Skip to content

National Situation Update: Friday, February 5, 2010

Homeland Security Threat Level: YELLOW (ELEVATED).

Significant National Weather

Northeast:
The storm moving out of the Southeast will cause rapidly deteriorating weather in the Mid-Atlantic. New England will remain clear and cold under a ridge of high pressure. Winter storm watches and warnings have been posted across the Mid-Atlantic and Ohio Valley (see www.weather.gov). This morning, heavy snow is spreading northward across Virginia and eastern West Virginia towards southern Pennsylvania and southern New Jersey. By this evening and through tomorrow, a major snowstorm will be underway over the Mid-Atlantic with heavy rains over southeast Virginia. Much of the Mid-Atlantic will receive one to two feet of snow with locally higher amounts. Accumulations will lessen to the north, but New York City and Long Island will see four to eight inches or more if the storm tracks slightly northward. Winds gusting to 25 mph will create near blizzard conditions for inland areas, but coastal areas with winds gusting to 50 mph will see blizzard conditions tonight and tomorrow morning.

South:
The storm will produce mostly rain over the region. Rainfall totals of one to four inches are forecast and localized flooding is expected. Icing from freezing rain will be a problem for the central and southern Appalachians. Tomorrow, the storm will lift northward and then push out to sea; a few showers will linger in the Carolinas, Tennessee, northern Alabama, and Georgia.

Midwest:
The Southern storm will produce a swath of precipitation from the Mid-Mississippi Valley eastward to Ohio and Kentucky. Three to eight inches of snow will fall from Missouri to Ohio. To the north, Wisconsin and southern Michigan will see just an inch or less of new snow. Elsewhere, a surface trough combined with an upper-level disturbance will produce light snow and snow showers across the Northern Plains and Upper Mississippi Valley.

West:
A frontal system moving ashore will produce precipitation along the entire West Coast. The heaviest rain and mountain snow will fall in California and snow will spread inland as far as the Rockies. From northern California to near Los Angeles, at least an inch of rain is possible with some locations receiving four or five inches of rain. A flash flood watch is in effect for parts of Southern California. The recent burn areas are most susceptible to flash flooding. In the mountains, up to a foot of new snow is forecast; snow levels will range from 3,000 feet in the Washington Cascades to 6,000 feet in Southern California, and lowering to 5,000 feet by Saturday. (NOAA’s National Weather Service, The Hydrometeorological Prediction Center and Various media sources)

Mid-Atlantic Winter Weather Preparations

Region III:

  • The RRCC is at Watch/Steady State; 7:00a.m. – 7:00 pm. EST (12/7)
  • The RRCC is monitoring the current weather forecast.
  • West Virginia, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Delaware & the District of Columbia are monitoring the current weather forecast.
  • No request for Federal assistance.

Virginia

  • State EOC is activated to “Response Operations” and will be fully staffed by 8:00 a.m. today.
  • Governor declared a State of Emergency on February 3, 2010.
  • 500 National Guard Troops have been authorized to assist in response efforts.
  • Primary concerns are icing in southwest Virginia and sheltering of stranded motorists.

Severe Winter Weather - January 28 and continuing

Region VI:

  • The RRCC is at Watch/Steady State; 7:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. CST (M-F)
  • Region VI IMAT operational at 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 30,571 customers remain without power; full restoration is expected today, Feb 5, 2010.
  • 8 shelters; 177 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 as a result of severe weather along the border with OK; full power restoration is expected today, Feb 5, 2010.
  • 1 shelter; 7 occupants.
  • All Critical care facilities are no longer on generator power though they are maintaining 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)

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.
  • 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

Fire Management Assistance Grant (FMAG)

No activity (FEMA HQ)

Earthquake Activity

At 3:20 p.m. EST, on February 4, 2010 a magnitude 5.9 earthquake occurred 34 miles west of Petrolia, CA and 224 miles northwest of Sacramento, CA at a depth of 12.6 miles. There have been no reports of injuries or damages. No tsunami has been generated from this earthquake. (FEMA HQ)

Disaster Declaration Activity

Arkansas:
On February 4, 2010, the President signed a Major Disaster Declaration for the State of Arkansas (FEMA-1872-DR) as a result of severe storms and flooding, occurring December 23, 2009 to January 2, 2010. The Declaration provides Public Assistance for 23 counties and Hazard Mitigation statewide. Kevin L. Hannes from the FCO Program has been appointed Federal Coordinating Officer. (FEMA HQ)

Last Modified: Friday, 05-Feb-2010 12:31:08 EST