Skip to content

National Situation Update: Friday, April 24, 2009

Homeland Security Threat Level: YELLOW (ELEVATED).

Significant National Weather

West
Snow and rain is expected across ID, MT and WY today, along with showers and scattered thunderstorms from WY to NV, with the heaviest snow to fall across MT and WY, where 6-to-12-inches are expected; the snow will then spread into the Black Hills of SD by tonight.
The Southwest will be windy ahead of the storm front, with wind gusts of 40-to-50-mph.
Tomorrow, accumulating snow and rain will shift southward through WY while showers and mountain snow will move from east-central NV to CO and gusty winds will remain across AZ, NM and CO.
On Sunday, the next weather system will enter the Northwest, bringing more rain and snow into ID, MT and WY.

Midwest
A cold front will affect the Upper Midwest and northern Plains today, where rain will change to (or mix with) snow across the Dakotas.
Severe thunderstorms with hail, damaging winds and isolated tornadoes are expected over MN and WI, through IA and into NE, with much of the Plains and Midwest to receive winds gusting up to 40 mph at times.
Temperatures today will be 15-to-25-degrees above average across much of the region, but as much as 5 to 20 degrees below average in the Dakotas, with highs in the upper 30s-and-40s across ND.
The cold front is forecast to stall over the weekend, resulting in heavy rain and strong thunderstorms; rainfall from KS to MI could be locally as high as 3-to-5-inches.
Showers, possibly mixing with snow at times, will continue over the northern Plains and Upper Midwest, where the Black Hills could see from 12-to-18-inches of snow.
On April 27, the stalled front will continue to be a focus for torrential downpours and strong thunderstorms, particularly over KS and MO.

South
Thunderstorms are forecast from TX to the Southern Plains, and parts of the southern Appalachians through the weekend; winds will be gusty across TX and OK.
An easterly wind flow across southern FL is expected to bring showers over the Atlantic beaches.
Tomorrow and April 27, thunderstorms (some severe and with locally heavy rain) will be on the increase across OK, TX and AR.
April 28 - 29, thunderstorms will continue to develop over the southern Plains and expand eastward into the TN Valley, while parts of OK may see at least 4-to-6-inches of rain over the entire event.

Northeast
An isolated thunderstorm may erupt in the Appalachians from western NY to WV and VA.
Tomorrow, a few isolated thunderstorms from WV to central-and-southern-New England are also expected to occur.
Temperatures Saturday will be 15-to-30-degrees above average and several daily records may be set.
From April 26 - 28, scattered showers and thunderstorms are forecast for northern NY and northern New England.  (National Weather Service, Various media Sources)

Region IV Severe Weather Recovery

The AL EOC remains at Level III (Partial Activation; 24/7 with select staff), in response to Severe Storms and Flooding (March 25, 2009) and Severe Storms and Tornadoes (April 10, 2009).  The FL State EOC remains at Level II (Partial Activation), in response to flooding conditions in the Panhandle/Big Bend regions of the state.  Most river locations in northern FL continue to slowly recede. (FEMA Region IV Daily Situational Awareness Report, April 23, 2009)

Red River, ND/MN Flood Status

The ND State EOC continues at Full Activation (Level I, 24/7 Operations), with flood fighting continuing in Valley City, Jamestown, Lisbon, LaMoure, and James River and Sheyenne River Basins.

The Red River in Fargo, ND/Moorhead, MN is at Moderate Flood Stage and falling as of 7:00 p.m. EDT, April 24, 2009.  (NWS AHPS, 7:00 p.m. EDT, April 24; FEMA Regions V & VIII Daily Situational Awareness Reports, April 22, 2009)

South Carolina Wildfire

The SC State EOC is at Level II (Full Activation) with EMD, ESFs 1, 4, 5, 6, 8 and 19 activated; FEMA State Liaison pre-identified.

The US Coast Guard (USCG) closed the Intracoastal Waterway in the area affected.

A State of Emergency was declared by the Governor for Horry County; a Mutual Aid and Firefighter Compact was activated with NC and the SC State Urban Search and Rescue Regional Response Team is deployed.

10 trucks and 75 State Forestry Service personnel are assisting in firefighting efforts.

The fire covers approximately 15,500 acres and is currently 10% contained, with containment forecast for April 25, 2009.

2,500 residents were evacuated, as well as three (3) schools.

69 were homes, three (3) firefighting vehicles and two (2) personal vehicles were destroyed; 100 structures were damaged.

Three (3) shelters are open, with 440 occupants.

The SC National Guard is providing five (5) soldiers (SAD) and one (1) UH-60L with bambi bucket, with an additional four (4) additional UH-60s requested from North Carolina.  (FEMA Region IV SPOTREP #5, 8:35 p.m. EDT, April 23; NIFC SITREP, 8:00 a.m. EDT, April 23) 

Swine Flu Outbreak

The United States Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), reports seven (7) confirmed cases of Swine Influenza in the US; five (5) in CA and two (2) in TX; the five (5) cases in CA are a new subtype, H1N1 Swine Influenza.

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Office of Health Affairs (OHA), reports that over the past 2 - 3 weeks, approximately 120 - 130 cases of respiratory illness in Mexico have occurred that reportedly resulted in 20 deaths.

The US Government possesses seven (7) sample swabs from Mexican patients, with six (6) of the seven (7) swabs testing positive for H1N1 Swine Influenza, raising the level of concern to a Public Health Event.

The CDC, State and Local Authorities are aggressively monitoring the epidemiological patterns of transmission. (HHS Operations Center, DHS NOC Phase One Incident Report #0655-09, 12:59 a.m. EDT, April 24)

Fire Management Assistance Grant (FMAG)

FEMA 2816-FM-SC was approved at 8:21 p.m. EST, April 23, 2009 for the Highway 31 Fire in Horry County, SC.  This fire encompasses 15,000 acres land, with 10 percent containment.  The fire is threatening the Myrtle Beach subdivisions of Barefoot Landing (1,700 residents) and Pelican Bay (250 residents.  The fire is moving towards the Intracoastal Waterway.  There is an Incident Command set up, with 10 trucks, 6 UH-60s (four with bambi buckets), 2 C-130s and 75 SC Forestry Service firefighters assisting.  (FEMA HQ)

Tropical Weather Outlook

No new activity (FEMA HQ)

Earthquake Activity

No significant activity. (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 Governor of Oklahoma requested a Major Disaster Declaration as result of Severe Urban and Rural Wildfires that occurred April 9 - 12, 2009.  Specifically requested was Individual Assistance for Carter, Cleveland, Grady, Lincoln, McClain, Murray, Oklahoma, Payne, and Stephens Counties and Hazard Mitigation statewide.

On April 23, 2009 the President of the United States approved FEMA-1833-DR-GA for Severe Storms, Flooding, Tornadoes, and Straight-line Winds from March 26, 2009 and continuing.  Individual Assistance was approved for 17 counties, Public Assistance for 18 counties and Hazard Mitigation statewide.  The FCO is Terry L. Quarles.  (FEMA HQ)

Last Modified: Thursday, 04-Jun-2009 16:25:29 EDT