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

National Situation Update: Sunday, February 4, 2007

Homeland Security Threat Level: YELLOW (ELEVATED).

National Weather Summary

Midwest
Wind chill advisories or warnings cover all or parts of ten Midwestern states from Ohio to the Dakotas. Sub-zero lows forecast for the eastern Dakotas and northern Minnesota, penetrating as far south as the lower Missouri Valley and northern Ohio Valle. While winds lighten over the Plainsy and Mississippi Valley, the Great Lakes and northern Ohio Valley will continue to have some gusts to between 20 and 35 mph. The very coldest wind chills from 30 to 50 below zero may again plague western Upper Michigan, northern Minnesota, and North Dakota. At these dangerous wind chills, exposed skin can freeze in as little as 10 minutes!

Northeast
An arctic cold front will set up an extended period of cold weather for the region. From southern New England to Philadelphia highs may reach into the low-mid 20s. For the rest of the interior Northeast, teens or even single digits are expected. A heavy lake-effect snow event will continue through most of the upcoming week for the snow belts of northwest Pennsylvania, southwest New York, and Upstate New York's Tug Hill Plateau. Snowfall rates of 2-4 inches per hour in the heavy snow bands may deposit several feet of snowfall in these areas by early week, with even more to follow.

South
Some patchy light rain showers over South Florida, but no strong thunderstorms are expected.

West
Only light valley rain & mountain snow is expected from Washington State into the Bitterroots and Tetons.  (NWS, Media Sources)

FEMA Regional Activity Reports

Region I
RRCC is activated at Level III with the hours of 7:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Region II
RRCC is activated at Level III with the hours of 7:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Region III
RRCC is activated at Level III with the hours of 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Region IV
RRCC is activated at Level II with 24 hour operations over the weekend.
The Florida Tornado JFO is scheduled to open this afternoon in Orlando, Florida.
The Miami-Dade EOC is staffed at level 2-Partial, in support of Super Bowl XLI.

Florida Tornado Update: Impacted County Information (as of 7:00 pm EST):
Sumter County

• There are no persons in shelters at this time.
• Preliminary Damage Assessments (PDAs) are ongoing.
• Power has been restored in most areas of the County.
• Curfew has been lifted.
• County Emergency Operations Center (EOC) is at Level II Partial Activation.

Lake County

• PDA Teams are assessing damages.
• County has three Points of Distribution (POD) operational.
• County is attempting to find a location for a Disaster Recovery Center (DRC).
• Curfew has been lifted.
• There are three mandatory Boil Water Orders in-place.

Volusia County

• 2,000 persons are still without electricity.
• PDA Teams were delayed due to severe weather.
• There is a Mandatory Boil Water Order in effect for three mobile home parks.
• Volusia County will discuss establishing a joint DRC with Lake County.
• County is moving medical records and pharmaceuticals from the Volusia County Health Office.
• County Red Cross is acquiring Crisis Counselors.
• ESF-2 has relocated the Communications On Wheels.

Region V
Bitter cold (single digit and below zero temperatures) and dangerously low wind chills (minus 5 to minus 35) are in store for Region 5 through the weekend. Region weather conditions are still influenced by northwesterly fronts.  Periods of brief clearing, followed with clouds and lower temperatures continue. Michigan and Wisconsin continue to see lake effect snowfall accumulations.

The river flooding situation across the Region has greatly improved; only a handful of locations in Minor Flood Stage.

Region VI
Oklahoma Ice Storm Damage Assessment Line (877) 628-5297 closes Monday, February 5, at 7 p.m.

Region VII
Nothing significant to report.

Region VIII
Monitoring the potential hazardous weather conditions that may develop in all Region VIII states, including wind chills of 20 to 40 below zero in portions of MT, ND, and SD; potentially significant snow and wind chills of 20 to 45 degrees below zero in portions of WY; and wind chills of 10 to 25 degrees below zero in portions of CO and eastern UT.

Region IX
Nothing significant to report.

Region X
Nothing significant to report.

Tropical Weather Outlook

No new activity (FEMA HQ)

Earthquake Activity

Two moderate earthquakes occurred in the Western Pacific near Guam and the Marianas (CNMI). The first occurred at 0603 EST Saturday: a 5.0-magnitude quake centered 75 miles East of Saipan, CNMI and 180 NE of Guam at a depth of 6.2 miles. The second occurred at 1431 EST Saturday: a 5.2-magnitude quake centered 20 miles South of Rota, CNMI and 40 miles NE of Guam at a depth of 60.7 miles.(FEMA Region IX, USGS, Earthquake Hazards Program, Alaska Earthquake Information Center, Pacific Tsunami Warning Center, and West Coast/Alaska Tsunami Warning Centers)

Preliminary Damage Assessments

Florida:  3 Public Assistance (PA) PDA teams are performing assessments in Lake County and 2 PA teams are performing assessments in Volusia County. Individual Assistance (IA) teams are performing assessments in both counties. PDA teams will begin assessments in Sumner and Marion Counties by early next week.  (FEMA HQ)

Disaster Declaration Activity

Florida:  The President has signed FEMA-1679-DR for severe storms and tornadoes in Florida.  The FCO will be Jesse Munoz.  Four counties were approved for Individual  Assistance, and Public Assistance for debris removal and emergency protective measures (categories A and B), including direct Federal assistance.  (FEMA HQ)