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National Situation Update: Monday, September 28, 2009

Homeland Security Threat Level: YELLOW (ELEVATED).

National Weather

West: A strong cold front will produce precipitation from Washington to northern California. Tomorrow snow levels in the Washington Cascades will drop to 4,500 feet as the front moves inland. Ahead of the front temperatures should continue to run five to 20 degrees above average with readings in the 80s and lower 90s.
Midwest:
A deep low pressure system will produce precipitation and gusty winds around the Great Lakes and Ohio River Valley spreading eastward during the day. Some areas will receive more than one inch of rain during the next 24 hours. In the vicinity of the Great Lakes winds should be 15 to 30 mph sustained with gusts over 40 mph for most areas. Gusts near 60 mph are possible especially in western Lower Michigan. Tomorrow the precipitation will move off the coast, but additional showers are forecast around the Great Lakes.
South:
Except for the southern Appalachians and the Gulf Coast the dry cold front won't produce much precipitation.  However, gusty winds are forecast for many areas. The central and southern Appalachians will have sustained winds of 12 to 22 mph with gusts over 35 mph through Tuesday afternoon. Northern Alabama and northern Georgia should have sustained winds of 10 to 20 mph with occasional gusts to 30 mph.
Northeast:
A strong cold front will move across the region today producing widespread showery precipitation, thunderstorms and gusty winds. The western portions of the region will see sustained winds of 15 to 25 mph with gusts over 40 mph. The windy conditions will spread eastward tomorrow but lessen somewhat. (NOAA's National Weather Service, Various Media Sources)

Southeast Flooding

Georgia:

  • The State Emergency Operations Center is activated to Level II
  • FEMA-1858-DR-GA with 4 amendments provides for IA and PA for 9 counties; IA for 7 counties and Hazard Mitigation statewide
  • Fatalities: 9 (State confirmed)
  • Shelters: 2; population: 191 (Cobb County 185, Cherokee County 6)
  • Boil water advisory has been lifted for Douglas County but remains in effect for the Town of Trion (Chattooga County)
  • The influent pump stations for Heard County and the two Douglasville-Douglas County Wastewater Systems were damaged by the flood and the plants are out of service. Trion's wastewater treatment plant's sludge handling facilities were damaged. The plant is still in operation.
  • 6 roads remain closed
  • 2 bridges in Heard and Douglas counties are closed

Tennessee:

  • State EOC is activated at Level III
  • 1 shelter open with no occupants
  • IA PDAs for two counties (Hamilton and Hardin) are scheduled to begin September 28, 2009

Federal Response:

  • 7 FEMA LNOs are deployed to the Georgia EOC
  • 5 MDRCs deployed to Georgia
  • Region IV RRCC is activated at Level III from 7:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m. EDT, 24/7 Watch
  • All requests for IA PDAs have been completed. Five PDA teams are in the field.
  • Joint Teams conducted PA Preliminary Damage Assessments Saturday in the following (9) counties: Cherokee, Crawford, Dawson, Dekalb, Forsyth, Fulton, Newton, Rockdale and Taylor.
  • NRCC remains at a Watch/Steady State Status, 24/7 Watch

California Wildfires

Station Fire

  • 160,577 acres burned; 98% contained
  • Fire Commander will not declare containment until interior hotspots are extinguished
  • FMAG-2830-FM-CA approved August 28, 2009

Guiberson Fire

  • Guiberson Canyon between Fillmore and Moorpark; Ventura County
  • 17,500 acres burned; 100%  contained
  • 10 injuries (first responders); no fatalities
  • All evacuation orders and road closures have been lifted
  • One (1) outbuilding destroyed
  • FMAG-2839-FM-CA approved September 22, 2009  (Region IX, NIFC)

Fire Management Assistance Grant (FMAG)

No activity (FEMA HQ)

Tropical Weather Outlook

Atlantic / Eastern Pacific
Tropical cyclone formation is not expected during the next 48 hours.

Central Pacific
A center of low pressure about 700 miles south southeast of Hilo, Hawaii is moving west at about 10 miles an hour. This feature has only a low chance of developing into a tropical cyclone, but will be monitored.

Western Pacific
Tropical Depression 18W
At 5:00 am EDT the center of Tropical Depression 18W was about 700 miles east-southeast of Guam. A Tropical Storm Watch remains in effect for Guam and Rota. Guam is at Condition of Readiness (COR) 3. COR 3 means damaging winds of 39-57 MPH are expected within 48 hours. Tropical Depression 18W is moving to the west-southwest at around 7 mph. A gradual turn toward the west then west-northwest is expected during the next 24 hours. Maximum sustained winds are 35 mph. Tropical Depression 18W is expected to slowly intensify over the next 24 hours and could become a Tropical Storm during the next 24 hours. Based on the current forecast track Tropical Depression 18W will pass about 30 miles south of Guam early Wednesday morning (EDT). Region IX has a liaison in the Guam EOC and additional personnel are expected to arrive later today. The Region IX IMAT has been notified, but is not deployed.

Typhoon 17W (Ketsana) and Tropical Depression 19W
These systems are not expected to affect U.S. Territories. (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)

Wildfire Update

National Preparedness Level:  2
National Fire Activity as of Sunday, September 27, 2009:

  • Initial attack activity:  Light (72 new fires)
  • New large fires:  2
  • Large fires contained:  3
  • Uncontained large fires:  7
  • States affected:  CA, OR, NV, ID, MT, and WY (NIFC)

Disaster Declaration Activity

No new activity (FEMA HQ)

Last Modified: Monday, 28-Sep-2009 08:07:21 EDT