Monday, July 12, 2010

[FEMA]

Homeland Security Threat Level: YELLOW (ELEVATED)

Significant Weather

NortheastÂ*
Thunderstorms will begin to increase across parts of the Mid-Atlantic today due to a low pressure front in the Ohio Valley. The storms become severe in West Virginia and southwest Virginia, producing some damaging wind gusts. Heavy rain in some areas is possible. Temperatures varying from near average to 10 degrees above average are expected today.
SouthÂ*
The front in the lower Midwest will provide thunderstorms across the South from northwest Texas through Arkansas and the Tennessee Valley, into the Southeast. Some of the thunderstorms will turn severe, producing damaging wind gusts. Heavy rain up to 4 inches in some areas is possible.
WestÂ*
A windy cold front will move through the Northwest today making the fire threat high from Washington to Montana and southward into Nevada and Utah. Winds could gust over 50 mph from Washington to just east of the Continental Divide. Temperatures will range from 10 degrees below average across Washington and northwest Oregon to 60âs west of the Cascades. Thunderstorms are possible for northern and eastern Montana, eastern sections of Wyoming and Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona, and the southern Sierra. A few showers are forecast for Washington and Northern Oregon Cascades.
Midwest
Thunderstorms will continue to develop along and ahead of a front that is moving across the Midwest through the central and northern Plains. Severe thunderstorms are possible in southern Michigan, the Ohio Valley, southern Missouri and southern Kansas. Damaging wind gusts, hail and a few tornadoes are possible. Downpours could exceed 3 or 4 inches in a few locations. Thunderstorms are possible; some severe, in the western Dakotas later in the day.
(NOAA)
Flooding on the Rio Grande River, Texas â Update

More than 20 inches of rain fell near the Texas-Mexico border during the past few weeks as Tropical Storm Alex and Tropical Depression-Two moved into northeastern Mexico. The rain flowed into the Rio Grande River Basin causing major flooding on both sides of the border. The Rio Grande River is at record flood levels in the Texas cities of Laredo (18 feet above flood stage) and Rio Grande City (7 feet above flood stage). The crest along the Rio Grande River is forecast to reach Rio Grande City, Texas by Sunday at over 55 feet (5 feet above flood stage).
Flood operations are expected to continue at the Amistad and Falcon reservoirs for the next two weeks. Releases began July 9 from the Falcon Dam which has not been used for operational flood release since 1992. The rate of release is within the capacity of the U.S. portion of the lower Rio Grande Flood Control Project that extends from Piñatas to the Gulf of Mexico.
FEMA Region VI Regional Response Coordination Center continues to be active at Level III (7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. CDT). 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

Water continues to recede along the Des Moines, Iowa, Wapsipinicon, and Skunk Rivers in Iowa, the Illinois River in Illinois, and the Mississippi River in Iowa, Illinois & Missouri. The Mississippi, Illinois and Missouri Rivers remain at moderate flood stage and many locations and are expected to remain at that level for the next 48 hours. The Des Moines River at Ottumwa, Iowa remains at major flood stage and is expected to remain at that level for at least the next week even with releases from two reservoirs. Rain and thunderstorm activity is expected through midweek.
(NOAA)

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. The spill has impacted approximately 540 miles of coastline thus far. The Gulf of Mexico exclusive economic zone closed 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, Gulf of Mexico and Western and Central Pacific regions:Â*
No tropical cyclone activity expected in the next 48 hours.
Eastern Pacific:Â*
Showers and thunderstorms associated with a broad area of low pressure located a couple hundred miles south of Guatemala remain disorganized. Any development of this system will be slow to occur as it moves slowly west to west-northwestward. There is a low chance (10 percent) of this system becoming a tropical cyclone during the next 48 hours.
(NOAA, JTWC)

Earthquake Activity

No new activity (FEMA HQ)
Preliminary Damage Assessments

No new activity (FEMA HQ)
Wildfire Update

National Preparedness Level: 2
National Fire Activity as of Sunday, July 11, 2010:
Initial attack activity: light (125 new fires), new large fires: 4, large fires contained: 2
Uncontained large fires: 3, U.S. States affected: AK, NM, AZ, CO, and UT
(NIFC)

Disaster Declaration Activity

No new activity (FEMA HQ)


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