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National Situation Update: Friday, April 10, 2009

Homeland Security Threat Level: YELLOW (ELEVATED).

Significant National Weather

West:
A low pressure system will push into the Intermountain West resulting in valley rain and mountain snow showers from Washington southeast to Arizona.  With cold air aloft, there will be a chance of thunderstorms especially in Southern California this afternoon.
Midwest:
A large low pressure system will produce precipitation and thunderstorm activity from the Mid-Mississippi River Valley to the Ohio River Valley.  The Ohio Valley will see thunderstorms and locally heavy rain. The thunderstorms may produce damaging wind gusts and hail.  Some areas could receive more than 2 inches of precipitation during the next 24 hours
South:
A cold front associated with the low pressure system moving out of the Midwest will produce widespread precipitation and thunderstorms as it moves across the region.  Strong to severe thunderstorms are forecast from eastern Mississippi to Kentucky. These thunderstorms will produce hail, damaging winds and tornadoes. The thunderstorm activity will weaken slightly as it moves into Georgia and the Carolinas this evening.  Thunderstorm activity will continue across the region through the weekend.
Northeast:
The warm front associated with the low moving out of the Midwest will result in rain spreading from the Mid-Atlantic to New England as the day progresses. (National Weather Service, Various media Sources)

Severe Weather Outbreak

The National Weather Service has preliminary reports of 23 tornadoes during the last 24 hours in a Louisiana, eastern Texas, eastern Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Missouri.
The most significant damage was reported in western Arkansas.

  • Mena (Polk County) - Power is out, and damage has been reported to structures to include the National Guard Armory and County Courthouse. 
  • Sevier County - Damage to a mobile home park has been reported.  Trees are down on Hwy 71.
  • Howard  County - A water treatment plant has extensive damage. Reported damage to one house from a fallen tree. 

The Arkansas Department of Emergency Management (ADEM) EOC is activated at Level 2 (Increased Preparedness) due to the tornado. Local and state authorities are responding but they do not expect to have a clear picture of the damage until the morning
A FEMA/State Liaison is available at the States request. No requests for federal assistance have been received. (National Weather Service, FEMA Region VI)

Wildfires in Texas & Oklahoma

Region VI:
RRCC at Watch/Steady State, 7:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. CDT
Oklahoma:

  • EOC has extended hours of operations
  • 3 Fire Management Assistance Grants (FMAG) requested, 2 approved and 1 in system.
  • Multiple fires affecting Oklahoma City and Midwest City and the counties of Payne, Carter, Oklahoma, Lincoln and Stephens
  • Residents in several communities located in Lincoln and Stephens Counties and Midwest City were notified via Emergency Alert System activation to evacuate their homes; unknown number of people evacuated
  • Portions of I-35 closed in counties of Murray, Noble and Payne
  • Carter County:
    • 2 fires
    • 1200 people evacuated
    • 550 homes threatened
  • Payne County
    • 13,000 acres burned
    • 1750 homes threatened

Texas:

  • State Operations Center (SOC) activate at Level 1 (Emergency Conditions)
  • 3 fatalities / 1 injury
  • 44 fires affecting 16 counties
  • 10 Fire Management Assistance Grants (FMAG) requested, 3 approved and 7 in system.
  • Over 1300 people evacuated (1000 evacuated from Montague County)
  • 600+ acres burned
  • American Red Cross assisting with mass care needs
  • Numerous road closures

Red River Flood Preparations

Federal Response:
FEMA Headquarters

  • FEMA NRCC is at Watch/Steady State, 24/7 (Watch only)
  • National IMAT West redeployed to California.

 Region VIII:

  • RRCC at Watch/Steady State, 6:30 a.m. - 6:30 p.m. MDT   
  • FEMA LNO is deployed to SD OEM providing technical assistance to the State in planning for the second crest in mid-April
  • Denver MERS supporting set up of 4 Disaster Recovery Centers

North Dakota:

  • State EOC activated at Level 1, 24/7
  • IA PDAs completed in 29 counties; Spirit Lake Reservation (Benson/Eddy Counties) has not been scheduled (awaiting State to designate the contact)
  • PA PDA for Standing Rock Reservation (Sioux County) completed
  • Second Red River crest forecast Apr 15-22; expected to equal or exceed previous river crest in Fargo
  • The Grand Forks AFB NLSA will remain open until the second river crest occurs

Region V

  • RRCC at Watch/Steady State, 7:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m. CDT
  • Region V IMAT beginning demobilization from MN SEOC April 10; estimated time of recovery April 11
  • Region V commodities currently at the Grand Forks, ND staging area are being transferred to Dilworth Incident Staging Area

Minnesota:

  • State EOC partially activated 8:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. CDT; State agencies on standby

Flooding and Severe Weather in the South

Heavy rainfall caused widespread flooding over southern Georgia, Alabama, Kentucky, Mississippi and northern Florida on March 26 and continuing. Numerous flood warnings exist throughout the Region

Region IV Concerns / RRCC Status:

  • RRCC - Level III, 7:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m. EDT
  • ESFs 1 and 3 have been activated reporting to the FL DEM for Subject-Matter-Expert and Situational Awareness
  • FEMA LNOs in FL & GA EOC
  • Selected IMAT in Tallahassee, FL to assist State EOC with operations and planning activities
  • Situation Awareness team dispatched to flooded area to serve as liaison with State Management Team
  • States of Emergency declared in MS, AL, GA & FL
  • Flooding will move east and affect the Suwannee River Basin

Georgia

  • EOC activated Level III (Normal Operations)
  • 1 fatality / 2 injuries
  • Voluntary evacuations for flood prone areas:  Brooks, Colquitt, Decatur, Lowndes, Miller, Pierce, Thomas and Tift Counties 
  • All shelters are closed
  • 4 state roads closed due to flooding
  • Joint IA PDAs for 19 counties and PA & SBA PDAs for 39 counties ongoing

Florida

  • FL State EOC operating at Level I, 24 hrs
  • 2 fatalities
  • 2 bridges closed along the Alapha River at SR 6 and US 41 due to flooding
  • US 90 closed at the Suwannee River bridge (Madison and Suwannee County line) due to flooding
  • PA PDAs completed in 8 counties and continuing in 3 counties
  • 6 Joint IA PDA teams currently working in Calhoun, Gadsden, Gulf, Holmes, Jefferson, Santa Rosa, Walton and Washington Counties
  • American Red Cross Preliminary Damage Assessments for homes: 98 major; 95 destroyed
  • FL Governor declared 18 counties disaster areas with 8 more pending declaration
  • 2 shelters are open in Hamilton and Madison with a total population of 8 people

Alabama

  • EOC activated Level III (Partial Activation), 24/7 with select staff
  • 2 fatalities (Houston County)
  • PA PDAs for 20 counties ongoing; IA PDAs for 3 counties scheduled to begin April 14  (FEMA Region IV)

Mt Redoubt

The eruption of Redoubt volcano continues with growth of a lava dome in the summit crater. Small earthquakes and tremors continue.  Satellite image showed a continuous sulfur dioxide gas plume extending for more than 600 miles from the volcano.
Drift River Oil Facility storage tank status; 1 converted to a warehouse, 2 decommissioned, 2 are inactive but operational and 2 contain a mixture of water and oil (hazardous waste). Eventual disposal of the mixture remains an issue to be solved.
The aviation color code ORANGE; alert level WATCH
AVO continues to be staffed 24 hours per day  (USGS/Alaska Volcano Observatory)

Fire Management Assistance Grant (FMAG)

FMAG-2805-TX was requested and issued April 10, 2009 for the Electra West Fire, near Electra, Wichita County, TX. The 1,500 acre fire threatens one hundred plus families.  Three homes and two commercial properties have burned.  The fire is 0% contained.. 

FMAG-2806-TX was requested and issued April 10, 2009 for the Montagu Complex Fire, near Montagu, Montague County, TX. The 25,000 acre fire threatens over 1,000 homes.  The fire burned through the towns of Stoneburg and Sunset, population estimated around 200 each.  There has been three fatalities, and one critical injury.  The fire is 0% contained. 

FMAG-2807-TX was requested and issued April 10, 2009 for the Cement Mountain Fire, near Bryson, Young and Jack County, TX. The 11,500 acre fire threatens over 500 homes.  The fire burned is burning in the town.  The fire is 0% contained. 

FMAG-2808-OK was requested and issued April 10, 2009 for the Midwest Choctaw Fire, near Midwest, Oklahoma County, OK. The 10,000 acre fire threatens 500 homes, with at least 1,000 people evacuated.  The fire is 0% contained.

FMAG-2809-OK was requested and issued April 10, 2009 for the McClain County Fire, near Dibble, McClain County, OK. The 2,400 acre fire threatens over 150 homes.  An unknown number of people in a five square miles area have been evacuated.  The fire is 0% contained.  . (FEMA HQ)

Tropical Weather Outlook

Western Pacific:
No tropical cyclone activity affecting U.S territories in the Western Pacific (NOAA, HPC, National Hurricane Center, Central Pacific Hurricane Center and the Joint Typhoon Warning Center)

Earthquake Activity

On April 10, 2009 at 1:50 a.m. EDT, there was a 4.7 earthquake at a depth of 10 miles and about 154 miles SE of Fairbanks, AK.  There were no reports of damage or injuries.  (USGS, Earthquake Hazards Program, Alaska Earthquake Information Center  and West Coast/Alaska Tsunami Warning Centers)

Preliminary Damage Assessments

No new activity (FEMA HQ)

Disaster Declaration Activity

The President signed a Disaster Declaration, FEMA-1830-DR, for severe storms and flooding in Minnesota March 16, 2009 and continuing. 7 counties are eligible for Public Assistance and Hazard Mitigation, statewide. The FCO will be Michael H. Smith. (FEMA HQ)

Last Modified: Thursday, 04-Jun-2009 16:26:05 EDT