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National Situation Update: Sunday, February 7, 2010

Homeland Security Threat Level: YELLOW (ELEVATED).

Significant National Weather

Midwest:
A new storm system developing in the region will bring snow from the Dakotas to Minnesota and south to Kansas before moving into the Great Lakes and Ohio Valley on Tuesday.  6 to 9 inches of snow and sleet is forecast to impact the area by Monday evening. In central Iowa, up to 8 inches of snow and wind gusts near 15 to 30 mph are expected. On Monday evening central Indiana will see up to 6 inches of new snow and gusty winds.

West:
Heavy rain and accumulating snow will continue this morning in the southern Sierra and Southern California mountains. Portions of Utah, northern Arizona, Colorado and New Mexico are under Winter Storm Warning through Monday. Higher elevations of southern Utah and southwestern areas of Colorado may receive 1 to 2 feet of snow. In the Mohave, above 5,500 feet, 8 to 16 inches of snow are expected today.  Flash flood warnings have been extended in the recent burn areas of southern California through evening.

Northeast:
Much of the region will remain dry with light snow, less than an inch, possible in northern New England. Coastal areas of New York and New England may experience light snow and strong wind gusts.

South:
Periods of snow, mixed with rain are forecast for Oklahoma and the Texas panhandle.
Rain will continue from the southern Plains to the lower Mississippi Valley and could exceed an inch across northeast Texas and Arkansas.   (NOAA’s National Weather Service, the Hydro meteorological Prediction Center and Various media sources)

Mid-Atlantic Winter Storm February 5 - 7, 2010

FEMA Region II

  • RRCC Level IV-Watch/Steady State; Watch 24/7. Returning to 12/7 on Monday Feb 8
  • RRCC is monitoring the current weather conditions.
  • 1 liaison is deployed to the New Jersey State EOC
  • No request for Federal assistance

New Jersey

  • NJROIC is at Level III; NJOEM is providing support personnel.
  • 3 county EOCs are activated; 22 local States of Emergency have been declared.
  • 72,500 customers without power (Atlantic Electric)
  • 9 shelters are open; 863 occupants as of 6:00 p.m.

FEMA Region III

  • RRCC is at Level III (24/7 Operations, Plans, Logistics and Watch); Watch 24/7.
  • State Liaison Officer (SLO) deployed the State EOCs of VA, WV, DE & MD.
  • No requests for Federal assistance

Virginia

  • Governor declared a State of Emergency for the Commonwealth on February 3, 2010.
  • EOC is activated at “Response Operations” and is fully staffed.
  • 21 county EOCs are activated.
  • Airport terminals at Dulles International and Reagan National are open; airfields closed overnight for snow removal
  • 100,000 customers are without power as of midnight; restoration date is unknown.
  • 26 shelters open; 112 occupants
  • Damages:
  • Buildings collapsed in Tazewell and Pulaski Counties. No injuries reported
  • Manassas Regional Airport reports a total collapse of an aircraft hangar.
  • No major hospitals affected; Two nursing homes (Alexandria), two 911 centers and two jails (Pittsylvania and Covington Counties) are on backup generators. (VEOC SITREP #4)
  • No request for Federal assistance

West Virginia

  • SEOC is fully activated.
  • Governor has declared a State of Emergency for the entire state on February 5, 2010.
  • 50,000 customers are reported without power statewide as of 0045; total restoration date is unknown.
  • 12 shelters are open with 59 occupants

Pennsylvania

  • EOC is activated at Level II
  • All airports are operational; airfields closed overnight for snow removal
  • Governor declared a State of Emergency for the entire Commonwealth on Feb 6, 2010
  • 114,000 customers without power as of midnight;
  • 3 shelters open; 9 occupants. 5 warming centers are open; 55 occupants
  • No hospitals under emergency power; 2 senior care facilities on backup power (Region III SITREP p.m. Edition)

Maryland

  • SEOC is at Level III; ESFs 6, 8 & 13 are activated, with 1 & 9 alerted.
  • Governor issued a Declaration of Emergency for the entire state on February 5, 2010.
  • 124,000 customers are reported without power as of midnight; total restoration date is unknown.
  • 3 county EOCs are activated; 8 local States of Emergency have been declared
  • 3 Shelters open in Montgomery, Charles and Kent Counties; 13 occupants. 1 warming center is open in Cecil County
  • Airport terminals at BWI are open; airfields closed overnight for snow removal
  • Damages: Roof collapse of a church in Baltimore occurred with no injuries
  • No hospitals under emergency power (MEMA SITREP #8)

Delaware

  • SEOC is fully activated 24/7 through Monday, Feb 8
  • Governor has declared a State of Emergency for the entire state on February 5, 2010.
  • 5 shelters open: 80 occupants. 4 additional shelters will open in Kent and Sussex Counties
  • 38,200 customers without power; restoration expected to take several days
  • No hospitals under emergency power

District of Columbia

  • DC HSEMA is partially activated with additional staff and select ELO’s. (Region III SITREP p.m. Edition)
  • Mayor declared a Snow Emergency across the District on February 5, 2010.
  • 195,000 customers without power (open source)

California Mudslides - Feb 5-7, 2010

Region IX

  • As a result of heavy rains causing debris flow and mudslides, several communities along the southern boundary of last summer’s Station Fire burn area in Los Angeles County were ordered to evacuate their home early Friday.
  • Rainfall totals from stations in the vicinity of the Station Fire burn area (Los Angeles County Mountains and Foothills) ranged from 1 ½ to nearly 4 inches with many locations reporting more that 2 ½ inches. Rains fell at a rate of up to ½ inch per hour during storm passage.
  • The rainfall triggered mudslides and debris flows damaging more than 40 homes and 25 vehicles. Damage was reported to range from light to moderate to major. The communities affected included Antelope Valley and Acton, La Canada Flintridge, La Crescenta, Sierra Madre and Altadena. In La Canada Flintridge, in the foothills near the burn area of Station wildfire, a hillside reportedly gave way causing mud to flow into homes.
  • Mandatory evacuations were ordered for many residents of La Crescenta, La Canada Flintridge, and Acton. Affected residents were notified through Alert LA County and by door-to-door notification by LA County Sheriff’s Deputies.
  • The evacuations were ordered as a safety precaution following predictions of heavy rain fall later in the day Friday and Saturday.
  • After evaluating the weather, the flood control systems and roadway access of the foothill communities, the incident commanders lifted the mandatory evacuations Saturday night for La Crescenta, Acton and La Canada Flintridge. Evacuations remained in place for some communities still at risk of mud slides.
  • No deaths or major injuries have been reported. However, media reported that 6,600 residents were without power.
  • The American Red Cross established shelters in La Canada, Acton and Sierra Madre.
  • There has been no request for Federal assistance

Severe Winter Weather Recovery - January 28 and continuing

Region VI: 

  • RRCC is at Watch/Steady State; 7:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. CST (M-F)
  • Region VI IMAT has demobilized.
  • FEMA is providing generator support to OK.

Oklahoma

  • Emergency Declaration FEMA-3308-EM OK was signed Jan 30
  • State EOC has returned to normal operations 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. 
  • 7 confirmed fatalities.
  • 12,108 customers remain without power; full restoration date is unknown.
  •  5 shelters/173 occupants.
  • 2 MDRCs are located at the Fort Sill staging base.
  • FEMA has provided 75 generators; 1 pending assessment/installation.

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

Tropical Weather Outlook

No new activity (FEMA HQ)

Earthquake Activity

  • A 5.6 magnitude earthquake followed by a 5.1 magnitude aftershock occurred at 3:32 a.m. and 3:52 a.m. EST approximately 175 miles SW of American Samoa at a depth of 19.6 and 18.8 miles respectively.
  • No damage or injuries reported and no Tsunami was generated (FEMA HQ)

Preliminary Damage Assessments

No new activity (FEMA HQ)

Disaster Declaration Activity

No new activity (FEMA HQ)

Last Modified: Monday, 08-Feb-2010 14:32:00 EST