Thursday, July 8, 2010

[FEMA]

Homeland Security Threat Level: YELLOW (ELEVATED)

Significant Weather

West:Â*
Hot temperatures continue in Washington and Oregon where highs may reach up to 100 degrees. The Desert Southwest will see more hot temperatures; but fog and light rain will cool Southern California throughout the day. Showers and thunderstorms are possible across portions of Colorado, New Mexico, eastern Utah and eastern Arizona through this evening.
Midwest:Â*
From Oklahoma to Michigan, rain will continue through Friday with some localized flooding possible in previously saturated areas. Temperatures are expected to remain in the 90s in the Great Lakes and the Ohio Valley.
South:
Across the South, temperatures could reach 100 degrees making it one of the hottest days this week. Rain is expected to increase in the western Gulf in Texas and Oklahoma. Three to eight inches of rain, with locally higher amounts of up to 10 inches, is possible. Severe thunderstorms are not expected to be widespread; however, some isolated super cells are possible. Tropical Depression #2 is expected to make landfall today, possibly as a tropical storm. Flooding will continue along the Rio Grande River Basin in Texas as this system moves across the area.
Northeast:
Scattered thunderstorms are possible from the Carolinas into New England throughout the day. Temperatures are expected to be slightly cooler, in the 80âs, through the weekend.Â*
(NOAA and media sources)
Flooding on the Rio Grande River, Texas

Major flooding continues on the middle and lower Rio Grande River along the Texas â Mexico border. Rainfall has caused excessive runoff/inflows into several International Boundary Water Commission (IBWC) United States and Mexico reservoirs, including the Amistad and Falcon Reservoirs. Although the inflows into Amistad Reservoir continue to decrease, the flood pools pouring into the lake are keeping the release level at 1,000 cubic feet of water per second. This will keep Del Rio, Texas above major flood criteria until releases can be reduced, which may take at least two more weeks.
The flood wave that formed below Amistad Reservoir on the Rio Grande River passed through Eagle Pass last evening cresting above 35 ft, well above major flood category. The river has already fallen to nearly 23 ft, and is now 7 feet above flood stage and falling. The water will continue to rise in Laredo, Texas for the next 24 to 36 hours and is expected to crest higher than in 1998 when Tropical Storm Charlie created historical flood levels.
As this water moves downstream, it will enter Falcon Reservoir which is also collecting water from the Rio Salado in Mexico. With the water from the Rio Salado, the Falcon Reservoir is expected to fill sometime later this week. At the lowest end of the Rio Grande, the Rio San Juan continues to send about 25,000 cubic feet per second into the system. It is likely that the floodways designed to protect the cities and communities along the river will be activated. No major impacts are expected at this time; however, with additional rainfall forecast later this week, this area is being watched very closely.
FEMA Region VI Regional Response Coordination Center will activate to Level III today. FEMA staff including the Region VI IMAT team deployed to the Texas State Operations Center. The Region is coordinating with the National Weather Service and the Texas Division of Emergency Management. There have been no requests for Federal assistance. (FEMA Region VI)
Midwest â Des Moines River Basin Flooding - Update

Â*
Situational Update:
Heavy rain over the past 10 days caused flooding in the Des Moines River Basin. Major flooding is occurring or forecast for portions of the Des Moines, Iowa, Wapsipinicon, and Skunk Rivers in Iowa; the Illinois River in Illinois; and the Mississippi River in Iowa, Illinois and Missouri. Water continues to flow over the emergency spillway at Saylorville Lake in Iowa causing flooding downstream. Depending on the timing and placement of the heavy precipitation expected during the next five days, flooding could be exacerbated in areas where river levels are already high.
(FEMA Region VII)
Mississippi Canyon 252 Update

FEMA is providing personnel to the National Integration Center and additional Logistics and External Affairs support to the Federal On-Scene Coordinator. FEMA leads the Social Services and Small Business Interagency Working Group (Claims and Benefits). Booming, skimming and in situ burning continues as weather permits. Tropical Depression #2 is not expected to suspend oil collection or drilling, but will impact subsea construction. Flow Rate Technical Group (FRTG) estimates the total oil released is between 2.7 to 4.7 million barrels. The estimated oil spill rate is between 35,000 and 60,000 barrels per day with approximately 507 miles of coastline impacted thus far. The Gulf of Mexico exclusive economic zone closure to commercial and recreational fishing remains at 81,181 square miles or approximately 34% of the Gulf of Mexico.Â*
(NIC Daily Situation Update)

Fire Management Assistance Grant (FMAG)

No activity.(FEMA HQ)

Tropical Weather Outlook

Atlantic, Caribbean Sea, and Gulf of Mexico:Â*
At 5:00 a.m. EDT, the center of Tropical Depression Two was located about 160 miles east-southeast of Brownsville, Texas. The Depression is moving toward the northwest near 14 mph and this motion is expected to continue for the next 24 hours, bringing the system onshore near the Texas-Mexico border later today. Some gradual strengthening is forecast and the system could become a Tropical Storm before moving inland. The maximum sustained winds are 35 mph with higher gusts. Total rain accumulations of 4 to 8 inches are expected over portions of far northeastern Mexico and coastal Texas, with isolated maximum amounts of 10 inches possible. Tropical Storm Warnings have been issued from south of Baffin Bay, Texas to Rio San Fernando, Mexico. Elsewhere, tropical cyclone formation is not expected during the next 48 hours.
Eastern, Central, and Western Pacific:
No tropical cyclone activity expected in the next 48 hours.Â*
Â*(NOAA, JTWC)

Earthquake Activity

Southern California:
A Magnitude 5.4 earthquake occurred at 7:53 p.m. EDT (4:53 p.m. PDT) in a sparsely populated area of southern California, approximately 15 miles north northwest of Borrego, CA and 30 miles south from Palm Springs, CA. The earthquake occurred at a depth of 8.7 miles along a fault line. It was felt over a wide portion of southern California but there were no reports of damage or injuries.
Southern Alaska:
A Magnitude 5.0 earthquake occurred at 11:16 p.m. EDT in Southern Alaska approximately 52 miles north-northwest from Anchorage, Alaska at a depth of 12.9 miles. There were no reports of damage or injury.
(USGS)

Preliminary Damage Assessments

No new activity (FEMA HQ)
Wildfire Update

National Preparedness Level: 2
National Fire Activity as of Wednesday, July 7, 2010:Â*
Initial Attack activity nationwide yesterday was light with 173 new fires reported. Two new large fires were reported, both in Alaska.
(NIFC)

Disaster Declaration Activity

Virginia:
FEMA-1874-DR-Virginia; Amendment #5, effective July 7, amends the major disaster declaration to include the City of Buena Vista and makes the Public Assistance program available for damages caused by a severe winter storm and snowstorm that occurred December 18-20, 2009.
West Virginia:
FEMA-1903-DR-West Virginia; Amendment #1, effective July 7, amends the major disaster declaration to include Grant, Mineral, and Monongalia Counties and makes the Public Assistance program available for damages caused by a severe winter storm and snowstorm that occurred February 5-11, 2010. Grant and Mineral Counties are eligible for emergency protective measures (Category B) for a continuous 48-hour period during or proximate to the incident period.
(FEMA HQ)


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