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National Situation Update: Wednesday, January 20, 2010

Homeland Security Threat Level: YELLOW (ELEVATED).

Significant National Weather

West                                                        
The West Coast storm that moved in Tuesday will produce significant rain and snow over the intermountain west and the desert southwest. A powerful pair of storms will impact the California and Oregon coasts today and Thursday producing more wind, rain, and snow, mainly from central California north to southern Oregon. A low pressure system may set record low barometric pressures across California.

The possibility exists for very strong, damaging winds, very heavy rain, and mountain snow to most of California, southern Nevada, southern Utah, and all of Arizona by this evening, due to tropical moisture from the low pressure system. Parts of Arizona may see extensive flooding and wind damage Thursday night into Friday. A rare Blizzard Watch has been issued for the higher elevations around Tucson, Arizona, from Thursday into Friday.

Northeast
Parts of eastern Maine will see a significant snowfall through much of today as a storm system grows stronger offshore. Accumulations of 6 to 12 inches are possible in eastern Maine, with 3 to 6 inches in western and far northern Maine, through Wednesday. Some light rain will spread into southwestern Virginia. More significant rain will move northward through Virginia Thursday and Thursday night.

South
A low pressure system will move eastward from the southern Plains to the Tennessee Valley today, causing rain to move eastward. Thunderstorms are expected along the Gulf Coast from eastern Texas through southern Mississippi. Some of the thunderstorms may turn severe, producing damaging winds and hail during the late afternoon and evening.

Rain will increase over the Mississippi Valley along with thunderstorms this evening. This activity will move into the southern Appalachians, northern Alabama, and northern Georgia by Thursday morning.
Heavy rain is predicted Thursday through the Carolinas, with a line of strong to severe thunderstorms moving through southern Georgia and northern Florida. Late Thursday, another line of possibly strong to severe thunderstorms may form over southern Tennessee and central Alabama and then move into Georgia before weakening during the late evening.

Midwest
Freezing rain is predicted this morning over eastern Nebraska, Iowa, central Illinois, and northern Illinois, causing icing on roadways, trees, and power lines. Heavy rain will continue through the morning hours today, especially over Iowa, with up to 1/2 inch of ice accretion possible. Power outages and falling tree limbs are possible. Freezing rain will taper off by this afternoon as temperatures rise. Rain is predicted over eastern Kansas, Missouri, and into the Ohio Valley, while the rest of the Midwest remains dry. Locally heavy rain is predicted over the Ohio Valley on Thursday. Patches of light snow or freezing drizzle is possible across portions of southern Minnesota, Iowa, southern Wisconsin, and northern Illinois during the day with the possibility of some light accumulation of snow or ice.  (NOAA, National Weather Service and Media Sources) 

California

Tornadoes were reported to have touched down near Santa Barbara and Orange Counties. Other strong wind gusts were reported across California, causing numerous power outages. 
Squaw Valley Ski Resort reported 6 to 12 inches of snow overnight.  North Tennant in Siskiyou County (near the Oregon border) reported 7 inches of snow in just six hours. The highest storm total reported as of early Tuesday afternoon was 34 inches at Kirkwood, in the Sierra Nevada Mountains south of Lake Tahoe.

The Cal EMA Southern Region Emergency Operations Center (SREOC) and the State Operation Center (SOC) were activated on Tuesday and will re-activate at 8:00 a.m. PST Wednesday. Several local and county EOCs are activated or will activate Wednesday morning as well. The La Canada/Flintridge area in Los Angeles County has up to 500 homes that are expected to be under a mandatory evacuation order by 9:00 a.m. PST Wednesday.  A shelter will open to receive evacuees.

The California Utilities Emergency Association (CUEA) reported approximately 28,000 customers without power. The major affected areas include Moreno Valley (4,000 customers), Huntington Beach (3,000 customers), and various smaller areas.  CUEA assigned a representative to the SREOC and the SOC. Pacific Gas & Electric (PG & E) reported approximately 20,000 customers remain without power in the San Francisco Bay area and 7,850 remain without power in the Santa Cruz and Monterey areas.

The potential for flash flooding and debris flows exists in saturated locations, due to fast rises in unregulated streams and creeks, especially in recent burn areas.  There is the potential for significant rises on the San Diego River late Wednesday and early Thursday, with possible main stem flooding problems in the north later in the week.

High winds are predicted along the coast and mountains at 25 to 40 mph with gusts up to 60 to 70 mph.  Gusts in the Sierra Nevada could reach 75 to 100 mph from Wednesday through Thursday morning.  In the Central Valley, sustained winds of 25 to 35 mph are expected with gusts up to 50 to 55 mph.

Update - Response and Recovery in Haiti (7.0 Earthquake)

The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance (OFDA) is the lead U.S. Government (USG) office responsible for providing humanitarian assistance in response to international emergencies and disasters.

FEMA elements active in Haiti include the National Incident Management Assistance Team West (N-IMAT-West), MERS, and support staff.

Six U.S. Urban Search and Rescue (US&R) teams consisting of 516 personnel and 12 vehicles remain in Haiti.  These six teams are part of an international force of 43 US&R teams and over 1,700 personnel – according to the United Nations.

Mobile Emergency Response Support (MERS) personnel and equipment continue to assist operations.

The Incident Support Base (ISB) Team from FEMA Region IV, supported by 3 IMAT personnel from FEMA Region V, continues working with USAID to stage resources from ISB Homestead, FL for deployment to Haiti. 

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 Governor of New Jersey requested a Major Disaster Declaration as a result of snowstorm and record/near record snow beginning on December 19, 2009. The Governor is specifically requesting Public Assistance for nine counties and Hazard Mitigation statewide.  (FEMA HQ) 

Last Modified: Wednesday, 20-Jan-2010 11:05:52 EST