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National Situation Update: Wednesday, January 23, 2008

Homeland Security Threat Level: YELLOW (ELEVATED).

Significant National Weather

South
Many areas of the Southeast will see improved weather conditions today.  The cold front that pushed through the South moves off the Southeast coast early this morning.  Showers along the Carolina and Georgia coasts should end late morning.  Temperatures will range from the 40s in Tennessee to the 70s in South Florida.

Northeast
A cold front will move through the region today with snow showers and squalls accompanying the front and lake-effect snow squalls developing.  Temperatures should range from the 30s in upstate New York to the 40s across Virginia.

Midwest
The next arctic front will move southward through the Midwest, bringing in a very cold air mass.  High temperatures should be in the single digits from the eastern Dakotas through Minnesota and into northern Wisconsin.

West
A Winter Storm Warning is in effect for the mountains of Santa Barbara, Ventura, and Los Angeles counties through this evening.  A low pressure system off the coast of central California will move southward today bringing scattered rain and snow.  Temperatures should range from the 40s in the Northwest to the 60s across Southern California. (NWS)

Midwest Flooding Update

On the Tippecanoe River in Pulaski County, Indiana, a major ice jam has formed.  The ice jam is one to two miles long and spans the entire width of the river.  Water has risen over one foot in the last 24 hours.  Seven people were evacuated.  Indiana EOC remains partially activated and is conducting 24-hour operations.  The EOC contacted the Army Corps of Engineers for information on ice jam management.

NWS has issued a flood advisory for the Rock River in Illinois.  The cold temperatures are creating favorable conditions for additional ice jam formations. (FEMA Region V, NWS)

Ice Jams

Ice jams are affecting numerous rivers in Indiana, Illinois, and Wisconsin.  Ice jams occur when warm temperatures and heavy rain cause snow to melt rapidly.  Snow melt combined with heavy rains can cause frozen rivers to swell, which breaks the ice layer on top of the river.  The ice layer often breaks into large chunks, which float downstream and often pile up near narrow passages other obstructions, such as bridges and dams.  The rates of water level rise can vary from feet per minute to feet per hour during ice jam flooding.  In some instances, communities have many hours of lead time between the time an ice jam forms and the start of flooding. In other cases, the lead time is a little as one hour. Although the actual time period of flooding may be short compared to open water flood events lasting days to weeks, significant damage can result. The winter weather conditions often prevalent when ice jams occur also add to the risks and damages associated with ice jam flooding.  The presence of an ice jam can result in scouring and river bed and bank erosion that may lead to bridge or river bank failure.  Ice jams can damage stream channels and improvements so that overall vulnerability to flooding is increased. (NWS, NESEC)

Fire Management Assistance Grant (FMAG)

No new activity to report.  (FEMA HQ)

Tropical Weather Outlook

No new activity (FEMA HQ)

Earthquake Activity

No new activity (FEMA HQ)

Preliminary Damage Assessments

FEMA Individual Assistance (IA) Preliminary Damage Assessments (PDAs) are on-going due to recent flooding in Indiana. (FEMA Region V)

Disaster Declaration Activity

The Governor has requested a Major Disaster Declaration for the state of Illinois as a result of severe storms on January 7 and 8, 2008 and flooding along rivers and streams.  The most severe impact is in the City of Pontiac in Livingston County and in the City of Watseka in Iroquois County. (FEMA HQ)