Wednesday, August 3, 2011

[FEMA]

Homeland Security Threat Level: YELLOW (ELEVATED)

Kansas Structure Fire

On Tuesday, August 2, 2011, a structure fire was reported by the Kansas Division of Emergency Management. The fire occurred at a propane company in Butler County Kansas, approximately 11 miles from Wichita.Â* Multiple explosions were reported, but the main tank was not involved.Â* As a precautionary measure, a one mile area east and west of the site was evacuated (approximately 12 homes), and the American Red Cross provided a sheltering location in Andover, KS.Â*Â* As of 10:30 p.m. EDT, August 2, firefighters were working to put out the remaining fires and cool the main tank so they can get close enough to shut off the valves. One (1) fatality and two (2) injuries have occurred as a result of this fire. An estimated 4 to 5 homes have been completely destroyed due to the associated explosions.Â* The cause of this fire has not yet been determined.Â* There have been no requests for State or Federal assistance.
Illinois Severe Weather

A strong line of thunderstorms swept across Illinois overnight with reports of winds gusting up to 60 mph in some areas.Â* No damages or injuries have been reported; however, as of 4:34 a.m. EDT, the Region reports approximately 49,000 customers are without power across northern Illinois.Â* Restoration efforts are ongoing.Â* There are no requests for State or FEMA assistance.
Missouri River Basin Flooding

There have been no new breaches/overtopping in Region VII since July 11, 2011.Â* USACE continues to provide technical and equipment support to the monitoring of all levees and flood-fighting efforts throughout the Missouri River Basin.Â*Â* USACE has developed a comprehensive drawdown plan for evacuating floodwaters from its six mainstem dams along the Missouri River, and release reductions have been made at all projects.Â* Eight (8) Federal levees are being monitored for potential overtopping, as well as sand boils, seepage, or other issues causing weakening of the levee structure. As of this report, all monitored levees have more than 2 feet of freeboard.Â* There are also six (6) non-Federal levees expected to experience less than 2 feet of freeboard or less over the next five days.Â* Most of these levees are agricultural.
Significant National Weather

Major Heat Wave Continues
Excessive Heat Warnings, Watches, and Advisories remain in effect across portions of the Southern and Central Plains, the Middle and Lower Mississippi Valley, and the Southeast. For the latest information see: www.weather.gov/largemap.php
Northeast
A wave of low pressure moves eastward along a stalled Mid-Atlantic front Wednesday.
Rain and thunderstorms will target central and southern New York, southwest New England and the northern Mid-Atlantic today. Rain accumulations of 1 to 2 inches or more are possible. Some thunderstorms may be severe in western New York and the Mid-Atlantic.
Midwest
Scattered thunderstorms are possible today from the Ohio Valley to Kansas. Locally heavy downpours are possible along with some damaging wind gusts. A few thunderstorms may also target the northern High Plains. Thunderstorms will mainly develop from the Mississippi Valley westward on Thursday, with the heaviest rains possibly targeting parts of Nebraska, northern Kansas, Iowa and northern Missouri.
South
Hot and humid conditions will continue to dominate the region, with high temperatures ranging from 90-105 degrees east of the Mississippi River, and the upper 90s-112 degrees west of the Mississippi River. Factoring in the humidity, heat indices will range from 100 to over 120 degrees. A few thunderstorms will be possible today from the Texas Panhandle and Oklahoma to northern North Carolina. Damaging wind gusts could accompany the thunderstorms across parts of Tennessee and Kentucky and western portions of the Carolinas.
West
Widespread monsoon continues today, with scattered thunderstorms extending from Idaho and Montana to the Mexican border. The heaviest thunderstorms may target eastern Colorado and some inch-plus downpours are possible. High temperatures will range from the 70s, 80s and 90s across the Northwest to between 100 and 117 degrees in the Desert Southwest. (NOAA, Various Media Sources)

Tropical Weather Outlook

Atlantic / Caribbean /Gulf of MexicoÂ*Â*
Tropical Storm EmilyÂ*
As of 5:00 a.m. EDT, Aug 3, Tropical Storm Emily is located about 180 miles southeast of Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. The storm is moving west-northwest at 14 mph with maximum sustained winds of 50 mph and a minimum central pressure of 1003 mb. A turn toward the northwest with little change in forward speed is expected over the next couple of days. The center of Emily will move across Hispaniola late today and tonight and into the southeastern Bahamas and Turks and Caicos Islands on Thursday. Some strengthening is possible before the center reaches Hispaniola and weakening is expected as the center moves over the high terrain of that island Total rain accumulations of 4 to 6 inches are expected in Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic, and Haiti, with isolated maximum amounts of 10 inches possible. These rains could cause flash floods and mud slides in areas of mountainous terrain. The Tropical Storm Watch for the U.S. Virgin Islands has been discontinued. A Tropical Storm Warning is in effect for Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic, Haiti, the southeast Bahamas, and the Turks and Caicos Islands.
Elsewhere, tropical cyclone formation is not expected during the next 48 hours.

Eastern Pacific

Hurricane EugeneÂ*
At 5:00 a.m. EDT, Aug 3, Eugene was located about 570 miles south-southwest of the southern tip of Baja California. Eugene is moving toward the west-northwest near 14 mph and this general motion, with a slight decrease in forward speed, is expected to continue over the next couple of days. On this track, the hurricane will remain no threat to land. Maximum sustained winds are near 115 mph with higher gusts. Eugene is a Category Three Hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Wind Scale.
Some additional strengthening is possible today, with a weakening trend beginning later today or tonight as Eugene begins to move over cooler waters. Hurricane force winds extend outward up to 35 miles, and Tropical Storm force winds extend outward up to 160 miles.
Area 1
A low pressure system located about 225 miles southeast of Acapulco, Mexico has changed little in organization during the past several hours, however, environmental conditions appear favorable for development and a Tropical Depression could form today. This system has a high chance (70%) of becoming a tropical cyclone during the next 48 hours as it moves westward at 5 to 10 mph.

Central Pacific

No tropical cyclones are expected through Thursday evening.

Western PacificÂ*Â*

At 5:00 a.m. EDT Aug 3, Super Typhoon 11W (Muifa) was located approximately 310 miles east-southeast of Kadena Air Base, Japan and 1,135 miles northwest of Guam. The storm continues to track west-northwest at 6 mph and is expected to continue on this general heading with little change in speed during the next 24 hours. Maximum sustained winds remain at 120 mph, with higher gusts. Typhoon Muifa is expected to maintain this intensity during the next 24 hours.

Earthquake Activity

No new activity (FEMA HQ)
Wildfire Update

Tuesday, August 2, 2011:
National Preparedness Level: 2
Initial attack activity: MODERATE (248 new fires)
New Large Fires: 8
Large Fires Contained: 4
Uncontained Large Fires: 13
Type 1 IMT Committed: 0
Type 2 IMT Committed: 4
States affected: GA, TX, AR, OK, NM, ID, WY, NV, CA & OR.
FMAGs Approved â Oklahoma
Anderson Road Fire

• On August 2, 2011, the FEMA Region VI Regional Administrator approved a Fire Management Assistance Grant (FMAG) request from the State of Oklahoma for the Anderson Road Fire in Oklahoma City, OK. At the time of the request, the fire was burning 200 acres and threatened 125+ homes.

Turley Fire

• On August 2, 2011, the FEMA Region VI Regional Administrator approved a Fire Management Assistance Grant (FMAG) request from the State of Oklahoma for the Turley Fire in Tulsa County, OK.Â* At the time of the request, the fire was burning 160 acres and threatened 250 homes.Â*

Regency Fire

• On August 2, 2011, the FEMA Region VI Regional Administrator approved a Fire Management Assistance Grant (FMAG) request from the State of Oklahoma for the Regency Fire in Creek County, OK.Â* At the time of the request, the fire was burning 500 acres and threatened 200 homes.Â*

Disaster Declaration Activity

Utah Request for Major Disaster Declaration
The Governor of Utah requested a major disaster declaration for the State of Utah as a result of severe spring flooding during the period of April 18 to July 16, 2011.Â* The Governor is specifically requesting Public Assistance for 18 counties and the Ute Indian Tribe of the Uintah and Ouray Reservation.Â* The Governor is also requesting Hazard Mitigation statewide.



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