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National Situation Update: Monday, February 2, 2009

Homeland Security Threat Level: YELLOW (ELEVATED).

National Weather Forecast

West:
A large area of high pressure will result in generally dry conditions for the region. Expect only a few rain and snow showers in northern Washington, Idaho, parts of Montana and northern Wyoming.  A weak Santa Ana wind is forecast for Southern California.
Midwest:
A low pressure system will produce scattered snow showers from Minnesota to the Great Lakes. Little accumulation is forecast except for the far northern reaches of Minnesota, Wisconsin and Michigan, where a few inches of new snow is possible
South:
A low is developing in the Gulf of Mexico along a front which extends northward to the Mid-Atlantic. This will produce a band of precipitation, including isolated thunderstorms, from Louisiana to Tennessee and will gradually move eastward across the region today.  Higher elevations in the Appalachians will get snow.  Under high pressure, south central Texas will be dry with gusty northerly winds resulting in critical fire conditions and red flag warnings until this evening.
Northeast:
A frontal system over the East Coast will produce snow from the central Appalachians to northern New England. No significant accumulation is forecast except for an inch or two over the mountains of West Virginia and extreme western Virginia.  Tomorrow, the storm currently over the Southeast will track out to sea off the Mid-Atlantic. Snowfall could be limited to a few inches in the Virginias to southeast New England with slightly higher amounts in the mountains of West Virginia and southwest Pennsylvania. (National Weather Service and Media Sources)

Winter Ice Storm – Region IV

RRCC is activated at Level II with ESFs 1, 3, 6, 7, 8 and 11.
National Logistics Staging Area (NLSA) at Ft Campbell, KY:
As of Feb 1, 22 truck loads of water and 14 trucks loads of meals were received at National Logistics Staging Area (NLSA) along with 157 generators.
 29 truck loads of water, 18 truck loads of meals and 45 generators are en route. (FEMA LOG)

Kentucky
Kentucky EOC partially activated at Level II.
The Governor declared a State of Emergency for the entire commonwealth.
An Emergency Declaration (FEMA-3302-EM) was declared January 28 for the entire commonwealth.
Power Outages: 216,718 customers are without power; complete restoration is expected Feb 13. (DOE)
8 (of 11) hospitals and 9 nursing homes on generator power.  (R-IV)
Shelters 54; Occupants: 3,539 (NSS)
Two Emergency Management Assistance Compacts requests were submitted to Tennessee and Florida; Tennessee

Winter Ice Storm – Region V

The RRCC remains at a Watch/Steady State status; LNO deployed to IN EOC
There have been no requests for Federal assistance. 

Indiana
EOC activated at Level III (partial) to monitor ongoing winter storm
The Governor declared a local State of Emergency for 17 counties.
Fatalities: 3 (as a result of the storm)
Power Outages: 1,232 customers without power (DOE)
Shelters 15; Occupants: 254 (NSS)
The IN ARNG, Indiana Winter Storm Response Mission has ended and all personnel and equipment have been released.
No limiting factors or unmet needs

Ohio
EOC is not activated.
Power Outages: 29,143 customers without power (DOE)
Shelters 21; Occupants: 354 (NSS)
No limiting factors or unmet needs.

Winter Ice Storm – Region VI

RRCC is activated at Level II, 7:00a.m.-7:00p.m. CST with ESF-3 and 7.
7 PA PDA teams deployed to Arkansas; 5 PA PDA teams have completed 13 counties, with four scheduled for today.
4 IA PDA teams on standby for Arkansas.
National Logistics Staging Area (NLSA) at Fayetteville, AR:
As of Feb 1, 8 truck loads of water and 8 trucks loads of meals were received at National Logistics Staging Area (NLSA) along with 63 generators.
2 truck loads of meals (FEMA LOG)
National Logistics Staging Area (NLSA) at Jonesboro, AR:
As of Feb 1, 9 truck loads of water and 9 trucks loads of meals were received at National Logistics Staging Area (NLSA) along with 54 generators.
6 truck loads of meals are en route. (FEMA LOG)
National Logistics Staging Area (NLSA) at Little Rock, AR:
As of Feb 1, 1 truck load of water and 1 trucks load of meals were received at National Logistics Staging Area (NLSA). (FEMA LOG)

Arkansas:
EOC activated at Level 4 (Full Activation); LNO deployed to State EOC.
FEMA Region VI IMAT at Little Rock, Arkansas (State EOC).
The Governor signed a State Disaster Proclamation for 18 counties.
An Emergency Declaration (FEMA-3301-EM) was signed January 28 for the State of Arkansas.
Fatalities: 6 ( Jan 31, Region VI)
Power Outages: 172,657 customers without power (DOE)
Shelters 54; Occupants: 1,395 (NSS)
One MDRC is deployed to Jonesboro; one MDRC deployed to Little Rock.
Seven hospitals in the designated counties are without power and operating on generators.
No limiting factors or unmet needs.

Winter Ice Storm – Region VII

RRCC is activated at Level 3 (Minimal Staffing) ESFs 3, 6, and 8. ESF 12 will provide support from a remote location.
2 FEMA State Liaisons deployed to State EOC.
An Emergency Declaration (FEMA-3303-EM) was declared January 30 for the entire state.
National Logistics Staging Area (NLSA) at Poplar Bluff, MO:
As of Feb 1, 15 truck loads of water were received at National Logistics Staging Area (NLSA)
National Logistics Staging Area (NLSA) at Jefferson City, MO:
As of Feb 1, 10 truck loads of water were received at National Logistics Staging Area (NLSA) along with 50 generators.

Missouri
The Missouri EOC activated at Level II, 24 hour operations, with all State agencies in the EOC.
Fatalities: 6 (verified storm related)
Shelters 50; Occupants: 1,671 (NSS)
Power Outages: 59,327 customers without power. (DOE)
Joint Local, State and Federal PDAs (for IA and PA) scheduled to begin February 3.
No limiting factors or unmet needs.

Volcano Activity - Redoubt

The Aviation Color Code remains at ORANGE and the Volcano Alert Level remains at WATCH.
Alaska Volcano Observatory Staff are currently monitoring the volcano 24 hours a day.
There are no reports of damages or injuries and no requests for Federal assistance at this time
Redoubt Volcano is a stratovolcano located within a few hundred miles of more than half of the population of Alaska. The largest impact to infrastructure is the possibility of damage and loss of production capability to natural gas wells and transmission facilities from ashfall.
. (Region X, (USGS, Earthquake Hazards Program)

Scientist See Holes in Glacier at Alaska Volcano

Geologists monitoring Mount Redoubt for signs of a possible eruption noticed that a hole in the glacier clinging to the north side of the volcano had doubled in size overnight - and now spans the length of two football fields.  Scientists with the Alaska Volcano Observatory on Friday flew close to Drift Glacier and spotted vigorous steam emitted from a hole on the mountain. By Saturday, they confirmed the area was a fumarole, an opening in the earth that emits gases and steam that was increasing in size at an alarming rate.  They also saw water streaming down the glacier, indicating heat from magma is reaching higher elevations of the mountain.

The signs of heat add to concerns that an eruption is near, which could send an ash cloud about 100 miles northeast toward Anchorage, the state's largest city, or into communities on the Kenai Peninsula, which are even closer to the mountain on the west side of Cook Inlet. It would be the first eruption since 1990.

Particulate released during an eruption have jagged edges and can injure skin, eyes and breathing passages, especially in young children, the elderly and people with respiratory problems.
It can also foul jet engines.

A week ago, the observatory detected a sharp increase in earthquake activity below the volcano and upgraded its alert level to orange, the stage just before full eruption. The warning that an eruption was imminent caused a rush on dust masks and car air filters in Anchorage.

Alaska's volcanoes typically start with an explosion that can shoot ash 50,000 feet high and into the jet stream, but there are warning signs because magma causes small earthquakes as it moves.
A geologist said the observatory has been recording quakes up to magnitude 2.1 but not at the frequency that preceded the last two eruptions in 1989 and 1990.   (Media Sources)

Fire Management Assistance Grant

No activity. (FEMA HQ)

Tropical Weather Outlook

Western Pacific:
There are no current tropical cyclone warnings.  (NOAA, HPC, National Hurricane Center, Central Pacific Hurricane Center and the Joint Typhoon Warning Center)

Earthquake Activity

No new activity (FEMA HQ)

Preliminary Damage Assessments

No new activity (FEMA HQ)

Disaster Declaration Activity

No new activity (FEMA HQ)

Last Modified: Thursday, 04-Jun-2009 16:27:43 EDT