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National Situation Update: Thursday, March 1, 2007

Homeland Security Threat Level: YELLOW (ELEVATED).

Severe Weather Continues in Midwest

Midwest:  Blizzard or near-blizzard conditions will affect the eastern Dakotas and much of the Upper Midwest today as a storm moves into the upper Mississippi Valley.
Heavy, wind-driven snow is likely in Minnesota, northern Wisconsin and northern Michigan.

Rain changing to snow will move eastward across Iowa and northern Missouri.
Along the southern periphery of the snow storms, freezing rain and sleet will ice southern Wisconsin and central Michigan.

Heavy rain will soak eastern Indiana and Ohio while severe thunderstorms with potentially damaging wind gusts travel through Missouri, southern Illinois, southern Indiana, southwest Ohio and Kentucky.

South:  Severe thunderstorms, including the threat of tornadoes, will dominate the South as a potent cold front moves eastward.  From Arkansas and eastern Texas eastward the storms will move toward the Southeast coast and Florida.  The heaviest rain is expected in the Southeast where there could be some localized urban and street flooding.

Northeast:  Precipitation in the Midwest, will push into portions of the Northeast today, mainly from New York state southward into Virginia.  The precipitation should be mostly rain from Pennsylvania southward, but a mix of snow, sleet and freezing rain may move into New York.

West:  A mix of rain and snow showers will fall west of the Cascades while snow showers should be predominant over and east of mountains.  Showers are likely in western Oregon and northern California.

Farther east, the precipitation will be more scattered and found primarily in mountain locations as far south as northwest New Mexico.   (NWS, Media Sources)

Iowa Severe Winter Storm

A severe winter storm is affecting several counties in Iowa.  The counties are reporting significant power outages due to ice accumulation and power poles down. 
Counties without power are providing generators to run emergency facilities. Power may not be restored to rural areas for 2-3 days.  Anticipated power outages average 72 hrs.  Several counties have opened warming centers and shelters and are in the process of determining their long-term sheltering needs. 

The National Weather Service is projecting another weather system to move through NE Iowa Thursday, Mar.1, 2007, and the forecast includes rain, sleet, freezing rain and snow.  Amounts expected are 3-6" with potential for strong gusty winds.  There are blizzard warnings for Iowa with rain, sleet and heavy snows projected for north central/north east Iowa.  Sustained winds are anticipated to be 50-55 mph.  Blizzard warnings will remain in effect until Friday, Mar. 2, 2007.

The State EOC is activated 24 hrs a day.  A Governor's Proclamation was issued February 28, 2007.  The State EOC is gathering generator and fuel requests from the affected counties.  The Civil Air Patrol is performing flyovers of rivers that are experiencing lowland flooding. 

The FEMA State Liaison is in contact with the State. No Federal assistance has been requested.  The State EOC requested a Public Assistance representative to staff the State EOC. 

Joint PDA assessments began February 27, 2007 and are continuing.  The RRCC staff is monitoring all conference calls with the State, counties, state agencies and the NWS.   (FEMA Region VII, Iowa Homeland Security and Emergency Management)

Powerful Kansas Storms Bring Tornadoes, Flash Floods

Thunderstorms packing tornadoes, hail and heavy rain struck east-central Kansas and west-central Missouri on Wednesday night, causing scattered property damage and closing part of a major highway in the Kansas City area.  The violent weather - more typical of spring - developed along a cold front that was expected to bring snow to parts of Kansas by today.

No major damage or serious injuries were reported from Wednesday night's storms, but officials in several counties expected to know more after daylight. Forecasters tracked one tornadic storm from Greenwood County, Kan., on a northeasterly path to across Anderson County and into Linn County, where a tornado touched down and destroyed a power substation.

The Linn County emergency management director said there were reports of ``minor, minor injuries'' and widespread damage in the form of roofs and siding torn from buildings. Residents in rural Mound City reported seeing a barn demolished.  Across the state line, the tornado touched down again in a field near Adrian, Mo., authorities said. Damage near the Bates County town appeared limited to a destroyed outbuilding and a barn that lost its tin roof.

A separate storm that started farther north in Kansas also moved rapidly east into Missouri, dropping hail, torrential rain and occasional funnel clouds along the way. That storm took aim late Wednesday at Missouri's Johnson and Pettis counties, but forecasters said Whiteman Air Force Base, near Knob Noster, was unlikely to sustain damage.  Interstate 35 in Johnson County, Kan., was closed to southbound traffic near Kansas City late Wednesday as deep water sloshed over the road.  (Media Sources)

Barge Wreck Near Paducah, KY

A barge hung up on a lock wall on the Illinois side of the Ohio River.  McCracken County EMA was notified by the USCG. The Duty Officer was informed that the barge contained 220,000 gallons of CUMENE (Methyl Ethyl Benzene) and 3,700 gallons have been spilled.

The USCG has put out booms and shut down the river in the impacted area.  HAZMAT 1 is on scene assisting as requested. No causalities or injuries are reported.

The State EOC has been activated to Level 3. Kentucky EM, EPPC, Health and Family Services and State Fire Marshall's office are staffing the EOC.  (FEMA Region V, KY Division of Emergency Management)

Chemical Spills From Barge In Ohio River

Thousands of gallons of a toxic chemical spilled into the Ohio River between Illinois and Kentucky after a barge struck a lock wall, environmental officials said Wednesday.  The spill late Tuesday was estimated to be up to 8,000 gallons of a petroleum-based substance called cumene, said Maggie Carson, a state Environmental Protection Agency spokeswoman.

The spill did not appear to pose a serious threat to residents or marine life, and there were no evacuations, said Lt. Wayne Chapman, a spokesman for the Coast Guard.  The Houston-based owner, said the barge hit the guide wall of a lock that helps manage water flow. State officials earlier said it had run aground.

A company spokesman Mark Buese said nobody was injured and the spill did not present a risk to human health.  Contact with cumene can irritate skin and eyes, cause headaches in humans if inhaled, and be damaging to animals directly exposed to it. It is used in a variety petroleum products, manufacturing, as a paint thinner and as a component of high octane fuels, according to the EPA Web site.

The barge was en route from the Gulf of Mexico to a port somewhere in the Midwest.
Traffic on the Interstate 24 Ohio River Bridge was restricted to one lane to enable officials to set up an air monitoring station on the bridge. It was reopened Wednesday afternoon.  As a precaution, local authorities also requested that nearby Fort Massac State Park be closed.   (Media Sources)

Seattle, WA Fuel Spill

The National Response Center reported a minor spill, believed to be bulk fuel, in Smith Cove West Anchorage Bay, Seattle, WA per incident report #827744 on February 28, 2007.  Local media later reported that the US Coast Guard advised that the tug boat Allisa Ann was fueling a bulk grain carrier ship when the spill occurred.

It was determined that only 42 gallons had entered the water, about another 126 gallons that spilled was contained on the deck of a ship.  The tug deployed 2,000 feet of boom to contain the spill. US Coast Guard deployed a 41-foot craft to the scene.  The fuel is believed to be bunker fuel, which is heavy enough to be recovered by skimmers.

According to media sources, Washington State Maritime Cooperative, which represents the shipping industry, hired the Marine Spill Response Corporation for the cleanup work.
RRCC is providing Bothell MOC with updates as needed.  FEMA Region X will continue to monitor the situation.  (FEMA Region X, National Response Center, Media Sources)

Tropical Weather Outlook

No new activity (FEMA HQ)

Earthquake Activity

On Wednesday, February 28, 2007 at 6:13 pm EST an earthquake measuring 6.2 struck about 300 miles east-southeast of South Georgia in the South Sandwich Islands.  There were no reports of damage or injuries and there was no Tsunami generated.   (USGS, Earthquake Hazards Program, Alaska Earthquake Information Center, Pacific Tsunami Warning Center, and West Coast/Alaska Tsunami Warning Centers)

Preliminary Damage Assessments

No new activity (FEMA HQ)

Wildfire Update

Western Texas and south eastern New Mexico are under red flag fire warnings due to dry windy conditions.  (NOAA)

Disaster Declaration Activity

No new activity (FEMA HQ)

Last Modified: Thursday, 04-Jun-2009 16:48:36 EDT