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National Situation Update: Wednesday, November 8, 2006

Homeland Security Threat Level: YELLOW (ELEVATED).

Pacific Northwest Flooding

A major storm system has resulted in all major rivers in western Washington near, at, or above flood stage. This event has caused numerous jurisdictions to activate local emergency operations centers, establishing the need for extended operations and possible evacuations of impacted areas. It is anticipated that the event has and will cause widespread flooding, extensive closures to transportation systems, and the potential exists for dam / levee failures and landslides throughout the area.

The Governor of Washington has issued a proclamation of emergency for 18 counties (Clallam, Jefferson, Mason, Kitsap, Grays Harbor, Thurston, Okanogan, Pierce, King, Snohomish, Skagit, Whatcom, Lewis, Pacific, Cowlitz, Wahkiakum, Clark, and Chelan). National Guard, USACE, and U.S. Coast Guard are on hand assisting State where needed.

The Governor of Oregon has issued a state of emergency in Tillamook County.  Clatsop, Washington and Lincoln counties are affected but not declared. State has not activated EOC.
Flood warnings, advisories or watches are now in effect for portions of western and central Washington, western Oregon, northern Idaho, and far western Montana.

The Army Corps of Engineers is assessing levees to determine condition and necessary repairs.

Amtrak is not running trains north of Seattle due to a washout and mudslides. Trains running along the I-5 corridor between Portland and Seattle are operating under speed restrictions. Trains traveling along the Columbia Gorge are not running due to water over the tracks and a large rockslide at mp 110.
A significant number of state and county highways are also closed or damaged in Washington and Oregon due to flooding, and/or mud rockslides. Washington is reporting 1 bridge destroyed.

The American Red Cross has opened 11 shelters servicing 313 people in Washington and 1 shelter in Oregon serving approximately 13 people.

Status of command and control: 

• ERT-A on standby with MERS EOV assets.
  
• The FEMA Region X RRCC is activated to level 3, 0700 - 1900for incident monitoring and planning. FEMA Region X activated ESF-1 (transportation), ESF-3 (USACE - engineers), and ESF-5 (emergency management).

Federal support:

• FEMA Region X is developing contingency staffing for, (1) 24x7 state liaison operations at the state EOC, (2) RRCC level 2 activation, (3) ERT-A activation, (4) forward-deployable command and control resources
  
• FEMA Region X has rostered an ERT-A team, coordinated with the MERS detachment, and rostered personnel in the event of activation to Level 2.
  
• Federal assets currently being utilized are aviation (helicopter) through the Coast Guard and U.S. Navy, with additional support from the Washington and Oregon National Guard. 
  
• FEMA Region X has pre-positioned assets and manpower to support any Federal assistance requested.
  
• Requested equipment to support PDA teams (IA, PA, Mitigation).  Forecast ERT-A staffing for logistics. 
  
• Made initial contact with GSA to identify JFO space in Lacey, Tumwater, Olympia area. 
  
• Requested MEOV, EOV support from MERS. (FEMA HQ, Region X, NICC)

National Weather

West: A disturbance aloft will produce some moderate rain over parts of western Oregon on Wednesday. However, over most of the Northwest rain has tapered off to light showers.
The National Weather Service in Seattle has extended the flood warning for areas along the Green River in west central King county in western Washington until 2:15 pm EST today.

The National Weather Service in Seattle has issued a flood warning for the following rivers in western Washington:

• White river near Buckley affecting King and Pierce counties.
  
• Elwha River at McDonald bridge affecting Clallam county.

Colder air moving is into the area so snow levels should lower today resulting in several inches of snow are likely above 3,500 feet, Parts of Idaho and Montana will also pick up several inches of snow. The recent hot spell across parts of Southern California has ended with prevailing wind flow becoming northwesterly. Expect lower temperatures and higher relative humidity levels.

Midwest: With a frontal system along the border with Canada precipitation should be confined will extend from northern North Dakota to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. High temperatures will range from the 50s near the Canadian border to 80s across the central and southern Plains.

South: A slow-moving area of low pressure aloft will produce scattered showers from Virginia to Georgia. Southern Florida will have scattered thunderstorms may roam around parts of, as well. High temperatures should range from the upper 50s to lower 60s in areas with precipitation to the middle and upper 80s over Texas and southern Florida.

Northeast: A surface low pressure area and associated frontal system will produce rain along the Eastern Seaboard from the Mid Atlantic to Mane. Rainfall amounts of one to three inches are forecast and winds will gust up to 30 mph across some coastal locations. Flood watches are in effect from eastern Pennsylvania and New Jersey up to Southern New England. Lighter showers are forecast across interior sections of New York, Pennsylvania, West Virginia and Virginia. Highs will be mainly in the 50s across much of the Northeast with a few 60s across the Mid Atlantic. (National Weather Service, various Media Reports)

Tropical Weather Outlook

Atlantic/Gulf of Mexico/Caribbean Sea: Tropical cyclone formation is not expected through Wednesday.

Central and Eastern Pacific: Tropical Depression Nineteen-E located about 375 miles southwest of Acapulco Mexico has become better organized. There are no threats to the US, territories or interests at this time.

Western Pacific: No new activity to report. (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)

Disaster Declaration Activity

No new activity (FEMA HQ)