National Situation Update: Tuesday, June 24, 2008

Homeland Security Threat Level: YELLOW (ELEVATED).

Significant National Weather

Midwest:
Flood Warnings remain in effect along the Mississippi River from Camanche, IA to Cape Girardeau, MO. Severe thunderstorms are possible today in Missouri, southern Iowa, southeast Nebraska and eastern Kansas. The strongest storms could produce large hail, damaging wind gusts and isolated tornadoes, though significant rainfall is not expected.
South:
Possibility of scattered thunderstorms across coastal North Carolina, the Florida Peninsula and the western Gulf Coast from New Orleans to Brownsville, Texas. As the week progresses more typical summertime conditions should develop across the region - hot temperatures (most areas in the 90s), moderate to high humidity levels and afternoon and evening thunderstorms. Unfortunately for the drought areas from western North Carolina southwest to northern Alabama the thunderstorm activity should be fairly scattered and not provide much drought relief. A Red Flag Warning is in effect from noon until 9:00 p.m. EDT today for portions of northeast Georgia due to low relative humidity.
Northeast:
Scattered thunderstorms forecast across New England early this morning, bringing the possibility of small hail and gusty winds. Temperatures in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic will trend above normal levels later in the week.
West:
Warming temperatures and lowering humidity levels are expected to continue this week in California. Fire danger levels should increase under those conditions. A Red Flag Warning is in effect until 6:00 a.m. PDT Wednesday for the mountains of Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo Counties due to periods of northerly winds and low humidity. Scattered thunderstorms are expected along the Rocky Mountains this afternoon and will move eastward overnight. Thunderstorms could turn severe, producing large hail, damaging winds and isolated tornadoes over eastern Montana, eastern Wyoming, northeastern Colorado, western North Dakota, western South Dakota and western Nebraska.
As a ridge of high pressure over the Southwest expands through the week, temperatures will increase and precipitation chances will decrease. (NWS, Media Sources)

Midwest Severe Weather and Flooding

The Mississippi River crest continues to slowly proceed downriver. This revised forecast is calling for moderate, not major, flooding, and no significant rainfall is forecast until Thursday or Friday. USACE, State and local partners are still in a very active floodfight and are monitoring numerous levees along the River. The Mississippi River at St. Louis is expected to crest on Wednesday, June 25 at 37.3 feet (well below the 1993 flood level of 49.58 feet). The combination of a slow rise coming down the Mississippi River and a slow fall coming down the Missouri River should result in rather stable river levels in the vicinity of St Louis, MO during the next few days. Plans are developed and in place for the evacuation of East St. Louis, if necessary, although officials do not expect to implement the plans. (NOAA NWS North Central River Forecast Center, USACE) FEMA Region V RRCC:

Activated at Level II, 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. CDT
Region V LNOs deployed to IN, WI, MI and IL EOCs
Activated Mississippi River Planning Cell to prepare for impacts of record flooding

Illinois:

EOC is activated
2 shelters; population: 20
Destroyed: unknown; Damaged: 1,150
Initial Operating Facility (IOF) established at the State EOC in Springfield
MERS positioned in Springfield in support of Federal IOF
Unified Area Commands (UACs) established in Alton and Quincy
FEMA Region I ERT-A on site at Rock Island, IL
FEMA Region V IMAT conducting operations in IL
Denver-MERS team on site at IL EOC
Joint IA PDAs ongoing; PA PDAs were scheduled to begin yesterday

Indiana:

EOC is not activated
4 fatalities; 42 injuries (Reported by JFO)
1 shelter; population: 10
Destroyed: 283; Damaged: 4,895
A "Mission Planning Team" has been deployed to the JFO to scope housing issues with the State as part of a Joint Housing Task Force.
Joint IA/PA PDAs ongoing; IA has completed PDAs in 40 counties requested by the state; PA has completed 26 of 50 PDAs requested.
9 FEMA Disaster Recovery Centers (DRCs) open (FEMA-1766-DR-IN SITREP #08

Wisconsin:

EOC activated at Level I, 24/7
1 fatality; 0 injuries
2 shelter; population: 34
Destroyed: 85; Damaged: 1,934
Joint IA PDAs completed
Joint PA PDAs ongoing (completed in six counties)
FEMA Region II ERT-A on site in Madison
JFO established in Madison, WI
5 FEMA Mobile Disaster Recovery Centers (MDRCs) supporting 6 FEMA Disaster Recovery Centers (DRCs) located in Reedsburg, Columbus, Soldiers Grove, Viroqua, St. Portage, and Milwaukee. A seventh DRC (Juneau) was scheduled to be opened on June 23 (FEMA-1768-DR-WI SITREP #08)

FEMA Region VII RRCC:

Level III, 7:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m. CDT
Region IV IMAT deployed to Cedar Rapids, IA

Iowa:

EOC is partially activated
17 fatalities; 106 injuries
6 shelters; population: 276
Destroyed: 405; Damaged: 24,970
16 DRCs open
IA and PA PDAs ongoing (FEMA-1763-DR-IA SITREP #23)

Missouri:

EOC activated at Level I, 7:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. CDT (SEMA staff only) (RVII Incident Report # 13)
2 shelters; population: 35
Destroyed: 154; Damaged: 694
USCG Liaison at State EOC
NLSA (National Logistics Staging Area) established at Lambert Field, St. Louis

Wild Fire, Napa and Solano Counties, CA

4,089 acres; 60% contained
0 fatalities; 1 injury (firefighter)
1 outbuilding destroyed
150 residences threatened - mandatory evacuation orders issued
1 shelter; unknown occupants (California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection)

Fire Management Assistance Grant (FMAG)

No new activity to report. (FEMA HQ,CA OES. FEMA)

Tropical Weather Outlook

Atlantic/Caribbean:
Tropical cyclone formation is not expected during the next 48 hours
Eastern Pacific:
Tropical cyclone formation is not expected during the next 48 hours.
Western Pacific:
No threat to US territories. (NOAA, National Hurricane Center, Central Pacific Hurricane Center and the Joint Typhoon Warning Center)

Earthquake Activity

USGS reported a 4.0 earthquake in the greater Los Angeles area, 58 miles east of Los Angeles
- The earthquake occurred at 10:14 a.m. EDT on Monday, June 23, at a depth of 6 miles.
- The quake was centered about two miles north east of Loma Linda and was felt in Loma Linda, Redlands, Moreno Valley, Ontario, La Verne and San Bernardino
- Two additional quakes occurred in the area Monday morning, both in the 2.6 magnitude range.
- There have been no reports of injuries or damages (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

National Fire Activity as of Monday, June 23, 2008:
National Wildfire Preparedness Level: 3

Initial attack activity: Heavy (517 new fires)
New large fires: 26
Uncontained large fires: 37
Large fires contained: 6 (National Interagency Fire Center, National Incident Information Center)

Disaster Declaration Activity