Wednesday, January 25, 2012

[FEMA]

Homeland Security Threat Level: YELLOW (ELEVATED)

Significant National Weather:

West:
There are numerous Watches, Warnings and Advisories across the Region, see www.wrh.noaa.gov/Â*for the latest information.
Unsettled weather continues in the Pacific Northwest. Additional precipitation is expected from Washington to Northern California and eastward to the Northern Rockies. Coastal areas will pick up an inch or more of rain and higher elevations will receive a foot of snow. The snow levels will range from 2,000 feet in Washington to 7,000 feet in Northern California. Montana, Idaho and Wyoming will have southwest winds 25 to 40 mph with gusts to 60 mph. In Southern California some areas will see northeasterly winds of 25 to 40 mph with gusts up to 65 mph. Showers and mountain snow will continue across the Northwest tomorrow.
Midwest:
Precipitation from the system on the Gulf Coast will extend northward into the Central Plains and the Middle Mississippi Valley. Some areas could receive as much as 1 inch of rain. The Northern Plains and Upper Mississippi Valley could pick up some snow and ice. Gusty winds to 40 mph are forecast for the Dakotas and Minnesota.Â* Tomorrow additional rain (1 to 2 inches) is forecast for the Middle Mississippi Valley.
South:
A developing low pressure system is expected to bring heavy precipitation and strong to severe thunderstorms across the Deep South. Rain and thunderstorms will extend from the Southern Plains into the Lower Mississippi and Tennessee valleys. Severe thunderstorms moving from the Texas Gulf Coast to Louisiana will produce gusty winds, hail and tornadoes. Precipitation totals of 1 to 3 inches are forecast for north-central Texas, eastern Oklahoma and northwest Arkansas and flash flooding is possible. The Southeastern Coast will be dry today but wet tomorrow as the Gulf Coast moisture shifts eastward.
Northeast:
High pressure will limit precipitation to snow in interior sections of New York and New England.Â* Rain will push out of the Ohio Valley into West Virginia tonight and into the Mid-Atlantic and southern New York tomorrow.
Severe Weather - Southeast U.S.

Cleanup continues across much of the mid- Mississippi, Ohio, and Tennessee Valleys from a severe weather system that occurred Sunday, January 22, through Monday, January 23.
Alabama
On January 23, the governor of Alabama declared a State of Emergency for all 67 counties as a result of severe weather. The hardest hit area was Jefferson County with 211 individual homes destroyed, 218 homes with major damages and 13 homes with minor damages. Two fatalities were reported in Jefferson County and 23 injuries in Jefferson County and throughout the west central Alabama. As of midnight, 3 Alabama Red Cross shelters remain open in Center Point, Springville, and Clay, Alabama, with 21 residents (up from 14). Alabama Power reports that as of 10:00 p.m. EST, January 24, 1,560 customers remain in greater Birmingham. Alabama Power is on target for 99% restoration by tonight. Joint Preliminary Damage Assessments (PDAs) for Individual Assistance (IA) began on January 24, 2012, in Chilton and Jefferson Counties.
The Alabama State Emergency Operations Center (EOC) remains activated at Level III (Partial Activation).
Tennessee
The Tennessee State EOC is at Activation Level 5 (Normal Operations). No significant severe weather damage was reported for the state. As of January 25 at 2:30 a.m. EST, Memphis Light, Gas and Water reported that all power has been restored.
Kentucky
The Kentucky State EOC is at Level I (Watch Steady State). As of January 25 at 4:00 a.m., all power has been restored.
Mississippi
The Mississippi State EOC is at Level 4 (Normal Operations). No state assistance has been requested at this time. Additional State-conducted damage assessments are underway.
Arkansas
The Arkansas State EOC is at Level IV (Normal Operations). As of January 25 at 3:44 a.m. EST, Entergy Arkansas Incorporated reported approximately 150 customers without power (down from 14,000).
Federal Response
The Region IV Regional Response Coordination Center had returned to Watch/Steady State. The pre-designated Federal Coordinating Officer remains at the Alabama State EOC. The Region IV Incident Management Assistance Team (IMAT) continues their deployment to Clanton, AL with a Team Leader and Operations and Planning Chiefs reporting to the State EOC. The remaining members are located at the Initial Operating Facility in Clanton, AL.
Major Western Storm Recovery

Washington
The State Emergency Operations Center (SEOC) remains at Phase II (Enhanced Operations). Pierce and Thurston counties EOCs are open (day operations only). All other local EOCs are closed or on call.
The Governor declared a statewide State of Emergency on January 19. Power outages continue to decrease, as of 5:30 a.m. EST this morning, Puget Sound Energy reports 31,000 customers without power. Warming and overnight shelters continue to remain open in King and Thurston counties. The number of shelter occupants continues to decrease and no occupant count is available. Portions of several state roads remain closed due to downed trees and power lines. Damage Assessments have started. Input for PDAs is due from local jurisdictions no later than February 3.
Oregon
The SEOC is at Level III (Full Activation). A total of 8 counties have declared a local State of Emergency (Benton, Columbia, Curry, Coos, Lincoln, Linn, Marion & Polk). Power restoration is nearing full completion. Statewide, most shelters were closed or placed on standby. No major road closures reported. Damage assessments are scheduled to begin this week. Input for local damage assessments due to the state on Friday.
Region X
The Regional Response Coordination Center is at Watch/Steady State and the Bothell Mobile Operations Center is maintains 24/7 operations. A FEMA LNO remains deployed to the WA EOC and the LNO from Oregon will deactivate and return to FEMA Region X today.
There are no shortfalls or additional requests for FEMA assistance.
Space Weather:

Space weather for the past 24 hours has been strong. Geomagnetic storms reaching the G1 level occurred. Solar radiation storms reaching the S3 level occurred. This was the largest storm since October 2003, surpassing the levels of the storms from 2005 when the CME arrived and provided a secondary increase.Â* This is now the 11th strongest storm since January 1975. Space weather for the next 24 hours is predicted to be moderate. Geomagnetic storms reaching the G1 level are expected. Solar radiation storms reaching the S2 level are expected. Radio blackouts reaching the R1 level are likely.
Tropical Weather Outlook

No new activity (FEMA HQ)
Earthquake Activity

A magnitude 5.1 earthquake occurred at 7:46 p.m. EST, Tuesday, January 24, 2012 approximately 78 miles south-southwest of Dutch Harbor, Alaska at a depth of 24.5 miles; no damage or injuries were reported & no tsunami was generated.
Disaster Declaration Activity

Alaska
Effective January 24, 2012, Amendment No. 1 to Major Disaster Declaration, FEMA-4050-DR-Alaska, is amended to expand the incident period. The incident period for this declared disaster is now November 8, 2011, through and including November 13, 2011.


More...