U.S. firefighters spent a month in the State of Victoria fighting fires during the devastating season that was termed "Black Christmas". The U.S. provided an infrared scanning aircraft with crew and infrared photo interpreters to the State of Victoria as well as two incident management teams and one Hotshot Crew.

Canadian fire crews provided much needed expertise this season. Twelve smokejumpers, six twenty-person crews from Canada with 44 firefighting specialists arrived August 18 and went to work in Nevada and Utah.  Four more crews and twenty specialists arrived and were assigned to fires on August 26.  The Canadians are also highly trained and experienced at firefighting in very rugged country. The Canadian assignments lasted a full two weeks but could not remain longer in the U.S. due to emerging fire activity in British Columbia.  (National Interagency Fire Center)

Tropical Activity

Atlantic/Gulf of Mexico/Caribbean Sea:
Hurricane Helene - At 5:00 am EDT, Friday, September 22, Hurricane Helene was located about 560 miles east of Bermuda. Maximum sustained winds were near 85 mph. Little change in strength is forecast during the next 24 hours. Helene is moving toward the northeast near 15 mph. Helene is not a threat to the U. S. or U.S. territories.

The National Hurricane Center is monitoring a few tropical waves but none are showing much potential for development. Tropical storm formation in the Atlantic/Gulf of Mexico/Caribbean Sea is not expected through Saturday.

Central and Eastern Pacific:
Tropical Storm formation is not expected through Saturday.

Western Pacific:
Super Typhoon 16W (Yagi), with wind speeds approximately 162 mph, is located about 80 miles east of Iwo Jima. Yagi is not a threat to the U.S. or U.S. territories. (USDOC/NOAA/NWS, National Hurricane Center, Central Pacific Hurricane Center, and the Joint Typhoon Warning Center).

Earthquake Activity

No new activity (FEMA HQ)

Preliminary Damage Assessments

No new activity (FEMA HQ)

Wildfire Update

National Preparedness Level is currently at Level 3. The Level has been reduced from Level 4 on 09/22/2006 since fire conditions have continued to improve. California is currently the most active area.

Wildfire activity was Light: (54 new fires)
New large fires:  2
Large fires contained:  3
Uncontained large fires:        25
Area Command Teams: 2
Type 1 IMTs:   9
Type 2 IMTs:   9
Fire Use Teams:  0

New Zealand and Australia continue to assist with 67 fire specialists and managers.  (National Interagency Fire Center)

Disaster Declaration Activity

No new activity (FEMA HQ)