Friday, May 28, 2010

[FEMA]

Homeland Security Threat Level: YELLOW (ELEVATED)

Significant National Weather

West:Â*
A frontal system stretching from Montana to southern California will produce valley rains and mountain snow across much of the region. Expect thunderstorms, some severe, from Montana to New Mexico. High pressure and drier conditions will move into the Pacific Northwest by this evening. The Southwest should stay mostly dry with a late season cold front. A wind advisory will remain in effect through today in the mountain areas, from California to New Mexico with gusts up to 50 mph.Â*Â*Â*Â*
Midwest:
The frontal system discussed above will produce severe thunderstorms with high wind, hail and the potential for tornadoes in Nebraska and the Dakotas.Â* The Central Plains should have dry conditions with unusually hot temperatures. Tomorrow, the thunderstorm activity will move eastward, extending from the Dakotas to west Texas with the strongest convective activity centered over Nebraska.Â*Â*Â*
South:
A warm moist air mass will produce widespread showers over the Southeast and thunderstorms over the Southern Appalachians.Â* A frontal system will produce severe thunderstorms in northeast Georgia, eastern Tennessee and the Carolinas.
Northeast:
A frontal system will produce showers and thunderstorms across New York and the Mid-Atlantic. Severe thunderstorms are forecast for Virginia and West Virginia.
Â*(NOAAâs National Weather Service, the Hydro Meteorological Prediction Center and media sources)
Mississippi Canyon 252 Update

FEMA is supporting the operation by providing personnel to the National Integration Center and additional Logistics and External Affairs support to the Federal On-Scene Coordinator. FEMA is also leading the Social Services and Small Business Interagency Working Group (Claims and Benefits).
The National Incident Command Flow Rate Technical Group reports the lower and upper flow rates of oil are 12,000 â 25,000 barrels (possibly higher) per day. The Department of Defense deployed 21 U.S. Navy Skimming Systems to Gulfport, Mississippi and began skimming operations yesterday.
On May 26, at 2:00 p.m. EDT, the Top Kill operation commenced by pumping high-viscosity drilling mud into the Blow Out Preventer at a rate of 35-65 barrels per minute. The British Petroleum engineers determined there was not enough drilling mud left on scene to continue the Top Kill operation, so at 10:00 p.m. EDT, May 26, they suspended operations. Another vessel-load of drilling mud was requested and arrived on scene during the morning of May 27. The Top Kill operation resumed last night and the results of this operation will not be available until later today. Over 100 miles of Louisiana shoreline has been impacted by the oil spill; cleanup activities continue.
(Deepwater Horizon JIC)
NOAA â 2010 Atlantic Hurricane Season Outlook:

An âactive to extremely activeâ hurricane season is expected for the Atlantic Basin this year according to the seasonal outlook issued yesterday by NOAAâs Climate Prediction Center, a division of the National Weather Service. As with every hurricane season, this outlook underscores the importance of having a hurricane preparedness plan in place.
The outlook ranges exceed the seasonal average of 11 named storms, six hurricanes and two major hurricanes. Across the entire Atlantic Basin for the six-month season, which begins June 1, NOAA is projecting a 70 percent probability of the following ranges:

• Â*14 to 23 Named Storms (top winds of 39 mph or higher), including:Â*
• Â*8 to 14 Hurricanes (top winds of 74 mph or higher), of which:
• 3 to 7 could be Major Hurricanes (Category 3, 4 or 5; winds of at least 111 mph)

For more information use the following link: www.noaanews.noaa.gov/stories2010/20100527_hurricaneoutlook.htmlÂ*

NOAA â National Hurricane Preparedness Week Continues:

The National Hurricane Preparedness Weeks theme for Friday, May 28, 2010 is âBe Preparedâ. Preventing the loss of life and minimizing the damage to property from hurricanes are responsibilities that are shared by all. The most important thing that you can do is to be informed and prepared. Disaster prevention includes being prepared and reducing future damage (mitigation).
Disaster Prevention should include:

• Developing a Family Plan
• Creating a Disaster Supply Kit
• Having a Place to Go
• Securing your Home
• Having a Pet Plan

If you are asked to evacuate, you should do so without delay. But unless you live in a coastal or low-lying area, an area that floods frequently, or in manufactured housing, it is unlikely that emergency managers will ask you to evacuate. That means that it is important for you and your family to have an emergency plan that allows you to be as safe as possible if you remain at home. Disaster prevention includes modifying your house to strengthen it against storms and having supplies on hand to weather the storm. For more information and preparation tips: www.nhc.noaa.gov/HAW2/english/disaster_prevention.shtml or www.ready.gov.

Fire Management Assistance Grant (FMAG)

No activity to report.Â* (FEMA HQ) Tropical Weather Outlook

Atlantic:
Tropical cyclone formation is not expected during the next 48 hours.
Eastern Pacific:Â*
The broad area of low pressure located a couple of hundred miles south of the gulf of Tehuantepec continues to produce a large area of showers and thunderstorms.Â* Environmental conditions appear favorable for gradual development and a tropical depression could form during the next day or so.Â* The system is expected to drift northeastward over the next couple of days and has the potential to produce locally heavy rains, flooding and mud slides over portions of Central America.Â* There is a high chance (60 percent) of this system becoming a tropical cyclone during the next 48 hours. Elsewhere, tropical cyclone formation is not expected during the next 48 hours.
Western Pacific:Â*
No activity.Â*Â*(NOAA, NWS, NHC, CPHC JTWC)
Earthquake Activity

U.S.Â*
No significant activity affecting the U.S. or its territories.
InternationalÂ*
On Thursday, May 27, 2010, at 1:14 p.m. EDT, an earthquake measuring 7.2 in magnitude occurred 210 miles SSE of Santa Cruz Is, Solomon Islands at a depth of 22.4 miles. There were no reports of injuries or damage. No tsunami was generated.Â*Â*(USGS, PTWC, WC/ATWC)

Preliminary Damage Assessments

No new activity (FEMA HQ)
Wildfire Update

National Preparedness Level 1
National Fire Activity as of Thursday, May 27, 2010:Â*
Initial attack activity: Light (91 new fires), New large fires: 4, Large fires contained: 0
Uncontained large fires: 8, States affected: AZ, TX, NM, CO, and AK
(NIFC)Â*
Â*
Disaster Declaration Activity

No new activity (FEMA HQ)


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