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National Situation Update: Thursday, October 1, 2009

Homeland Security Threat Level: YELLOW (ELEVATED).

National Weather

West:
Cool and dry high pressure is building over the Great Basin. This morning, the frontal system moving into the Plains will produce snow or a rain/snow mix in portions of Colorado and Wyoming. High temperatures will be 10 to 20 degrees below average through much of the Intermountain West, Rockies and the adjacent High Plains. Temperatures will range from the 30s in the mountains to the 50s in the Plains. Behind the front gusty winds are forecast for eastern Montana, Wyoming, Colorado and New Mexico. Santa Ana winds are forecast in Southern California. Wind gusts in the mountains, canyons and passes will be over 50 mph. Temperatures will warm into the 80s and 90s which will lead to lower humidity and an increased fire danger.
Midwest:
The strong frontal system will produce a broad swath of precipitation from the Dakotas to the Mid Mississippi Valley and south to Texas. Severe thunderstorms (gusty winds, hail and tornadoes) are possible along the front from Missouri to Texas. Wind gusts to 60 mph are possible from southeast Wyoming to northwest Nebraska. The precipitation will spread eastward into the Great Lakes and Ohio Valley overnight.
South:
The cold front will bring showers and severe thunderstorms to Texas as discussed above. The system will move southeastward into Louisiana and Mississippi tonight. High pressure will keep the remainder of the region dry except for a few showers in south Florida from the stationary front. The front will continue moving eastward tomorrow, bringing scattered showers and storms to the Southeast and the Gulf Coast.
Northeast:
Under high pressure most of the region will be cool and dry. High temperatures will reach only into 40s and 50s - some 10 degrees below average. The low pressure system over eastern Canada will produce scattered showers over Upstate New York and northern New England. Some mountain locations could see some light snow. Mostly sunny skies are in the forecast from southern New England to the Mid-Atlantic. Rain is in the forecast for tomorrow and Saturday from the system moving out of the Midwest. (NOAA's National Weather Service, Various Media Sources)

Tsunami Strikes American Samoa

  • A magnitude 8.0 earthquake struck at 1:48 pm EDT Tuesday, Sep 29, 2009 approximately 125 miles southwest of American Samoa.

Federal Response

FEMA Headquarters:

  • FEMA NRCC is at Level 1 (24/7) with selected Emergency Support Functions (ESFs)

Region IX:

  • RRCC at Level 1 (24/7) with all ESF

Airlift:

  • FEMA Region IX is responsible for setting priority of cargo and passenger flow to the island. A USCG C-130 landed this morning with assessment teams, medical supplies, food, shelter and LNO from JFHQ-HI who has been in touch with the Army Reserve unit on the island.
  • The first C-17, arrived from Hawaii with 46 HING members from the Medical and Search and Extraction elements of the Hawaii CERF-P and members of the C2 Communications.
  • The second aircraft is scheduled to depart at 0100 EDT on October 1, 2009 with primarily FEMA assets containing food and water from storage facilities on Hawaii. HING will have approximate 6 members on the aircraft. 
  • The third aircraft is scheduled to depart at 0300 EDT on October 1, 2009. This aircraft will include 20 HING members from the CERF-P Search and Extraction Team and Mortuary Affairs along with supplies. 

Status of Response:

  • There are seven shelters open with 907 occupants.
  • The roads have been cleared, but the bridge to Leone has temporary shoring to allow for emergency vehicles.
  • The power for the eastern district is unresolved and will require significant ESF-12 support with an estimated time of completion of 30 days.
  • The water to the eastern district is terminal due to power shortages, but the majority of the water on island is flowing, but there are some water pressure issues.
  • The hospital is still at capacity, but holding strong; they are purchasing distilled water for dialysis and lab work from local businesses.
  • The medication list submitted to Region IX is being filled in total by ESF-8 and should begin arriving today.
  • Schools in the western district will begin opening later today.
  • There are no fuel shortages being reported. (Region IX, FEMA HQ)

Southeast Flooding

Current Situation

  • Recovery efforts in the Atlanta metro area continue.

Federal Response

HQ FEMA:

  • FEMA NRCC is at Level 1 (24/7) with selected Emergency Support Functions due to the tsunami in American Samoa.
  • The NRCC continues to monitor the situation.

FEMA Region IV:

  • RRCC Status:  Level III from 7:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m. EDT. The Watch Unit is at 24/7
  • Region IV has seven (7) LNO's in the GEMA EOC; FCO, Dep. FCO, Operations Chief, IA PDA coordinator, PA and SBA.
  • Joint FEMA, GEMA and local government officials continue conducting preliminary damage assessments.
  • PA PDAs have been completed in 17 counties and 6 are ongoing.
  • Disaster Recovery Centers: 13 DRCs are operational

Critical Infrastructure (CI) Key Resources (KR)

Georgia

  • Wastewater:
    • 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.

State and Local Agencies

Georgia:

  • The State Emergency Operations Center is activated to Level II.
  • Fatalities Reported To Date: 10 Fatalities in total
  • Shelters: 181 Total Residents Remain in 3 Shelters (ARC )

Fire Management Assistance Grant (FMAG)

No activity (FEMA HQ)

Joint Field Office (JFO)

16 Joint Field Offices are supporting 20 Major Disaster Declarations and 4 Emergency Declarations.

Tropical Weather Outlook

Atlantic

  • Tropical cyclone formation is not expected during the next 48 hours.

Eastern Pacific

  • Showers and thunderstorms associated with a broad area of low pressure located about 500 miles southwest of the southern tip of Baja California have decreased during the past few hours. However, it is still possible that a tropical depression could form during the next day or so before environmental conditions become less favorable for development. There is a high chance (greater than 50 percent) of this system becoming a tropical cyclone during the next 48 hours.

Central Pacific

  • No tropical cyclones are expected through Friday evening.

Western Pacific
Typhoon 20W (Melor)
At 2:00 am EDT the center of Typhoon 20W was located about 520 miles east of Guam.
Typhoon 20W (Melor) is moving northwest at 7 mph. movement along this track with a slight increase in speed is expected during the next 12 to 24 hours.
A Typhoon Watch remains in effect for Rota, Tinian and Saipan. A typhoon watch means typhoon conditions including winds of 74 mph or more are possible within 48 hours.
A Tropical Storm Watch remains in effect for Guam. A tropical storm watch means tropical storm conditions including winds of 39 to 73 mph are possible within 48 hours.
Maximum sustained winds are 75 mph. Typhoon 20W is expected to continue intensifying during the next 24 to 48 hours.
Typhoon force winds extend outward up to 20 miles from the center. Tropical storm force winds extend outward up to 100 miles from the center.
Based on the current warning this system will be at typhoon strength and pass just north of the island of Saipan early Saturday morning (EDT) October 3, 2009.
Guam is in to Condition of Readiness (COR) 4. COR 4 (normal day to day activities) and monitoring the storm.

Super Typhoon 19W (Parma)
Super Typhoon 19W (Parma) is 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 significant activity in the Continental United States, Alaska or Hawaii. (USGS, Earthquake Hazards Program)

Wildfire Update

National Preparedness Level:  2
National Fire Activity as of Wednesday, September 30, 2009:

  • Initial attack activity:  Light (67 new fires)
  • New large fires:  5
  • Large fires contained:  4
  • Uncontained large fires:  6
  • States affected:  CA, OR, MT, WY and ID (NIFC)

Disaster Declaration Activity

On September 30, 2009, FEMA-1860-DR was declared for Kansas as a result of severe storms and flooding that occurred July 8-14. Public Assistance (Categories A and B) for five counties, and Hazard Mitigation for all counties in the state of Kansas have been authorized. The FCO will be Michael R. Scott.

FEMA-1858-DR-GA Amendment #6 added two counties for Public Assistance, including direct Federal assistance (already designated for Individual Assistance). 5 counties for Public Assistance, including direct Federal Assistance (FEMA HQ)

Last Modified: Thursday, 01-Oct-2009 06:29:37 EDT