FEMA
05-20-2010, 09:10 AM
Homeland Security Threat Level: YELLOW (ELEVATED)
Significant National Weather
Midwest Â*Â*Â*Â*Â*
Rain is forecast for most of the day from Nebraska to central Illinois. The threat of thunderstorms will be greater further south, including southeastern Kansas, central and southern Missouri, and the southernmost portions of Illinois and Indiana. There is also the possibility of locally heavy rain and localized flooding.
South
The heavy rain and severe weather will shift slowly out of the Plains eastward to the Mississippi River. The main threat for tornadoes will be from Arkansas to northeast Texas. By the end of the day, the severe thunderstorms, with large hail and damaging winds, will move as far east as western Tennessee and western Alabama. Some of these areas may also see locally heavy rain and localized flooding. The Florida Peninsula may see scattered thunderstorms, while the majority of Texas, except for the northeastern portions, will see improved conditions.
NortheastÂ*
The northern sections of New York and New England may see a few scattered thunderstorms, but the rest of the region should remain warm and dry.
WestÂ*
Rain will turn to showers this morning in the western portions of Washington and Oregon. The showers will then spread eastward and move from eastern Washington and Oregon into Montana and northern Wyoming. The higher elevations of the Northwest will see snow showers.Â* (NOAAâs National Weather Service, the Hydrometeorological Prediction Center and media sources)Â*
Update on Northern Michigan Fires
The Meridian Boundary Fire in Crawford County burned 7,500 acres and is 65% contained. The fire destroyed at least 12 homes and numerous other structures. The fire is one of the largest in the state since the 1980s.
A second fire, in Kalkaska County, Michigan, is the Camp Grayling Fire (Range 9 Fire). It burned 1,100 acres, destroyed three primary residences and three outbuildings, and is now 75% contained. No injuries are reported and there are no requests for federal assistance.
Severe Weather: Recovery Mississippi Valley/Southeast Update
Minor flooding is expected on portions of the Mississippi River at Tiptonville on Thursday and Friday. Flooding will primarily impact farmland inside the Mainline Levee system in northwest Tennessee.
The Joint Field Offices in Mississippi and Tennessee are now operational. The Kentucky recovery continues to be managed from the Interim Operating Facility as their offices near completion. Preliminary Damage Assessments continue around the region.
(Region IV)
Mississippi Canyon 252 Update
FEMA Actions
The lead federal agencies responding to the incident are the U.S. Coast Guard and the U.S. Department of Interior. FEMA is providing the U.S. Coast Guard with radios for communications support for Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama.
Riser Insertion Tube Tool (RITT-1) is in place recovering an oil and gas mixture with no water at the separator. It is siphoning off approximately 147,000 gallons of oil and 12 million cubic feet of natural gas per day. Siphoned oil is being stored on board the Discoverer Enterprise drill ship, with the capability to separate the oil, gas and water mixture, burn off the gas, and eventually store or offload the recovered oil onto another vessel. The Top Hat Containment System remains on the seabed and is standing-by pending the effectiveness of the RITT. Containment and sorbent booms and surface and subsurface disbursements and skimming operations resulted in the recovery of 7,873,992 gallons of oil-water mixture to date. Controlled burns were conducted for the last two days to remove oil from the open water. Monitored injection of subsea dispersants near the RITT continued overnight.
The National Park Service is deploying hydrocarbon sensors on beaches in the Dry Tortugas, Florida, to monitor for oil/tar balls. All shipping channels and ports remain open. No large commercial vessels have required cleaning at decontamination stations. The area closed to commercial and recreational fishing encompasses approximately 19 percent of the Gulf of Mexico exclusive economic zone. The majority (81%) of federal waters in the Gulf of Mexico remain open to commercial and recreational fishing. All inland Alabama waters, including Mobile Bay, Mississippi Sound, Perdido Bay, Wolf Bay, and Little Lagoon are closed to shrimping.
(Deepwater Horizon JIC Rpt)
Fire Management Assistance Grant (FMAG)
No activity.Â*(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)
Wildfire Update
National Preparedness Level 1
National Fire Activity as of Wednesday, May 19, 2010:Â*
Initial attack activity: Light (89 new fires), new large fires: 3, large fires contained: 0, uncontained large fires: 5, states affected: Arizona, New Mexico, Michigan and Alaska.
(NIFC)
Disaster Declaration Activity
Amendment No 7 to FEMA-1909-DR-TN adds 3 counties for Individual Assistance; 4 counties for Public Assistance, including direct federal assistance; and 26 counties for Public Assistance (Categories C-G), including direct federal assistance.
Amendment No. 1 to FEMA-3310-EM-MN closes the incident period effective April 26, 2010.
Amendment No. 2 to FEMA-1900-DR-MN closes the incident period effective April 26, 2010.
Amendment No. 1 to FEMA-1904-DR-CT closes the incident period effective May 17, 2010.
(FEMA HQ)
More... (http://www.fema.gov/emergency/reports/2010/nat052010.shtm)
Significant National Weather
Midwest Â*Â*Â*Â*Â*
Rain is forecast for most of the day from Nebraska to central Illinois. The threat of thunderstorms will be greater further south, including southeastern Kansas, central and southern Missouri, and the southernmost portions of Illinois and Indiana. There is also the possibility of locally heavy rain and localized flooding.
South
The heavy rain and severe weather will shift slowly out of the Plains eastward to the Mississippi River. The main threat for tornadoes will be from Arkansas to northeast Texas. By the end of the day, the severe thunderstorms, with large hail and damaging winds, will move as far east as western Tennessee and western Alabama. Some of these areas may also see locally heavy rain and localized flooding. The Florida Peninsula may see scattered thunderstorms, while the majority of Texas, except for the northeastern portions, will see improved conditions.
NortheastÂ*
The northern sections of New York and New England may see a few scattered thunderstorms, but the rest of the region should remain warm and dry.
WestÂ*
Rain will turn to showers this morning in the western portions of Washington and Oregon. The showers will then spread eastward and move from eastern Washington and Oregon into Montana and northern Wyoming. The higher elevations of the Northwest will see snow showers.Â* (NOAAâs National Weather Service, the Hydrometeorological Prediction Center and media sources)Â*
Update on Northern Michigan Fires
The Meridian Boundary Fire in Crawford County burned 7,500 acres and is 65% contained. The fire destroyed at least 12 homes and numerous other structures. The fire is one of the largest in the state since the 1980s.
A second fire, in Kalkaska County, Michigan, is the Camp Grayling Fire (Range 9 Fire). It burned 1,100 acres, destroyed three primary residences and three outbuildings, and is now 75% contained. No injuries are reported and there are no requests for federal assistance.
Severe Weather: Recovery Mississippi Valley/Southeast Update
Minor flooding is expected on portions of the Mississippi River at Tiptonville on Thursday and Friday. Flooding will primarily impact farmland inside the Mainline Levee system in northwest Tennessee.
The Joint Field Offices in Mississippi and Tennessee are now operational. The Kentucky recovery continues to be managed from the Interim Operating Facility as their offices near completion. Preliminary Damage Assessments continue around the region.
(Region IV)
Mississippi Canyon 252 Update
FEMA Actions
The lead federal agencies responding to the incident are the U.S. Coast Guard and the U.S. Department of Interior. FEMA is providing the U.S. Coast Guard with radios for communications support for Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama.
Riser Insertion Tube Tool (RITT-1) is in place recovering an oil and gas mixture with no water at the separator. It is siphoning off approximately 147,000 gallons of oil and 12 million cubic feet of natural gas per day. Siphoned oil is being stored on board the Discoverer Enterprise drill ship, with the capability to separate the oil, gas and water mixture, burn off the gas, and eventually store or offload the recovered oil onto another vessel. The Top Hat Containment System remains on the seabed and is standing-by pending the effectiveness of the RITT. Containment and sorbent booms and surface and subsurface disbursements and skimming operations resulted in the recovery of 7,873,992 gallons of oil-water mixture to date. Controlled burns were conducted for the last two days to remove oil from the open water. Monitored injection of subsea dispersants near the RITT continued overnight.
The National Park Service is deploying hydrocarbon sensors on beaches in the Dry Tortugas, Florida, to monitor for oil/tar balls. All shipping channels and ports remain open. No large commercial vessels have required cleaning at decontamination stations. The area closed to commercial and recreational fishing encompasses approximately 19 percent of the Gulf of Mexico exclusive economic zone. The majority (81%) of federal waters in the Gulf of Mexico remain open to commercial and recreational fishing. All inland Alabama waters, including Mobile Bay, Mississippi Sound, Perdido Bay, Wolf Bay, and Little Lagoon are closed to shrimping.
(Deepwater Horizon JIC Rpt)
Fire Management Assistance Grant (FMAG)
No activity.Â*(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)
Wildfire Update
National Preparedness Level 1
National Fire Activity as of Wednesday, May 19, 2010:Â*
Initial attack activity: Light (89 new fires), new large fires: 3, large fires contained: 0, uncontained large fires: 5, states affected: Arizona, New Mexico, Michigan and Alaska.
(NIFC)
Disaster Declaration Activity
Amendment No 7 to FEMA-1909-DR-TN adds 3 counties for Individual Assistance; 4 counties for Public Assistance, including direct federal assistance; and 26 counties for Public Assistance (Categories C-G), including direct federal assistance.
Amendment No. 1 to FEMA-3310-EM-MN closes the incident period effective April 26, 2010.
Amendment No. 2 to FEMA-1900-DR-MN closes the incident period effective April 26, 2010.
Amendment No. 1 to FEMA-1904-DR-CT closes the incident period effective May 17, 2010.
(FEMA HQ)
More... (http://www.fema.gov/emergency/reports/2010/nat052010.shtm)