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National Situation Update: Wednesday, April 16, 2008

Homeland Security Threat Level: YELLOW (ELEVATED).

Significant National Weather

West:
High winds will move through the Rockies with gusts over 50 mph possible.  The region is forecast to be mostly sunny with wind gusts of 30 to 40 mph in New Mexico and western Texas. Red Flag Warning for Arizona, southwest Utah, southeast Nevada, southeast California, Eastern Colorado and New Mexico for dry air, decreased humidity and windy conditions creating an environment conducive for fire. 

Midwest:
A cold front will move from the Rockies into the northern Plains with scattered showers and thunderstorms today bringing winds over 50 mph tonight.  Numerous flood warnings remain in effect for rivers in Indiana, Illinois, Tennessee and Oklahoma.  A cold front drops into the Great Lakes and Midwest with showers and thunderstorms Thursday with cooler temperatures behind it for late week.

South:
A low pressure system east of the Carolinas will produce some heavy surf, rip currents, gusty winds and beach erosion with the worst conditions from North Carolina to the Florida's Atlantic beaches.  High temperatures for the region are forecast from the 60s in the Carolinas and northern Georgia to the upper 80s in west Texas.  Red Flag Warning for west central Georgia, eastern North Carolina, west Texas and parts of  Florida.  Dry air, increased winds and decreased humidity creating an environment conducive for fire.

Northeast:
A low pressure system in the Southeast is moving northward will bring gusty winds.  Wednesday highs are expected to range from the mid 50s over northern New England to the lower 70s down to Virginia.(NWS, Various Media Sources)

Mississippi Valley Flooding

CURRENT SITUATION
High pressure across the Ohio Valley and Mississippi Valley is leading to clear skies and chilly temperatures through the Midwest, Southeast and Mid-Atlantic.   A system moving in from the Rockies will bring snow and rain to the west while moving northeast and could bring some rain and thunderstorms to the Midwest and flooding areas on Thursday or Friday this week.  Flood watches, warnings and other statements extend from southern Wisconsin and southern Michigan through Louisiana and southeastern Texas.

FEDERAL RESPONSE
FEMA Region IV
Mississippi
EOC at Level III (Partially Activated w/MEMA and key State agencies only).
Mississippi State PDAs indicate 3 home destroyed and 37 homes with major damage.
State has requested 1 Public Assistance (PA) and 2 Individual Assistance (IA) Joint Preliminary Damage Assessments (PDA) teams due to damages from the severe weather on April 4-5, 2008.
Two shelters open, population 0
Major/Moderate Flooding:

  • The Mississippi River:
    • Greenville, MS is at Major Flood Stage 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 Major Flood Stage on April 14, 2008.  
  • Arkansas city gauge is reporting Major flood stage and forecast to stay there for the next several days.

FEMA Region V
Illinois

  • Counties: 19 Counties with Declared States of Emergency.
  • Major/Moderate River Flooding:
  • Rock River
    • At Moline is at major flood stage and will start to fall below major stage starting April 18, 2008.
    • Joint IA PDAs have been completed in 12 counties (NWS Advanced Hydrologic Prediction Service, USACE, Region V)
  • Joint IA PDAs have been completed in 12 counties (NWS Advanced Hydrologic Prediction Service, USACE, Region V)

Wisconsin
Rock River:
At Newville is at major flood stage until April 21, 2008, and then it will start to fall below the major stage

FEMA Region VI
FEMA state liaisons deployed to state EOCs in Texas, Oklahoma and Arkansas.   Mission Assignment issued to the USACE to provide pumps to address the flooding in Jacksonport (Jackson County),
IA and PA PDA Teams are on stand-by to deploy to the affected states.
Arkansas

  • State EOC at normal operations.
  • Homes destroyed/damaged: 204 homes destroyed and 431 damaged and 1,307 with minor damage.
  • 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:
    • The following locations on the White River are above the Major flood stage: Newport, above Augusta, Georgetown, DesArc and at Clerendon.   Starting on April 18, 2008 the flood gauges in the northern part of the state will start to fall below major flood readings.   The flood gauges south will start to fall below major flood stage starting April 20, 2008 thru April 23, 2008 as the flow allows.(NWS Advanced Hydrologic Prediction Service).
  • Mississippi River:
    • Arkansas City is at Major Flood Stage; 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 April 12, 2008.  (NWS Advanced Hydrologic Prediction Service).

Louisiana

  • State EOC is partially activated
  • Major/Moderate River Flooding:
  • Mississippi River:
    • 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)
  • Per the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers the threat assessment of the main line levees on the Mississippi River from Northern Louisiana to the Gulf of Mexico and the main line levees in the Atchafalaya River, there is no expected overtopping based on the current river crest forecast by the NWS at this time.  The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers continue to monitor levees 7 days a week (USACE Level 2 Activation)

FEMA Region VII
FEMA state liaison deployed to Missouri EOC.

FMEA Region IX
FEMA 1743-DR-HI JFO closure effective the close of business (COB) on Friday, April 25, 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)

FEMA-2760-FM approved April 15, 2008 for the Ordway fire in Crowely County Colorado.  The town of Croweley 1200 - 1600 people evacuated.  Six homes have been lost and five are burning the fire is zero percent contained and 3500 acres have burned, it is 12 miles long ane10 miles wide.    (FEMA HQ)

Tropical Weather Outlook

No new activity (FEMA HQ)

Earthquake Activity

On Wednesday, April 16, 2008 at 1:54 a.m. EDT a magnitude 6.5 earthquake, 19.6 miles deep occurred in the Aleutian Islands, 153 miles west southwest of Adak, AK.  A tsunami is not expected along the California/ Oregon/ Washington/ British Columbia or Alaska coasts. (USGS, NOAA, 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)

Last Modified: Thursday, 04-Jun-2009 16:36:42 EDT