• Emergency Managers and Personnel
• Situation Reports
• National Incident Management System
• Grants & Assistance Programs
• Training
• Contacts
• Planning
• Best Practices

National Situation Update: Saturday, January 13, 2007

Homeland Security Threat Level: YELLOW (ELEVATED).

National Weather Summary

Midwest
Arctic air conquered the Plains and Upper Midwest on Friday. From out of this frigid air mass, much colder air will overspread the rest of the Great Lakes and most of the Ohio Valley. The Ohio Valley will see bouts of heavy and potentially flooding rain through the weekend. A sleet/freezing rain storm is setting up from Kansas to central Illinois. From the St. Louis area to Springfield, Missouri, a major damaging coating of ice is possible.

South
The southern edge of an arctic air mass engulfs most of Oklahoma, northwest Arkansas and parts of northern Texas. Freezing rain will make travel increasingly difficult. Extensive damage to trees and widespread power outages are possible. Sleet will mix with the freezing rain from time to time. Heavy and potentially flooding rain will fall along and east of the freezing rain zone across north-central and northeast Texas, southeast Oklahoma, Arkansas and northwest Tennessee. Some areas could pick up between 3 and 6 inches or possibly more. Areas east of the Mississippi River will be very warm this weekend. Cities like Raleigh, Atlanta and Tampa may near their record highs for Sunday.

Northeast
The cold front will move across the Northeast, stalling over Delaware, Maryland and northern West Virginia. Weekend rain will fall along the front with some light snow or mixed precipitation across Upstate New York and both northern and central New England Some freezing rain will develop along the New York-Pennsylvania border and parts of southern New England Sunday.

West
The West will be cold through the weekend. Freezing morning lows will threaten agriculture in Southern California and southwest Arizona both Saturday and Sunday. Gusty winds will continue over parts of the Southwest through the weekend. Snow will continue to fall over southern Wyoming, eastern Nevada and the Four Corners states this weekend before the storm finally exits eastward into the Midwest and Northeast. (NWS, Media Sources)

Midwest Prepares for Ice Storm

Freezing rain coated roads, runways and power lines across the nation's midsection Friday, threatening to cut off electricity and shut down travel for days.

At least four deaths have been blamed on the storm, some schools closed early Friday, and dozens of flights were delayed or cancelled.

A senior forecaster with the National Weather Service in Tulsa indicated that it could definitely be a paralyzing storm and long-term event.

Gov. Brad Henry declared a state of emergency for all 77 counties in Oklahoma, due to the affects of the storm in many areas of the state.  The state Emergency Operations Center (EOC) is activated.

The National Weather Service warned that ice accumulations and winds will likely lead to snapped power lines and falling tree branches, and may result in extended power outages in some areas.

Several inches of ice was also expected in parts of Kansas by the end of the weekend.

Utility crews were bracing for another round of bad weather as they worked to restore power to irrigation systems, stock wells and oil wells, which sustained significant damage during back-to-back blizzards a few weeks ago. In the Oklahoma Panhandle, power was restored late Thursday to the final 15 homes hit previously, Tri-County Electric Cooperative reported.

The National Weather Service on Friday night issued an ice storm warning for central Illinois that stays in effect through Monday morning. Freezing rain could layer the region with up to half an inch of ice, forecasters said, with Springfield and the area southwest of the city getting hit the hardest.

Tropical Weather Outlook

No new activity (FEMA HQ)

Earthquake Activity

Kuril Islands, Russia
An earthquake measuring 8.2 on the Richter scale occurred Saturday 13 January, 2007 in the Kuril Island region of Russia.  A Tsunami warning/watch was issued from the NOAA National Weather Service (NWS) West Coast/Alaska Tsunami Warning Center in Palmer, Alaska at 11:33 pm EST Friday for coastal areas from Nikolski, Alaska to Seward, Alaska.

An Advisory was issued for other areas of California, Oregon, Washington, British Columbia, and Alaska. A separate Tsunami Warning bulletin was generated from the Pacific warning center for Wake, Midway, Johnston and Hawaii.

FEMA Region's IX, X and Pacific area offices monitored events throughout the morning hours. A representative was sent to the State Civil Defense Center in Honolulu to monitor the incident.
The FEMA Guam warehouse was on alert and aware of the watch and warnings.

The National Guard Bureau Joint Operations Center (NGBJOC) continued to monitor and contacted the Western States, Hawaii and Guam to ensure they had received word of the potential for a damaging tsunami.

The National Disaster Medical System (NDMS) Response: Hawaii DMAT Team Commander called the OSC to advise that some  team members were alerted of the earthquake and potential threat of a tsunami.

At 2:30 am EST Saturday,  the National Weather Service (NWS) West Coast/Alaska Tsunami Warning Center in Palmer Alaska stated that no destructive tsunami threat exists for Alaska, British Columbia, Washington, Oregon, and California. All Warnings and Watches were cancelled. 

However, some areas may experience observable effects which could include strong currents in harbors and bays dangerous to those in or near the water. 

These effects are expected to begin at approximately 4:40 am PST in the Pacific Northwest ranging to 6:00 am PST in southern California and could continue for several hours after initial arrival.  As local conditions can cause a wide variation in tsunami wave activity, the all clear determinations must be made by local authorities.  (USGS, Earthquake Hazards Program, Alaska Earthquake Information Center, Pacific Tsunami Warning Center, and West Coast/Alaska Tsunami Warning Centers, Bothell MOC, media sources)

Preliminary Damage Assessments

• Region V reports that PDAs are scheduled to begin on January 22, 2007 for additional counties associated with the Emergency Declaration in Illinois (FEMA-3269-EM-IL).
  
• In New Mexico, Public Assistance PDAs for 18 counties are scheduled to begin on January 16, 2007, (not on January 10th as reported yesterday) as a result of snows December 28, 2006 and continuing.
  
• In Oregon, Public Assistance PDAs for 17 counties are scheduled to begin on January 17, 2007, as a result of severe windstorms December 14-15, 2006.
  
• Joint PDAs continue in Kansas and Nebraska, in support of DR-1675-KS and DR-1674-NE (Region V, VII, FEMA HQ)
  

Disaster Declaration Activity

• Governor Christine Gregoire is requesting a major disaster declaration for the State of Washington, as a result of a severe winter storm during the period of December 14-15, 2006.  The Governor is requesting Public Assistance for 19 counties and Hazard Mitigation statewide.
  
• FEMA-3270-EM-Colorado. Amendment # 1. El Paso county has been approved  for Public Assistance (Cat. B), including snow removal.
  
• FEMA-3271-EM-Colorado.  Amendment # 1.  Five counties have been approved.for Public Assistance (Cat. B), including snow removal.
  
• FEMA-1664-DR-Hawaii. Amendment # 5. The incident period for this Disaster is closed effective January 15, 2007. (FEMA HQ)