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National Situation Update: Tuesday, March 16, 2010

Homeland Security Threat Level: YELLOW (ELEVATED).

Significant National Weather

West:
A cold front moving into the Pacific Northwest today will bring light rain from Washington to northern most California. Midweek, the front will move throughout the Northwest ending in showers along the West Coast, but bringing showers over the northern Rockies. Thursday and Friday, snow, rain and colder air will move into the Rockies and high Plains.
Midwest:
Several upper-level disturbances will move southward through the eastern Plains and Mississippi Valley, producing scattered light showers from eastern Minnesota and western Wisconsin to Missouri. Warm temperatures across the Midwest will accelerate the melting of any residual snow. Rivers across the eastern Dakotas and Iowa are moving into major flood stage. Thursday and Friday, a cold front will move across the region from the Great Lakes to Kansas, bringing rain north of the front, especially over the Plains. The rain will begin to change to snow over South Dakota and western Nebraska as colder air arrives. The storm and rain will then move southward and eastward into Missouri, Lower Michigan and the Ohio Valley over the weekend.
South:
A small storm will move into the Gulf today bringing showers in Texas. Temperatures will range from near average to as much as 15 degrees below average in the south. Wednesday into Thursday, a Gulf stream system will move eastward across Florida and form a storm off the Southeast Coast. Several dry upper-level systems will move southward from the Plains into the Lower Mississippi Valley and Southeast, which will bring some showers for the Southeast region. Friday, a new storm moving out of the Rockies will bring showers to Oklahoma and the Texas panhandle. Ahead of a cold front, showers and thunderstorms will move eastward into the lower Mississippi Valley on Saturday and into the Southeast on Sunday.
Northeast:
Rivers will start to recede this week, although it will take some time for the rivers to recede in southern New England, where the rain has continued for a longer period of time. The region will experience mild temperatures through Saturday. Sunday, a storm from out of the Midwest may possibly bring more rain to the region. (NOAA’s National Weather Service, Hydro Meteorological Prediction Center, and various media sources) 

East Coast Flooding

Federal Actions:
FEMA’s Response Watch Center is monitoring.
Region I activated to Level III.
Region II LNO deployed to the West Virginia EOC.
Region III Joint State/Federal Individual Assistance and Public Assistance PDAs are ongoing in West Virginia; the PDAs are a result o f this past weekend’s flooding event.  There have been no requests for Federal assistance.\

Northeast Flooding

 The rain of the past few days had finally come to an end across most of New England. However, many of the smaller rivers and streams remain in minor to moderate flood. There are also a few of the small and mid-sized rivers and streams that have yet to crest. The Charles River in Medway, MA the Ipswich River in Ipswich, MA and the Taunton River in Bridgewater, MA have yet to crest. The flood warning for streams and small rivers has been extended into Tuesday morning.

Widespread flooding, some of it moderate to major, will continue through Tuesday across much of
eastern Massachusetts and Rhode Island. The rain has ended across the Merrimack basin this evening and is exiting Rhode Island and southeast Massachusetts.

The Pawtuxet River at Cranston, RI which is in record flood has recently crested and will begin a slow recession. The Shawsheen River also in record flood is cresting and will begin to slowly recede toward daybreak.

Midwest Flooding

Region VIII
RRCC activated to Level III. The Region continues to closely monitor the potential for major flooding for the Dakotas. Eleven member IMAT team deployed to South Dakota to support spring flooding; advanced planning. Fifteen member IMAT team deployed to North Dakota to manage FEMA-3309-EM-ND. Denver MERS communication support will be en route to Bismarck, ND later today, March 16. FEMA logistics is preparing to establish an Incident Support Base (ISB) in Grand Forks, ND. ND will be requiring support for 20,000 people for five days along with generators and shuttle drivers.

FEMA and NOAA Renew Partnership to Encourage Flood Safety

Washington, D.C. –Federal Emergency Management Agency  and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration announced that they are again working together during Flood Safety Awareness Week (March 15-19) to raise awareness of the dangers associated with flooding and steps to protect against damage.  Floods are the most common, costly and deadly severe weather related disaster in the U.S. NOAA will announce this year’s official spring flood outlook on March 16, and an unusually wet and snowy winter in many communities will likely increase the potential for spring flood events.
To help individuals better understand flood risks nationwide and steps that can be taken to protect lives and property, FEMA and NOAA have created an interactive “flood impact map” that features localized, searchable data about the scope and severity of flood events in recent years.  The map is available at www.floodsmart.gov/noaa.

Floods threaten lives when careful safety precautions are not followed in a flood event.  More than half of all flood-related deaths occur in motor vehicles, prompting NOAA to stress motor safety in flood situations and adopt the slogan, “Turn Around, Don’t Drown!” Roadway flooding can be deceptively deep, and it only takes six inches of water to lose control of a vehicle. It is imperative that people use extreme caution when driving at night, when it is difficult to determine if a road is flooded. It is also important to avoid areas that you know are already flooded, especially if the water is flowing fast.
“It floods somewhere in the United States or its territories nearly every day of the year, killing approximately 100 people on average and causing nearly $7 billion in damages,” said Jack Hayes, Director of the National Weather Service. “Awareness, preparedness and action are the key ingredients to protecting lives and property when floods threaten.”
To help community decision-makers and residents understand their risk, monitor threatening situations and take action when warranted, NOAA produces river and flood forecasts and warnings. Flood forecasts are available at www.weather.gov/water, and are also broadcast over NOAA Weather Radio All Hazards.

FEMA’s National Flood Insurance program ensures communities across the country have access to affordable flood insurance.  The program makes coverage available to renters, homeowners, and business owners through approximately 85 insurance companies in more than 20,800 participating communities nationwide. Flood coverage can be purchased for properties both in, and outside of, the highest risk areas. A quarter of all flood insurance claims come from moderate-to-low-risk areas. In these areas, lower-cost Preferred Risk Policies (PRPs) can cost as little as $119 a year.  Individuals can learn more about seasonal flood risks and what to do to prepare by visiting the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) FloodSmart.gov Web site, or by calling 1-800-427-2419.

For information on how to prepare for flooding and other emergencies, visit www.ready.gov.

For additional information on National Flood Safety Awareness and some of the many ways floods can occur, the hazards associated with floods, and what you can do to save life and property, go to: http://www.floodsafety.noaa.gov/ 

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

No new activity (FEMA HQ)

Last Modified: Tuesday, 16-Mar-2010 08:22:05 EDT