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National Situation Update: Sunday, May 18, 2008

Homeland Security Threat Level: YELLOW (ELEVATED).

Significant National Weather

West:  A strong ridge of high pressure will move slightly southeastward from Washington and Oregon Saturday to California and Nevada today.  The movement allows for an on shore flow to develop over the Northwest cooling temperatures there, but the heat will expand into the Southwest.

Temperatures west of the Cascade Mountains should only reach the 60s and 70s, while east of the mountains it should be in the 80s to near 90.  Much hotter readings are anticipated over the Southwest with the deserts climbing into the 100s and 110s.

Northeast:  An upper level low over eastern Canada will send a series of disturbances through the Northeast over the next few days.  A disturbance arrives today with another round of showers and thunderstorms developing around lunchtime in New York, Pennsylvania and West Virginia, moving east and reaching the I-95 corridor during the late afternoon and evening hours.  Some of the stronger thunderstorms could produce hail and gusty winds. 

South:  A cold front will drop into the southern Appalachian Mountains and the Southeast this afternoon.  A band of thunderstorms is possible along the cold front and may produce some hail and gusty winds. A limiting factor to how strong the thunderstorms get is a lack of deep moisture in the atmosphere.
 
Other scattered thunderstorms are possible across central and southern Florida today. That threat lingers into Monday while the rest of the South stays dry.   (NWS, Various Media Sources)

Northwest Snowmelt

Current Situation:
Temperatures in Washington, Northern Idaho, and Western Montana are forecast to be well above normal through May 18, 2008.  Warmer temperatures will melt a considerable portion of the above-normal snowpack. Flooding is currently forecast for three basins in Northern Idaho, one in Western Montana, and one in Eastern Washington by the weekend. Seattle; eleven rivers may reach or exceed Flood Stage.

Washington:
The State of Washington is providing sandbags and assistance as necessary. Local authorities are monitoring river and weather conditions. Yakima County activated its EOC and has declared a State of Emergency.

The City of Yakima is contributing 2 dump trucks to the effort to repair a levee protecting critical infrastructure at the Water Treatment Plant. The plant is continuing to process water for the City of Yakima.

The County is continuing their levee patrols and all maintenance associated with waterways is continuing.

Idaho:
The State of Idaho and several counties have declared a state of emergency. Local authorities are monitoring river and weather conditions.

Benowah County will conduct levee inspections May 18, 2008.

Kootenai County distributed sandbags in preparation for flood level waters.

Shoshone County has engaged a Type 3 IMT to assist with managing high waters.

Osburn County is working closely with USACE to coordinate response efforts to provide bank protection and levee inspections.

Montana:
Ravalli County has declared an emergency and is sandbagging areas along the Bitterroot River.

Lincoln County is concerned with the tributaries in the Libby area. There is an unusual amount of debris in Granite Creek and county officials are concerned.  (NWS, USACE)

Train Derailment and Chemical Release, Lafayette, LA

At 2:20 AM CDT, May 17, 2008 a train carrying hydrochloric acid and ethylene oxide derailed in the vicinity of Bragg Street and Cameron Street in Lafayette, Louisiana. 

Reports indicate six rail cars were involved and two of the rail cars are leaking hazardous materials.  The main concern was that ethylene oxide is not compatible with any form of acid and could become combustible.  A one mile radius was evacuated.

The incident was declared 17 May 08 at 9:00 am CDT and is being coordinated by the local government with the state assets already located with the Parish.

The Governor's Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness (GOHSEP) activated the CRISIS Action Team (CAT) and is manning the EOC for this event. 

FEMA Region VI and Denton MOC are monitoring the situation.  No Federal Assistance requested at this time.  (FEMA Region VI, National Response Center)

Train Derailment, Acid Leak Forces LA. Evacuation

Six cars of a freight train derailed Saturday, including one that began leaking hydrochloric acid, causing thousands of people to evacuate homes, businesses and a nursing home within one mile of the wreck.

A nursing home with 161 residents was evacuated the state health officer said. About 35 of the residents deemed too frail to travel were taken to area hospitals.

Police walked door-to-door notifying residents of the mandatory evacuation in an area with an estimated population of 3,500 people.

Hydrochloric acid can cause respiratory problems and skin and eye irritation, according to a spokesman for the Texas-based BNSF Railway that operated the train involved in the spill.  An estimated 8,000 to 10,000 gallons of the acid was spilled, the spokesman said. The acid formed a yellowish pool at the site of the derailment.

A train car carrying ethylene oxide, used in agricultural products and as a sterilizer for medical supplies, was overturned but was not leaking, said a spokesman with the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality.

BNSF was using lime to neutralize the hydrochloric acid. Cleanup workers will then either dig or vacuum up the acid and lift the cars back onto the track.  Authorities did not speculate on how long the cleanup might take but said residents wouldn't be allowed back into the area until officials were certain the hazardous material was gone.   (Media Sources)

Fire Management Assistance Grant (FMAG)

No new activity to report.  (FEMA HQ)   

Tropical Weather Outlook

No new activity (FEMA HQ)

Earthquake Activity

On Saturday, May 17, 2008 at 1:20 am AKDT (5:20 am EDT), a magnitude 4.9 earthquake struck about 49 miles east of Chalkytsik, AK at a depth of 14 miles.  There were no reports of damage or injuries.

Significant aftershocks continue in Sichuan-Gansu Border Region, China complicating ongoing rescue and recovery efforts. (USGS)

Preliminary Damage Assessments

No new activity (FEMA HQ)

Wildfire Update

National Preparedness Level: 2
National Fire Activity as of Saturday, May 17:
Initial attack activity: Light (103 new fires)
New large fires: 0
Large fires contained: 2
Uncontained large fires: 9
Weather Discussion:  Hot and dry weather will continue in California, but with gusty offshore winds dissipating. A significant warming and drying trend is expected across Arizona, with isolated thunderstorms lingering in New Mexico and southwest Texas. Shower and thunderstorm activity along the Gulf coast will generally move offshore, but scattered storms will linger across the northern half of Florida.  (National Interagency Fire Center, National Incident Information Center, NOAA/NWS Storm Prediction Center, NGB)

Disaster Declaration Activity

No new activity (FEMA HQ)

Last Modified: Thursday, 04-Jun-2009 16:36:08 EDT