National Situation Update: Wednesday, October 7, 2009

Homeland Security Threat Level: YELLOW (ELEVATED).

National Weather

West: Most of the region will be dry under high pressure. A cold front will drop southward across Idaho, Montana and the Dakotas and produce snow and snow showers with several inches of accumulation possible. Temperatures will drop into the 30s behind the front.

Midwest: The front discussed above will continue to push southeastward. By tonight the front will extend from Minnesota southwest to Colorado. Expect scattered rain showers with a few snow showers in the Dakotas and Nebraska. Except for a few morning showers in the Great Lakes and eastern Ohio Valley the rest of the region will be dry.

South: A cold front will trigger scattered precipitation across the Southeast. The front will stall along the Gulf Coast and central Texas producing showers and thunderstorms all day. Isolated thunderstorms are forecast for the Florida Peninsula. Tonight and tomorrow, a developing system will produce widespread precipitation in the southern Plains and northern Texas. Thunderstorms are forecast for Oklahoma and northern Texas. Some areas may see over five inches of rain and localized flooding is possible.

Northeast: The low pressure moving out of the Great Lakes will move across northern sections of New England. Some areas could receive up to an inch of rain. Expect showers and thunderstorms along the cold front extending from the low to the Mid-Atlantic. Areas from the Great Lakes, Pennsylvania, the mid Atlantic, the New England coast and along the ridge of the Appalachians will have westerly winds in the wake of the front. Winds will increase to between 20 and 30 mph this morning with gusts as high as 45 to 50 mph common throughout the day especially over the ridge tops. Expect winds to diminish toward sundown as high pressure builds back into the region. (NOAA's National Weather Service, Various Media Sources)

Tsunami Recovery - American Samoa

On September 29, 2009, at 1:48 p.m. EDT, an 8.0 magnitude undersea earthquake occurred 140 miles southwest of American Samoa generating a tsunami. At approximately 2:25 p.m. EDT a 5.1 ft tsunami wave struck American Samoa causing significant loss of life and injuries, and damage to the coastal area of American Samoa.

FEMA 1859-DR-AS approved on September 29

Federal Response
FEMA Region IX

Regional Response Coordination Center (RRCC) at Level II with Ops, Log, Plans, MA and DoD 24/7 and ESFs 3, 6, 7, 8, 12, and 15 on day shift only; USCG has stood down from the RRCC but continuing to provide support form district offices.

FEMA Headquarters:

Effective Tuesday, October 6 at 12:00 p.m. EDT, the NRCC transitioned to Level III Activation
All ESFs are deactivated; Logistics continues 24/7 coverage until further notice
The NRCC Watch continues to maintain 24 hour situational awareness

Current Situation / Status of Response:

A JFO has been established in Pago Pago. Personnel are in the process of moving equipment over and activating the JFO with full activation expected Thursday, October 8.
Lease agreement for DRC space at Governor H. Rex Lee Auditorium in Utulei, AS submitted to AS Government for review and approval - DRC will open on Oct 8
A village-by-village commodity distribution plan was developed with prioritization based on degree of impact, remoteness, and lack of utilities; currently 8 villages have received temporary housing materials
Families are moving back to homes as commodities distribution expands to more villages
Tents and family packages are being disturbed by American Samoa department of education personnel with ARC support
The power restoration plan developed between USACE and ASPA continues to be refined. Priority generators at the Government Center, Lee Auditorium, and Pago Pago Microfiltration plants have been installed and energized.
Generators to support the eastern district during the initial phase of power system restoration have been ordered and should be delivered in 48 hours; priority generators are installed at 12 locations
Identification and assessments of destroyed facilities are on-going
32 confirmed fatalities; one fatality awaiting confirmation of cause
HHS in process of demobilizing assets in consultation with American Samoa Ministry of Health and FEMA
Red Cross DRO continues to assist clients with health and mental health services and registering clients on the Safe and Well website
Priorities include: transition of citizens from shelters to homes; power restoration; generator support; deliver medical sustenance and complete damage assessments. (Region IX)

Tropical Weather

Atlantic
Tropical Storm Henri
At 5:00 a.m. EDT the center of Tropical Storm Henri was about 460 miles east of the northern Leeward Islands.
Henri is moving toward the west near 14 mph and a westward to west-northwestward motion is expected to continue over the next day or two. On this track the center of Henri and the associated strong winds are expected to pass north of the Lesser Antilles at its closest approach.
Maximum sustained winds have increased to near 50 mph with higher gusts. Little change in strength is expected today however weakening is forecast to begin by tonight. Henri could become a remnant low by Thursday. Tropical storm force winds extend outward up to 70 miles from the center.

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

Central Pacific
No tropical cyclones are expected through Thursday evening

Western Pacific
Tropical Storm 19W (Parma) and Typhoon 20W (Melor) pose no threat to United States territories. (NOAA, HPC, National Hurricane Center, Central Pacific Hurricane Center and the Joint Typhoon Warning Center)

Fire Management Assistance Grant (FMAG)

No activity (FEMA HQ)

Twin Fire - Arizona

FMAG-2840-FM-AZ approved October 3, 2009
921 acres burned; 20% contained
Fire near town of Williams (pop 2,842) on private and Federal land
Estimated containment date is unknown (Region IX, NIFC, FEMA HQ)

Sheep Fire - California

FMAG-2841-FM-CA approved October 4, 2009
7,128 acres burned; 75% contained
Fire located in San Bernardino National Forest near Lytle Creek and town of Wrightwood (pop 4,482) in San Bernardino County
Mandatory evacuations have been lifted
All schools in the Snowline school district will open today
2 shelters open with a population of 40
1 residence and 4 outbuildings destroyed
Estimated containment date is October 8, 2009 (INCI Web, FEMA HQ)

Earthquake Activity

No significant activity (USGS, Earthquake Hazards Program)

Wildfire Update

National Preparedness Level: 2
National Fire Activity as of Tuesday, October 6, 2009:

Initial attack activity: Light (83 new fires)
New large fires: 0
Large fires contained: 2
Uncontained large fires: 6
States affected: CA, WA, AZ, OR, ID, & TX (NIFC)

Disaster Declaration Activity