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National Situation Update: Thursday, January 4, 2007

Homeland Security Threat Level: YELLOW (ELEVATED).

National Weather Summary

South
Very heavy rainfall is expected to extend from southeast Texas and southwest Louisiana northward into  Arkansas. Excessive downpours, perhaps totaling 3 or 4 inches, may deluge extreme southeast Texas and adjacent parts of Louisiana. Flooding is anticipated. Later tonight, cloudbursts are forecast to move eastward through the remainder of Louisiana. Elsewhere, scattered showers may threaten other areas of the Deep South.

West
Rain and heavy mountain snow will dominate much of the West, including the Pacific Northwest, Montana, most of California and the Great Basin. There will be a couple of exceptions within those areas: eastern Washington and central Montana may not see any precipitation at all. Precipitation will not be particularly heavy, but heavy snowfall could pile up to a foot or two, especially in the central Sierras and northern Wasatch.

Fresh snow is expected to blanket northern and eastern Nevada. Winds will grow rather gusty in much of California and parts of the Great Basin. Critical fire weather conditions are forecast over southern California January 3-5, 2007 for low relative humidity.

Midwest
Scattered showers are expected to dot the lower Midwest, mainly in southeast Missouri and southern Illinois, while the Upper Midwest will experience a few rain or snow showers. Nothing particularly heavy seems likely anywhere, however. Gusty southwest winds will prevail from the central Mississippi Valley to the Great Lakes.

Northeast
Except for a chance of a sprinkle in northwest Pennsylvania and southeast Virginia the Northeast should remain dry and relatively temperate. (NWS, FEMA Region IX, Media Sources)

Hard-Hitting Winter Starts the New Year - Recap and Update

Powerful storm swept southern California a week ago, hitting communities from Santa Barbara and Ventura Counties southeast to Los Angeles, Orange and Riverside Counties, and on through the San Francisco Bay Area, leaving heavy rains and powerful winds that caused traffic and power problems. At one time, over 120,000 utility customers were without power.

Major Storm Hits Colorado, High Plains and Central U.S. Heavy snow fell over parts of the Central and Southern Rockies, the Plains States and the Upper Mississippi Valley Thursday through Monday. As of Monday afternoon snowfall up to the following were reported: 48 inches in Colorado; 32 inches in New Mexico; 26 inches in Kansas; 18 inches in Texas; 16 inches in North Dakota; 13 inches in Minnesota, 9 inches in Wisconsin and 6.5 inches in Iowa. Snowfall and up to 20-foot snow drifts continue to hamper response efforts.

• Colorado Army National Guard tossed about 500 bundles of hay out the back of an attack helicopter in an effort to save thousands of head of cattle, and the regional economy. Rescue and aid operations for people and livestock are continuing, with a shift toward the use of ground assets.
  
• Wyoming National Guard provided a C-130 aircraft to drop additional hay.
  
• An Oklahoma National Guard Chinook helicopter and crew assisted with hay drops in Colorado, as well as finalizing assistance to Oklahoma Panhandle farmers with livestock needs. Teams of Oklahoma National Guard, Department of Transportation, Oklahoma Highway Patrol and Guard personnel continue to assist stranded families with deliveries of food, medications, transportation to hospitals, and delivery of welfare checks.
  
• Nebraska Army National Guard is providing helicopter flights for recon of the power distribution system infrastructure, as well as providing assets for sheltering, water, sewage, fire protection, including 12 generators, to communities in need. The Department of Agriculture has activated the Hay Hotline for those needing livestock support.
  
• Utilities in sections of Nebraska, Kansas, Oklahoma and Colorado worked round the clock to restore electricity to tens of thousands of homes and businesses. About 2,500 Tri-County Electric Oklahoma customers remain without power. In Nebraska 22 communities are without power, Adams County estimated 5,600 households without power, and other communities continue to experience rolling blackouts and interrupted power.
  
• At least 10 traffic deaths were blamed on the latest storm in Colorado, Texas and Minnesota.  A tornado spun off by the same weather system killed one person in Texas and a Kansas sheriff's deputy died in his home after falling down the stairs while tending to a generator.
  
• In New Mexico Red Cross opened nine shelters that served over 574 clients, and supported an additional eight partner shelters that served 542 clients. All shelters are now closed.
  
• The Governor of Kansas declared a state of disaster or emergency for 44 counties. Generators of various sizes are a priority for Kansas.
  
• The Governor of Oklahoma is amending his State of Emergency declaration, first issued on December 21 for Texas County, to include all of Cimarron County. A shelter continues to operate in Boise City.
  
• The Governor of Nebraska issued a state disaster declaration December 29th for storm impacted areas starting December 20 and continuing. The Nebraska emergency Management Agency SEOC activated December 31. Today the FEMA Region VII RRCC will house ESF representatives from the Department of Energy and the American Red Cross, as well as DHS-Protective Service-Infrastructure, AmeriCorps and Department of Defense.  A local representative from the U.S. Corps of Engineers will also be available.
  
• A request for Federal assistance was submitted by the Governor of Colorado today, primarily for cattle feeding operations. FEMA Region VIII State Support Team deployed to the Colorado DEM/EOC and is actively working with the state. Front end loaders are a priority request.

Multiple Tornadoes in Texas. Last Friday at least 22 tornadoes were reported in central and southeast Texas, resulting in wind and/or large hail damage in Limestone, Johnson, McLennan, Brazos and Bosque Counties.

• One death and 12 injuries were reported in Limestone County.
  
• 60 homes and two businesses were damaged in Limestone County and 40 homes and one business were damaged in Johnson County.
  
• The Governor of Texas designated Limestone and Johnson Counties as disaster areas Wednesday, December 27.

Much of the eastern U.S. saw flooding through the holiday week, including the Gulf area, the Midwest and the East Coast.

• Heavy rain scattered across the Nation during the extended New Year's weekend caused urban and small stream flooding with mostly minor flooding.
  
• Major flooding occurred along the Dan River in Virginia and North Carolina during the weekend from over 5 inches of rain with serious flooding reported in Danville.  Over 4 inches of rain in the Winston-Salem, NC area flooded roads and forced the evacuation of an apartment building.
  
• Numerous rivers across Indiana, Illinois, Ohio and Tennessee are flooding due to runoff from recent heavy rains.
  
• Heavy rain across the Gulf Coast region during the weekend produced flooding on rivers in Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas. 
  
• Heavy rain Tuesday has driven several rivers in western Washington above flood stage.
  
• Outlook: Locally heavy rainfall expected across the western Gulf Coast, with flash flooding in southeastern Texas. (NOAA, MetWatch Office, Hydrometeorological Information Center, FEMA Regions  VII, VIII, and IX, NWS, CO DEM/EOC, OK-DEM)

Tropical Weather Outlook

No new activity (FEMA HQ)

Earthquake Activity

A light earthquake (magnitude 4.4, depth 3.1 miles), was detected 86 miles south of Pueblo, Colorada at 9:34 am on January 3, 2006. No damages were reported. ( USGS, Earthquake Hazards Program, Alaska Earthquake Information Center, Pacific Tsunami Warning Center, and West Coast/Alaska Tsunami Warning Centers, media sources)

Preliminary Damage Assessments

Washington State: Public Assistance PDAs in 17 Counties began on January 2, 2007, with additional counties to be added at a later date, if warranted.  (FEMA HQ)

Disaster Declaration Activity

The Governor of Florida has requested a major disaster declaration as a result of severe storms, tornadoes, and flooding on December 25, 2006. 
The Governor requested Public Assistance (PA) for Volusia County, and Individual Assistance (IA) for Volusia, Lake, Columbia, Pasco, and Sumter counties; and Hazard Mitigation Grant Program statewide.  (FEMA HQ)