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

National Situation Update: Monday, April 14, 2008

Homeland Security Threat Level: YELLOW (ELEVATED).

Significant National Weather

West:
A cold front moving into the Northwest will produce precipitation from Northern California to Montana.  Despite the warm temperatures precipitation will fall as snow tonight in the higher elevations. Ahead of the cold front gusty (up to 60 mph) south-to-southwest winds are possible from the east side of the Sierras into western Utah later today.  Red flag warnings are effect this afternoon and evening for much of southern Nevada and northwest Arizona for gusty winds and low relative humidity.  Near record high temperatures should range from the 50s over the mountains to the 80s in Montana and near 100s in the deserts.
Midwest:
Under a ridge of high pressure most of the region will be dry today and tomorrow.   High temperatures should hold in the 40s to middle 50s around the Great Lakes and Ohio Valley, some 5 to 15 degrees below average.  Flood Warnings and Advisories are in effect from the Gulf Coast to the Great Lakes including the Upper and Lower Mississippi Valleys and the Ohio River Valley.  Warmer weather is expected across the northern Plains with temperatures ranging from the lower 60s in the east to near 80 on the western side. Warmer weather spreads eastward into the Region by midweek on gusty southerly winds.
South:
A trough of low pressure will bring scattered rain showers across Alabama, Georgia, North Carolina and South Carolina. Mixed rain and snow showers are forecast across the Tennessee Valley with snow showers in the Smoky Mountains and the southern Appalachians above 2,000 feet.  Red Flag Warnings are expected this afternoon in Florida, Southern Alabama and Southern Georgia due to gusty northwesterly winds and low relative humidity.   Most of the Region should have highs in the 50s with a few lower 60s along the Atlantic Coast to the 70s along the Gulf Coast and Florida peninsula. Warmer temperatures are forecast by midweek.
Northeast:
Except for a mix of rain and snow showers over north eastern New York and northern New England the Region will be dry.   There are Flood Warnings in effect for Northern New York, including areas around Lake Champlain and the Connecticut River in Massachusetts and Connecticut. High temperatures will be 5 to 15 degrees below average with 30s over the mountains to 50s in the mid Atlantic. Warmer temperatures are forecast by midweek.(NWS, Various Media Sources)

Spring Thaw

Warming Spring temperatures will result in melting snowpack and localized flooding. The graphic below shows the "Snow Water Equivalent" (The water content obtained from melting accumulated snow) of the observed snowpack (NOAA, NWS, National Operational Hydrologic Remote Sensing Center)

Mississippi Valley Flooding

CURRENT SITUATION
No significant precipitation is expected in the watershed during the next 24 to 48 hours. Flood Warnings and Flood Advisories are in effect for the Mississippi River Valley from Louisiana to Wisconsin, Illinois, and Indiana. River flooding will continue for parts of the Mississippi, Ohio, and Tennessee Valleys.

FEDERAL RESPONSE
FEMA Region VI
RRCC at Level III, monitoring situation, weekend staff on call. (Region VI SPOT Report, 12APR08, 12:47 p.m. EDT).
US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) and Texas Forest Service representatives at RRCC.
FEMA state liaisons deployed to state EOCs in Texas, Oklahoma and Arkansas.
Conducting daily conference calls with Texas and the National Weather Service.
Mission Assignment issued to the USACE to provide pumps to address flooding in Jacksonport (Jackson County), Arkansas.
Two (2) Disaster Recovery Centers opening Arkansas; one in Norfolk (Baxter County) and one in Pocahontas (Randolph County).
IA and PA PDA Teams are on stand-by to deploy to the affected states.

STATE and LOCAL RESPONSE
Arkansas
State EOC at Level III (Limited Activation)(Region VI SPOT Report, 12APR0).
Major Disaster declaration, FEMA-1751-DR, declared March 26, 2008.
2 shelters, population 23.
Homes destroyed/damaged: 161 homes destroyed and 699 damaged.
The levee in Prairie County is being reinforced by the Corps of Engineers using barrels and sandbags to mitigate the problem. They will continue to monitor the levee. (Region VI)
Major/Moderate Flooding Update:
White River:
Georgetown is at Major Flood Stage rising.
Des Arc is at Major Flood Stage and rising, reaching 34 ft by April 16, 2008.   At 32 ft, flooding in the river valley with numerous roads flooded and possible structural flooding and at 33 ft, overtopping of Kitty Barnes levee in eastern Prairie and Monroe counties.   (NWS Advanced Hydrologic Prediction Service).
Newport is at Major Flood Stage, and has crested.
Railroad Bridge downstream of Newport overtopped.
Serious flooding in Jacksonport and Newport.
Homes along State Highway 14 are flooded.   (NWS Advanced Hydrologic Prediction Service).
 Mississippi River:
Arkansas City is at Major Flood Stage, 44.6 ft.   At 44 ft, all land inside levee protection is inundated.
PDAs are on-going in Arkansas.   6 assigned IA PDAs remain and 3 PA PDAs remain as of 12 Apr 08.   (NWS Advanced Hydrologic Prediction Service).

Illinois
Counties: 19 Counties with Declared States of Emergency.
Major/Moderate River Flooding:
Ohio River:
Cairo is at Moderate Flood Stage, and is expected to rise.
Ongoing pumping with 6 pumps.
Local Emergency Management Coordinators put in Culverton drains to pump water back into Ohio River.
Grand Chain Dam is at Major Flood Stage, and will remain steady throughout the forecast period.  
Water reaches the power house at Lock and Dam 53.
USACE gave water pumps to Pulaski County Emergency Management Agency for flood fighting efforts in Mound and Mound City, IL.
Joint IA PDAs have been completed in 12 countiesNWS Advanced Hydrologic Prediction Service, USACE, Region V)

Louisiana
State EOC is partially activated
On March 27, 2008, the Governor of Louisiana issued a State of Emergency from March 24, 2008 to April 22, 2008.
9 Parishes have declared States of Emergency.
Major/Moderate River Flooding:
Mississippi River:
Red River Landing is currently at Moderate Flood Stage and is forecast to continue rising; cresting on April 15, 2008.   The main levee is not expected to be topped according to Region VI.   (NWS Advanced Hydrologic Prediction Service Region IV)
Baton Rouge is at Major Flood Stage and will continue to steadily rise throughout the forecast period.   According to Region VI, the base line height of the levee is 48 ft and at this time, there is no impact.   (NWS Advanced Hydrologic Prediction Service, Region VI)
NWS and USACE assessment that no levees will be overtopped and river will crest well below the maximum protection height of the New Orleans levees. (NWS/USACE/Region VI)
Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development (LA DOTD) provided 40 dump trucks to haul sand to sandbagging operations in Vidalia to control €œsand boils € below the levees.   No levee issues reported and local districts.

Mississippi
EOC at Level III (Partially Activated w/MEMA and key State agencies only).
Governor's State of Emergency for Mississippi River Flooding signed April 4, 2008.
95 people displaced.
2 shelters, population 0.

Mississippi State PDAs indicate 3 home destroyed and 37 homes with major damage.

Major/Moderate Flooding:

Mississippi River:
Greenville, MS is at Moderate Flood Stage and forecast to gradually rise, reaching Major Flood Stage by April 15, 2008.   At the current level, practically all areas between levees are flooded and approximately 50 buildings have water inside.   At 57 ft, Major Flood Stage, Harbor Front road is under water.
Vicksburg, MS is at Moderate Flood Stage and forecast to gradually rise, reaching Major Flood Stage by April 14, 2008.
PA and IA Joint PDA assessments completed April 10, 2008.   (Region IV RRCC, Region V RRCC, Region VI RRCC, Arkansas Department of Emergency Management (ADEM) Emergency Operations Center, Louisiana Governor's Office of State Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness (GOSHEP), Oklahoma Department of Emergency Management, Texas Division of Emergency Management State Operations Center, National Weather Service, National Guard Bureau, USACE.)

Fire Management Assistance Grant (FMAG)

Nothing significant to report.  (FEMA HQ)

Tropical Weather Outlook

No new activity (FEMA HQ)

Earthquake Activity

On Monday, April 14, 2008 at 3:40 am EDT an earthquake measuring 4.3 struck about 239 miles west of Depoe Bay, Oregon.  There were no reports of damage or injuries and there was no tsunami generated.

On Monday, April 14, 2008 at 2:38 am EDT an earthquake measuring 4.8 struck about 258 miles west of Yachats, Oregon.  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)

Disaster Declaration Activity

No new activity (FEMA HQ)