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National Situation Update: Thursday, February 4, 2010

Homeland Security Threat Level: YELLOW (ELEVATED).

Significant National Weather

West:
A front moving ashore will bring precipitation to Washington, Oregon and dropping as far south as Southern California by tonight. Snow will spread into the intermountain West. The higher terrain of the Sierra Nevada will receive several feet of new snow. A trough dropping into the Plains will bring snow showers to the Rockies and adjacent High Plains. With the low pressure system moving eastward, precipitation will end in New Mexico.

Midwest:
An upper level trough will move through the region producing snow and rain. Today and tonight, snow is expected across the Plains eastward to the Mississippi Valley. Portions of southern Kansas and southern Missouri will receive a rain/snow mixture. Snow showers will continue over much of the region tomorrow and spread eastward to the Ohio River Valley.

South:
A low pressure system just off the Texas coast will move across the region over the next few days. Heavy rain will fall from eastern Texas and Oklahoma to the lower-Mississippi Valley. Isolated flooding is possible along the Gulf Coast, where some places could receive three to four inches of rain. In the colder air to the north, the Texas and Oklahoma panhandles will receive snow or a rain/snow mix.
Tonight the southern Appalachians will experience a severe icing event when rainfall encounters freezing surfaces, resulting in nearly an inch of ice accumulation in the western Carolinas, southwest Virginia and southern West Virginia.

Northeast:
Under high pressure, the region will have mostly sunny skies. Temperatures in New England will be 10 degrees below average. Highs will range from the teens in Northern New England and to the 40s in Virginia.(NOAA’s National Weather Service and Various media sources)

Weekend Winter Storm forecast for the Mid-Atlantic

The low currently over Texas will track eastward and move into the Mid-Atlantic on Friday. Very heavy snow is forecast from the Mid-Atlantic back through the lower Ohio Valley from Friday morning into Saturday evening. Potential snowfall amounts range from 1-2 feet. Gale force winds are expected along the Delmarva and New Jersey coasts on Saturday as the deepening surface low moves east of The Virginia Capes. After the low moves eastward, very cold air pushing southward through the Plains will result in well below normal temps through next week for much of the eastern United States. A Winter Storm Watch remains in effect from Friday morning through Saturday evening; see www.weather.gov/largemap.php for the latest information.(NOAA’s National Weather Service, The Hydrometeorological Prediction Center)

Severe Winter Weather – January 28 and continuing

Region VI:

  • The RRCC is currently at Level III (Partial Activation); 7:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. CST (12/7)
  • Region VI IMAT deployed to the OK EOC.
  • FEMA is providing generator support to OK.

Oklahoma

  • Emergency Declaration FEMA-3308-EM OK was signed Jan 30
  • State EOC activated 7:00 a.m. – 11:00 p.m. with all state ESFs and Region VI IMAT
  • 7 confirmed fatalities.
  • U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Power SME at the OK EOC: 74 Pre-installation Inspections (PII) requested; 44 completed.
  • Approximately 46,470 customers remain without power; full restoration is expected Feb 5, 2010.
  • 11 shelters; 329 occupants.
  • A staging base has been established at Fort Sill; two MDRCs are onsite.
  • FEMA issued 42 generators to the State; 26 generators pending installation. State generator priorities are as follows: 1) Hospitals, 2) Shelters, and 3) Water Systems.

Texas

  • Minimal power outages remain for those customers who are on Oklahoma’s power grid; full power restoration is expected Feb 5, 2010.
  • 1 shelter; 7 occupants.
  • All critical care facilities are no longer on generator power and maintain generators on–site in the event of power loss during repairs. (State EOCs, FEMA Region VI & FEMA HQ)

FEMA Recovery Operations 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.
  • In support of the U.S. Department of State/Agency for International Development (USAID), the Federal Emergency Management Agency has been partnering with US DOD/USTRANSCOM to transport commodities to support Haiti, including more than 1.42 million meals.

Commodities that have been delivered to Rio Haina, Dominican Republic, and Port Au Prince, Haiti, to date, includes roughly:

  • 1.42 million meals
  • 24,365 blankets
  • 767,164 liters of water
  • 94,709 comfort kits
  • 7,645 cots
  • 52,606 tarps
  • 463 rolls of plastic sheeting

Wildland Fire Outlook

February - May 2010

During February, below normal significant fire potential is expected across most of the Southern Area, western Texas, and the eastern half of New Mexico.

For March through May, below normal significant fire potential is expected to expand westward in the Southwest to include all of New Mexico and the eastern half of Arizona. During late April or May, below normal significant fire potential will transition to normal across the Southern Area. Above normal significant fire potential will emerge in northern Wisconsin and portions of eastern Minnesota and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan during April and May. (National Interagency Fire Center Predictive Services)

Fire Management Assistance Grant (FMAG)

No activity (FEMA HQ)

Earthquake Activity

United States:
No significant activity

Haiti Region:
At 12:00 a.m. EST, February 4, 2010 a magnitude 4.6 earthquake occurred approximately 30 miles west of Port-au-Prince, Haiti and approximately 690 miles southeast of Miami, FL at a depth of 6.2 miles. There have been no reports of injuries, damages and no tsunami has been generated from this earthquake. (FEMA HQ)

Disaster Declaration Activity

Oklahoma:
On February 2, 2010, the Governor of Oklahoma requested a major disaster declaration as a result of blizzards, freezing rain, ice storms, and snow storms during the period of December 24-25, 2009. The Governor is specifically requesting Public Assistance for 29 counties and Hazard Mitigation statewide.

New York:
On February 2, 2010, the Governor of New York requested a major disaster declaration as a result of a blizzard during the period of December 18-20, 2009. The Governor is specifically requesting Public Assistance for Nassau and Suffolk counties and Hazard Mitigation statewide.

Last Modified: Friday, 05-Feb-2010 12:23:02 EST