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National Situation Update: Friday, March 13, 2009

Homeland Security Threat Level: YELLOW (ELEVATED).

National Weather

South
Rain is forecast from Texas to Georgia. Some locales from southern Arkansas to northern Alabama may see 2 to 4 inches of rain with locally heavier amounts. Tonight through early Friday, snow will move quickly from eastern Kentucky, over the Appalachians, and into northern parts of Virginia.  Higher elevations may see 2 to 4 inches, with up to an inch or 2 in lower elevations.
West 
Precipitation is forecast across parts of Arizona, Colorado and New Mexico from Friday into Saturday, with heavy snow for the mountains of southern Colorado and northern New Mexico and light rain showers in the lower elevations.
Northeast  
Some mixed precipitation and snow is forecast Friday morning over the Virginias, especially west of the I-81 corridor. Higher elevations may see 2 to 4 inches of snow; 1 to 2 inches may fall in the lower elevations.
Midwest
River flooding continues from Iowa to Michigan but weather conditions will be dry through the weekend. Light snow is likely across western Kansas Friday. Rain is expected to spread from southern Missouri to Kentucky by Saturday and showers from Kentucky possibly into the southern Great Lakes Sunday. (NOAA, National Weather Service, Various Media Sources)

Midwest Flooding Update

Flood Warnings continue for portions of Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Missouri, Michigan, Ohio and Wisconsin.  Flood levels range from minor to major, but most are expected to crest in the next day or two and continue receding through the weekend.  Most flooding is occurring on agricultural land, with little impact to residential property.

Region V
Indiana
The State EOC has been activated to a limited Level III (partial activation, daytime hours; no ESF support). A FEMA Liaison Officer is deployed to the State EOC. DeKalb County Emergency Management Agency (EMA) reports 90 homes affected by flooding, where a local, county-level emergency continues. Five shelters remain open; Wednesday night there were nine occupants (down from 24 the previous night). Twelve secondary roads remain closed throughout the state due to high water. The Tippecanoe and Kankakee Rivers are at or near record levels at several locations, but are forecast to recede to below flood levels after March 17.
Ohio
Putnam County continues a local, county-level emergency. Officials assessed damage in the town of Ottawa on Thursday. One shelter was open overnight Wednesday with a population of eight. Defiance County EMA reported 63 homes affected in Defiance and 7 homes in Evansport. Wood County EMA reported minor basement flooding to homes in Grand Rapids and Pemberville. 12 roads remain closed throughout northern Ohio due to high water.

Region VII 
Iowa
Several rivers reported at Moderate Flood Stage have crested and are forecast to recede below Flood Stage in the next few days.  Areas of flooding are agricultural. There are no requests for Federal assistance.
Missouri
The Mississippi River at Hannibal has crested below Major Flood Stage, and is expected to return to below Moderate Flood Stage by March 16.  Hannibal has a well-defined flood protection system with flood gates to control water levels. No shortfalls and no requests for assistance have been reported

Fire Management Assistance Grant (FMAG)

No activity. (FEMA HQ)

Tropical Weather Outlook

Eastern 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 16:26:55 EDT