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National Situation Update: Thursday, April 23, 2009

Homeland Security Threat Level: YELLOW (ELEVATED).

Significant National Weather

Northeast
Showers and high-terrain snow (or rain and snow mixed) will impact portions of New England and Upstate NY today, with wind gusts to exceed 30 mph.

West
Rain and mountain snow are expected from the Northern Rockies to the plains of MT today, with strong winds from the Sierra Nevada Mountains into AZ, NV, UT and WY creating a high fire danger in some areas.

Midwest
A cold front will move into the Northern Plains today from the Northwest, producing strong winds through much of the MS Valley and into the western Great Lakes, with temperatures more than 20 degrees above average in parts of NE, SD, MN and IA.
Showers are forecast in ND and MN later today, with showers and thunderstorms possible in the MO and MS Valleys.
Strong southwest winds from the Great Lakes, southwestward into mid-Mississippi Valley and Kansas, will move the warm air farther east Friday.
Rain is forecast in portions of the Upper Midwest tomorrow, with enough cold air present to produce a rain/snow mix in ND, with accumulating snow possible in the Black Hills of SD tomorrow night into Saturday.

South
A few isolated showers and thunderstorms are forecast for today from AR and TN, southeastward into GA.
Gusty winds are expected across TX and OK, with locations very windy through Saturday, to include thunderstorms in central TX.  (National Weather Service, Various media Sources)

Region IV Severe Weather Recovery

Florida State EOC remains at Level II (partial activation) in response to flooding conditions in the Panhandle and Big Bend regions of the state. Most river locations in northern Florida continue to slowly recede; however, major to moderate flood warnings continue along the Santa Fe River, a tributary of the Suwannee River. All locations along the Suwannee River have crested and are receding.

Red River, ND/MN Flood Status

The ND State EOC continues at Full Activation (Level I, 24/7 Operations), but the MN State EOC is not activated.

Flood fighting continuing in Valley City, Jamestown, Lisbon, LaMoure, and the James River and Sheyenne River Basins

The Red River in Fargo, ND/Moorhead, MN is at Major Flood Stage, but is expected to fall to Moderate Flood Stage April 24, 2009.  The Red River in Oslo, MN is at Major Flood Stage, but is expected to fall to Moderate Flood Stage April 25, 2009.

Six (6) Disaster Recovery Centers (DRCs) open in ND and one (1) Mobile Disaster Recovery Center (MDRC) was opened April 22, 2009 in Hendrum, MN

Valley City, ND sewer by-pass in place; water-use restrictions are expected to last 30 days due to river water taxing sewer pump system. (FEMA Regions V & VIII Daily Situational Awareness Reports, April 22, 2009)

James River, SD Flooding

The SD State EOC continues at Level V (Normal Activity, Monitoring Flood Activity), with Flood Warnings remaining in effect for counties along the James River in SD from the north-to-south-boundary line, as Major-to-record-flooding continues.

Flooding along the James River continues and the river crest will move from north-to-south in early-to-mid-May, 2009.  The James River at Redfield may crest at Major Flood Stage on April 26, 2009.  (FEMA Region VIII Daily Situational Report, April 22, 2009)

South Carolina Wildfire

A fire that covers 3, 000 acres is currently uncontained in the Myrtle Beach area, with 30 residents evacuated.

Three (3) homes, two (2) outbuildings, three (3) firefighting vehicles and two (2) personal vehicles have been destroyed.

The fire is being worked by state/local resources, and there are no requests for Federal Assistance at this time.  (Thomasville MOC, April 23, 2009)

Fire Management Assistance Grant (FMAG)

No significant activity. (FEMA HQ)

Tropical Weather Outlook

No new activity (FEMA HQ)

Earthquake Activity

No new activity (FEMA HQ)

Preliminary Damage Assessments

No new activity (FEMA HQ)

Disaster Declaration Activity

The President signed Major Disaster Declaration FEMA-1832-DR for the State of Indiana Wednesday, April 22, 2009 in response to Severe Storms, Tornadoes and Flooding that occurred March 8 - 14, 2009.  Public Assistance, including Direct Federal Assistance, was granted for 13 counties and Hazard Mitigation was approved statewide. (FEMA HQ)

The Governor has requested a Major Disaster Declaration for the State of Alabama as a result of the Wind, Rain, Severe Storms, Hail, Tornadoes, Straight Line Winds, Flash Flooding, and Flooding that occurred April 10 - 13, 2009.  Specifically requested was Individual Assistance for De Kalb, Jackson, and Marshall Counties.  (FEMA HQ)

Amendment # 3 to FEMA-1830-DR-MN adds the counties of Becker, Beltrami, Chippewa, Clearwater, Douglas, Hubbard, Lac Qui Parle, Lake of the Woods, Pope, Stevens, Swift, and Yellow Medicine, as well as the White Earth Tribal Nation, for Public Assistance.  (FEMA HQ)

Last Modified: Thursday, 04-Jun-2009 16:25:30 EDT