FEMA: National Situation Updates

Tuesday, February 9, 2010

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 00:00:00 EST

Homeland Security Threat Level: YELLOW (ELEVATED)

Significant National Weather

Midwest:
The merging storm systems advancing into the Middle Mississippi Valley, Ohio Valley and Great Lakes are forecast to produce heavy snowfall over the next few days with anticipated accumulations of 6-12 inches through Wednesday. Cold temperatures continue throughout the Region with highs in the teens in the northern areas and 30s in southern portions of the area.
Northeast:
Snow will arrive in the area by noon bringing another 10-20 inches of snow, sleet and rain from central and southern Virginia to Pennsylvania by evening. Heavy snowfall will continue overnight as the system moves north into New England. Temperatures will be near freezing today and in the upper 20s by Wednesday. Blizzard conditions are possible throughout the region with strong wind gusts of up to 35 mph expected in the evening.
West:
Rain will begin along the California coast where an inch is possible in the lower elevations. Up to 2 inches of rain could fall in the foothills, and 6-12 inches of snow is expected in the mountains by evening. Rain and mountain snow will continue on Wednesday as the system moves into the Southwest and southern Rockies. The National Weather Service reports that blizzard conditions are possible in portions of Alaska including Bristol Bay, Pribilof Island and the Kuskokwim Delta.
South:
Rain will continue across the South through tonight. Up to an inch of rain is expected in portions of northern Georgia and Mississippi. Rain may change to snow in western Tennessee, and northern portions of Mississippi and Alabama with accumulations of 2-4 inches possible. (NOAA’s National Weather Service, The Hydro Meteorological Prediction Center and various media sources)

Major Winter Storm - Feb 9-10 & Storm Recovery (Feb 5 – 7, 2010)

FEMA Region II
The region is at Watch/Steady State with Maynard MOC 24/7. No request for Federal assistance has been received. In New Jersey, the EOC remains at Level III; 43,754 customers remaining without power and seven shelters were open overnight with 285 occupants.

FEMA Region III
The RRCC is at Level III (12/7) with Operations, Plans, Logistics and Watch (24/7). Liaison officers remain deployed to the EOCs in VA and WV. There have been no requests for Federal assistance.

The VA EOC remains activated at “Response Operations”. Following the storm, 14 structural collapses occurred including two fire station roofs in which rescue vehicle damages occurred, and a roof buckled at a Post Office. No injuries were reported from the collapses. 42,600 customers remain without power. 15 shelters are open with 125 occupants.

West Virginia SEOC remains fully activated. There are 25,813 customers without power. 18 shelters are open with 91 occupants.

The Pennsylvania EOC is partially activated and will return to Level II (normal operations) at 12:00 p.m. EST 9 Feb. 59,986 customers remain without power.

The Maryland SEOC is at Level III (partial activation). 21,961 customers are without power. Two shelters are open, population unknown.

The State of Emergency declared on February 5, 2010 in Delaware will be lifted at noon today. Delaware SEOC is partially activated (24/7) with select ESFs. Two shelters are open with 42 occupants overnight. 12,300 customers are without power.

The Snow Emergency continues across the District of Columbia. DC HSEMA is partially activated. Power is restored to the majority of residents; minimal outages remain for 250 customers.

Transportation services: Flight operations at Thurgood Marshall (Baltimore/Washington International), Dulles International and Reagan National have resumed commercial operations and continue snow removal activities. Reagan is planning to cancel flights on Wednesday in anticipation of the incoming storm. Rail operations above ground on the Washington Metro Rail began at 5:00 a.m. today with expected delays due to trains moving at slower speeds. MARC commuter rail service is operating on Holiday schedule. Limitations continue in commuter bus services. The Virginia Rail Express (VRE) will not operate today.

FEMA Region IV
The Tennessee EOC was elevated to Level IV (Active Missions and Monitoring) as of midnight Feb 9, 2010; the Kentucky EOC has been elevated to Level II (24 hours) with select ESFs.

FEMA Recovery Operations in Haiti (7.0 Earthquake)

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)

Tropical Weather Outlook

No new activity (FEMA HQ)

Earthquake Activity

A 5.8 magnitude earthquake occurred offshore in the Tonga Region on February 8, 2010, at 8:03 p.m. EST. The quake was approximately 194 miles WSW of American Samoa at a depth of 6.2 miles. There are no reports of injuries or damage associated with the quake. A Tsunami statement was not generated. (USGS)

Preliminary Damage Assessments

No new activity (FEMA HQ)

Disaster Declaration Activity

No new activity (FEMA HQ)

Monday, February 8, 2010

Mon, 08 Feb 2010 00:00:00 EST

Homeland Security Threat Level: YELLOW (ELEVATED)

Significant National Weather

Midwest
Much of the region remains under Winter Storm Watch as two storm systems advance into the Northern Plains, Upper/Middle Mississippi and Ohio Valleys tonight. Prolonged snowfall over the next two days will result in accumulations of 6-12 inches before moving into the Great Lakes by Wednesday morning. From the Dakotas to Minnesota and south to Kansas snow accumulations will be accompanied by 15-35 mph wind gusts and blowing snow.

West
Portions of Utah, northern Arizona, Colorado and New Mexico will see accumulating snow gradually end by this evening. Overall snow totals will be 4-10 inches in lower elevations and over a foot in the higher elevations. Rain is possible in the Southwest and California beginning tonight and continuing into Tuesday.

Northeast
Northern New York, portions of Vermont and New England may receive light snow, 3-6 inches, throughout the day today. More snow is expected to arrive by Tuesday as another major winter storm moves into the area bringing up to 6-10 inches of snow, sleet and rain in central and southern Virginia.

South
Snow and freezing rain continues in northern and eastern Texas and will move through Oklahoma and central and southern Arkansas. By evening, Tennessee and North Carolina could begin to see a mix of rain and sleet. (NOAA’s National Weather Service, the Hydro Meteorological Prediction Center and various media sources)

Severe Weather- Feb 9-10 Tennessee Valley Preparations

In preparation for the upcoming Winter Storm the Tennessee EOC elevated to Level IV (Active Missions and Monitoring) on Sunday, Feb 7, 2010. Winter Storm Warnings are in effect for portions of the Mid South through this evening as the storm exits the Central and Southern plains and moves east. (FEMA Region IV)

Middletown Energy Plant Explosion Feb 7, 2010

At 11:50 a.m. EST the Connecticut Department of Energy reported a gas pipe explosion at the Kleen Energy Systems Power Plant in Middletown, Connecticut. The plant is currently under construction and not yet operational. Preliminary investigation suggests the explosion occurred during gas line testing and that the incident is an industrial accident. No continuing threat to public safety exists.

The Connecticut EOC is partially activated; The CT Department of Emergency Management & Homeland Security (DEMHS) Office of Counter Terrorism team, including representatives from the CT fusion center (CTIC), Critical Infrastructure and JTTF are on the scene to assist.

Up to 100 contractors were working in the immediate area of the explosion. Urban Search and Rescue teams responded with dogs looking for additional survivors. 12 people were injured and 5 people were reported dead Sunday afternoon. No Federal assistance was requested. (FEMA Region II)

Mid-Atlantic Winter Storm Feb 5 – 7, 2010 Recovery

FEMA Region II

RRCC Level IV-Watch/Steady State; Watch 12/7. A Liaison officer is deployed to the New Jersey State EOC. No request for Federal assistance.

New Jersey

The NJROIC is at Level III; NJOEM is providing support personnel. Two county EOCs are activated and 26 local States of Emergency initially declared; 16 remain in effect. 47,707 customers remain without power (down from 72,500). Seven shelters are open with 240 occupants as of 10:00 p.m. EST 2/7/10 (New Jersey SITREP #15)

FEMA Region III

The RRCC is at Level III (24/7) Operations, Plans, Logistics and Watch; Watch 24/7. Two State Liaison Officers (SLO) are deployed the State EOCs of VA, WV. Federal, state, and local government offices, schools and public transportation are affected in the Metro DC area; closures continue in most areas. There have been no requests for Federal assistance.

Virginia

The Governor declared a State of Emergency for the Commonwealth on February 3, 2010. The EOC remains activated at “Response Operations” fully staffed. 21 county EOCs are activated.

Transportation services have been affected. Dulles International has limited commercial operations. Reagan National is completely closed for snow removal. A hangar collapsed at Dulles Airport Jet Center due to heavy snow on Saturday Feb 6, 2010.

94,350 customers remain without power as of 9:00 a.m. EST 2/7/10, a restoration date has not been determined 18 shelters are open with 213 occupants. The Commonwealth reports three confirmed storm related fatalities and ten structures collapsed; nine in Pulaski County and one structure in Tazewell County due to heavy snow. Two nursing homes (Alexandria) remain on generator power; a patient movement plan is in development. Two 911 centers and jails (Pittsylvania and Covington Counties) remain on backup generators. (VEOC SITREP #4)

West Virginia

The Governor declared a State of Emergency for the entire state on February 5, 2010. The SEOC is fully activated. 43,146 customers are reported without power statewide as of 5:00 p.m. EST 2/7/10; total restoration date is unknown. Currently there are 18 shelters open with 91 occupants.

Pennsylvania

The Governor declared a State of Emergency for the entire Commonwealth on Feb 6, 2010. The EOC is activated at Level II (partial activation). The airport in Philadelphia is partially open with limited operations due to snow removal. 96,000 customers remain without power as of 6:00 p.m. EST Feb 7.

Eight shelters are open with nine occupants. 50 warming centers are open; population information unavailable.

Maryland

The Governor issued a Declaration of Emergency for the entire state on February 5, 2010.
SEOC is at Level III (partial activation); ESFs 6, 8 & 13 are activated, with 1 & 9 alerted.

76,064 customers are reported without power as of 4:30 p.m. EST; restoration in many areas is expected by late evening. No hospitals are under emergency power. Three county EOCs are activated and 9 local States of Emergency have been declared. Three Shelters remain open in Montgomery, Charles and Kent Counties with fourteen occupants.
Limited commercial flight operations began Sunday Feb 7, 2010 at BWI airport. Many airfields remain closed for snow removal. MARC train service is limited; commuter bus service will not operate today. (MEMA SITREP #12)

Delaware

The Governor has declared a State of Emergency for the entire state on February 5, 2010. The SEOC is fully activated 24/7. Four shelters are open with 114 occupants. 24,884 customers without power; restoration expected to take several days. No hospitals under emergency power; National Guard is assisting DelDOT & Social Services to develop a plan for transportation of patients to dialysis centers on today and Tuesday.
District of Columbia

The Mayor declared a Snow Emergency across the District on February 5, 2010. DC HSEMA is partially activated with additional staff and select ELO’s. 1,700 customers remain without power. Transportation services impacted; Metro rail and buses limited operation (FEMA Region III)

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

No new activity (FEMA HQ)

Preliminary Damage Assessments

No new activity (FEMA HQ)

Disaster Declaration Activity

No new activity (FEMA HQ)

Sunday, February 7, 2010

Sun, 07 Feb 2010 00:00:00 EST

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)

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)

Saturday, February 6, 2010

Sat, 06 Feb 2010 00:00:00 EST

Homeland Security Threat Level: YELLOW (ELEVATED)

Significant National Weather

Northeast:
The surface low will move northeast and continue to rapidly intensify as it passes off shore of Cape Hatteras this afternoon. For the latest watches and warnings see www.weather.gov. Expect heavy snowfall with near-blizzard or blizzard conditions from eastern West Virginia, through D.C., Delaware, southern Pennsylvania and New Jersey. Within this band, snowfall amounts of 18 to 24 inches are possible by tonight. Across Virginia a mix of rain and sleet is expected to change to snow by late morning with accumulations of two to four inches. New York City and Long Island, especially the south shore, could still see four to seven inches and the southern New England Coast may receive an inch on the northern edge of the storm. Wind gusts along the coast could reach 50 mph and some coastal flooding is forecast. The storm should slowly move away from the Delmarva Peninsula later today. The snow will end from west to east across the region this afternoon and evening. Rainfall over the Carolinas and southeast Virginia will come to an end early Sunday morning. The next system will reach the region on Tuesday and Wednesday producing additional wintry weather from the Mid-Atlantic to New England.
South:
Much of the Southeast will be cold and windy as the storm system moves up the coast. Periods of snow, mixed with rain are forecast for eastern Tennessee, northern Georgia, North Carolina and the southern Appalachians. Rain will return Sunday night and Monday from the southern Plains to the lower Mississippi Valley with snow from the Texas Panhandle to Tennessee. Rainfall could exceed an inch across northeast Texas and Arkansas.
Midwest:
A strong mid to upper-level low is moving eastward through the Ohio Valley producing light to moderate snow. Snowfall totals in central and east-central Ohio could approach 12 inches before ending from west to east across the Ohio Valley. a wide area of light snow or flurries is falling across the southwest quarter of Minnesota and western Iowa and the eastern Dakotas. The next storm will hit the region with snow from the Dakotas to Minnesota and south to Kansas with sleet and rain in northern Oklahoma.
West:
A frontal system will produce precipitation along the entire West Coast. The system will move eastward from Southern California through the Southwest over the weekend. Rainfall in California will average one inch and flash flooding is possible in the recent burn areas of southern California. Snowfall accumulations in the southern Sierra and Southern California mountains will top a foot with snow levels ranging from 3,000 near the Oregon border to 5,000 feet in the south. Snow will spread into Nevada, Utah and northern Arizona today and into Colorado and New Mexico by Sunday. (NOAA’s National Weather Service, The Hydrometeorological Prediction Center and Various media sources)

Mid-Atlantic Winter Storm February 5 and continuing:

FEMA Region II
• RRCC is at Watch/Steady State; Watch 24/7.
• RRCC is monitoring the current weather conditions.
• No request for Federal assistance.
New York
• State & NY City EOCs are at Normal Operations.
New Jersey
• NJROIC is at Level III; NJOEM is providing support personnel.
• 8 county EOCs are activated; 13 local States of Emergency have been declared.

FEMA Region III
• RRCC is at Level III; Watch 24/7.
• RRCC is monitoring the current weather conditions.
• IMAT is on call.
• State Liaison Officer (SLO) deployed the State EOCs of VA, WV, DE & MD.
Virginia
• SEOC is activated at “Response Operations”; fully staffed.
• Governor declared a State of Emergency for the entire state on February 3, 2010.
• 26,750 customers are without power statewide; restoration date is unknown.
• 12 county EOCs are activated.
• 2 shelters open/number of occupants are unknown.
• 500 National Guard Troops have been authorized; 100 have been pre-positioned across the Commonwealth.
West Virginia
• SEOC is fully activated.
• Governor has declared a State of Emergency for the entire state on February 5, 2010.
• 3,659 customers are reported without power statewide; total restoration date is unknown.
Pennsylvania
• SEOC is activated at Level II.
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.
• 19,782 customers are reported without power statewide; total restoration date is unknown.
• 3 county EOCs are activated; 8 local States of Emergency have been declared
Delaware
• SEOC is fully activated.
• Governor has declared a State of Emergency for the entire state on February 5, 2010.
• 2 shelters open/number of occupants unknown.
District of Columbia
• DC HSEMA is activated with additional staff and select ELO’s.
• Mayor declared a Snow Emergency across the district on February 5, 2010.

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.
• 18,552 customers remain without power; full restoration date is unknown.
• 4 shelters/173 occupants.
• 2 MDRCs are located at the Fort Sill stage base.
• FEMA has provided 75 generators; 1 pending assessment/installation.

FEMA Recovery Operations in Haiti (7.0 Earthquake)

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)

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

New Jersey:
On February 5, 2010, the President declared a Major Disaster Declaration for the State of New Jersey (FEMA-1873-DR) as a result of a snowstorm occurring Dec 19-20, 2009. The Declaration provides Public Assistance (Cat B, including snow assistance) for 7 counties and Hazard Mitigation statewide. Stephen M. DeBlasio Sr from the National FCO Program has been appointed as the Federal Coordinating Officer.

Friday, February 5, 2010

Fri, 05 Feb 2010 00:00:00 EST

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)

Thursday, February 4, 2010

Thu, 04 Feb 2010 00:00:00 EST

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.

Wednesday, February 3, 2010

Wed, 03 Feb 2010 00:00:00 EST

Homeland Security Threat Level: YELLOW (ELEVATED)

Significant National Weather

West:
A trough of low pressure will produce light rain and snow across the Northwest. Rainfall in the lower elevations should be under a half inch with several feet of snow possible in the mountains. A strong disturbance in the Gulf of California will produce moderate to heavy rain in southern Arizona and southern New Mexico. Rainfall could exceed an inch across southern Arizona and southern New Mexico. Snow across the mountains of Arizona and New Mexico could total 6 to 12 inches by early morning.

Midwest:
A ridge of high pressure is centered over the Mississippi River Valley. Precipitation should be limited to a few snow showers over Michigan, northern Wisconsin, and northern Minnesota. Tonight, a frontal system dropping out of the Rockies will produce a mix of rain, snow and freezing rain over western Kansas and Nebraska. Tomorrow, the wintry precipitation over Kansas and Nebraska will change to rain; the northern part of the front will produce a few inches of snow in the Dakotas.

South:
The system moving across Mexico will result in one to five inches of rain in Texas and localized flooding is expected. With morning temperatures near freezing the precipitation over the Texas and Oklahoma Panhandles will include snow and freezing rain. The heavy precipitation will move into the western Gulf Coast tonight and tomorrow morning.

Northeast:
A low pressure system over the Atlantic will produce a band of snow from West Virginia to southern New England. Accumulations should be one to four inches, but some areas could receive as much as six inches. Precipitation will end over the Mid-Atlantic by this evening.
The next low pressure system may bring a chance of wintry mix to the Mid-Atlantic States by Friday. (NOAA’s National Weather Service and Various media sources)

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)
The Region VI IMAT operational at OK EOC.
FEMA is providing generator support to OK.

Oklahoma

Emergency Declaration FEMA-3308-EM-OK was signed Jan 30; the JFO is scheduled to open Thursday, Feb 4.
The state EOC activated; Extended Operations (7:00 a.m. – 11:00 p.m. CST) with all state ESFs and Region VI IMAT
7 confirmed fatalities.
Approximately 70,900 customers are without power.
There are 31 shelters open with approximately 2,500 occupants; five warming shelters are also open.
FEMA has issued 42 generators and deployed 2 MDRCs to the state; 26 generators are pending installation.

Texas

The Texas EOC reported 3,000 customers without power in three counties.
Approximately 1,250 poles and miles of wires down; restoration time is unknown.
There is one shelter open with seven occupants.
All critical care facilities are on generator power. (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

Potential Ice-Jam Flooding

Region I:

The RRCC is currently at Watch/Steady State; Maynard MOC is 24/7.

Maine:

State EOC is not activated – Monitoring the situation.
A major ice jam remains in place along the Kennebec River between Gardiner and Augusta.
No immediate flood threat.
U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and the Cold Regions Research and Environmental Laboratory agree that there are no immediate steps that can be taken to break up the jam.
Actions to be taken going into the spring:
- Installation of automated sensors that will alert officials of ice movement.
- Ongoing ice measurements and observations by the USGS.
- Continuous monitoring of weather trends with the National Weather Service, looking 10 to 14 days out throughout the winter and early spring for the potential of warm weather and/or rain.
- Local ice observations coordinated through Kennebec County EMA.
- Briefings with local officials as needed concerning current conditions.
- Active and constant information sharing among all parties. (USGS, State EOC, FEMA Region I & FEMA HQ)

Fire Management Assistance Grant (FMAG)

No activity (FEMA HQ)

Earthquake Activity

Today, at 2:21 a.m. EST, a magnitude 4.8 earthquake occurred near the Unimak Island Region of Alaska, approximately 68 miles SSE of False Pass, AK and 703 miles SW of Anchorage, AK. The quake was recorded at a depth of 19.8 miles. No injuries or damages were reported as a result of this event and no tsunami was generated. (USGS)

Disaster Declaration Activity

North Carolina:

On February 2, 2010, the President signed a Major Disaster Declaration for the State of North Carolina ( FEMA-1871-DR) as a result of severe winter storms and flooding, occurring December 18-25, 2009. The Declaration provides Public Assistance for 13 counties and Hazard Mitigation statewide. Michael Bolch from the FCO Program has been appointed Federal Coordinating Officer.

Alabama:

On February 2, 2010, the Governor of Alabama requested a major disaster declaration as a result of extreme and prolonged subfreezing temperatures during the period of January 7-12, 2010. The Governor is specifically requesting Public Assistance for 15 counties and Hazard Mitigation statewide.