Tuesday, May 31, 2011

[FEMA]

Homeland Security Threat Level: YELLOW (ELEVATED)

Severe Weather Outbreak May 31

Â*On Monday evening there were preliminary reports of 20 tornadoes across Nebraska and South Dakota. There were widespread reports on minor damage and sporadic power outages. Most significantly, local emergency managers in Valley County, (central Nebraska) reported damage to aircraft buildings at the Evelyn Sharp Field General Airport in Ord, Nebraska. The damage reported to the airport was due to wind speeds in excess of 80 mph and not a tornado. The only lasting effects from Sundayâs severe weather in Michigan across Kalamazoo, Branch and Shiawassee counties is that some 42,000 people remain without power. Restoration is ongoing. No requests for FEMA assistance.
Midwest Severe Weather Recovery

Joplin, Missouri (Jasper County)
The tornado that occurred on May 22 in Joplin (population 49,024) in Jasper County has now been upgraded to an EF-5; the most heavily populated areas and the major business and commercial areas were hardest hit along a path a mile wide for 13.8 miles; EF5 winds are in excess of 200 mph.
A State of Emergency had already been declared for the recent storms in the State. There have been 142 confirmed fatalities; more than 1,371 injuries and the unaccounted for list has been reduced from 232 to 29. The state reports Mobile Medical Unit (MMU) set up at St. Johnâs Hospital is operational with first person seen on May 29. Landmark Hospital is small long term care facility with ventilators and other life saving equipment dependant on electricity and are still working off generators; no power restoration date.
Eight primary schools damaged or destroyed; 2 fire stations destroyed. Critical damage was sustained to the City of Joplin communications system. Cell/wire line phone service was severely damaged but is substantially restored. There are 4 shelters open with 324 occupants. Approximately 7,700 customers remain without power Sunday evening. Public works has cleaned all streets and is working to get access to some utility areas. The water system restoration is 70% complete.
PDA teams surveyed 7,728 homes;

• Of the 7,105 single homes surveyed:
  • 494 sustained minor damage, 331 sustained major damage; 6,280 homes were destroyed
• Of the 623 multi-family homes surveyed:
  • 22 sustained minor damage; 28 sustained major damage; 573 were destroyed

Missouri River Basin Flooding

• Heavy rain and melting of historic levels of snowpack have raised water levels of rivers and reservoirs. USACE is currently managing the release of water from multiple reservoirs. The current dam release schedules are as follows:
  • Fort Peck-9,900 cfs to 50,000 cfs by mid June
  • Garrison-85,000 cfs; 120,000 cfs by June 1; 150,000 cfs by mid June
  • Oahe-85,000 cfs; 130,000 cfs by June 5; 150,000 cfs by mid June
• Big Bend-85,000 cfs by June 2; 130,000 cfs by June 6; 150,000 cfs by mid June
• Fort Randall-82,000 cfs on June 2; 128,000 cfs by June 6; 150,000 cfs by mid June

Omaha, Nebraska
Parts of Omaha and surrounding low lying communities are evacuating. Sandbagging is underway.
Fort Pierre and Pierre, South Dakota
Fort Pierreâs area safety is dependent upon completion of the temporary levees currently being constructed; berming around St. Maryâs Hospital in Pierre is 33% complete.
North Dakota
Current Situation:
Heavy rainfall is expected overnight adding to the flooding situation. The state EOC is at Level I (Full Activation). Approximately 1,700 NG are on duty in ND. Multiple roads are closed. There are 2 shelters open with an unknown occupancy.

Bismarck, ND: USACE built 5.02 miles if temporary levees for risk reduction in Bismarck, ND; to be completed June 1 to prepare the city for unprecedented releases from the Garrison Reservoir. This will pass a record flow of 150,000 cfs by mid June. The previous record of 65,000 cfs was released from the reservoir in 1975. A discharge of 150,000 cfs past the Bismarck gage will result in a stage of approximately 20.6 feet at Bismarck. The temporary levees will be built to an elevation that corresponds to gage reading at 21.6 feet.

Montana
Current Situation:
The state is coordinating with 54 affected cities, counties, and tribal jurisdiction. Flooding at the Crow Indian Reservation is due to the Big Horn and Little Horn rivers. An ARC shelter has been opened in MSU-Billings with 220 occupants on 29 May. The region has been working with Tribal Officials from the Crow Indian Tribe and Fort Belknap Indian Tribe and is conducting outreach with all Federally Recognized Tribes in Montana.
Nebraska Flooding â North Platte River

Â*The North Platte River at North Platte is currently at Major Flood Stage 7.36 feet. These stages are the result of increased releases from upstream reservoirs in Wyoming and Lake McConaughy and recent rainfall. The river is expected to crest on June 4 at 8.1 feet.
There are 375 residential homes near the flooding area of southeast Nebraska. There are two levees in the Rulo, Nebraska area reportedly leaking. The Cooper Nuclear Power Plant is expected to issue an Unusual Event when flooding occurs because it will impact the plant.

Mississippi Valley Flooding

USACE is monitoring the situation and continues flood fighting measures throughout the Mississippi River and Tributaries (MR&T) system.

Louisiana
10 of 125 gates are open along the Morganza Floodway. Estimated date which USACE will close the floodway structure is June 4-7 (assuming no additional rainfall). 330 of the 350 gates are open along the Bonnet Carre Spillway (100% capacity) is anticipated to remain open another one to two weeks. Estimated closure is by the end of June (assuming no additional rainfall). Mandatory evacuations are in effect for portions of St. Landry Parish and reinstated for portions of St. Martinâs Parish. A large sand boil was discovered approximately 5 miles south of St. Joseph, LA. It is approximately 13 feet across and 18+ feet deep. The boil is approximately 700 feet from the toe of the levee.
Mississippi
There is 1 shelter are open with no occupants.
Northeast Flooding

Vermont
A State of Emergency remains in effect. There is 1 shelter open with 46 occupants. IA teams are on site and in the field.

New York
Major Flooding is ongoing at Lake Champlain; current Flood Stage is 102.76 feet (Flood State is 100 feet). The States of Emergency remain in effect for portions of the following counties: Clinton, Essex, and Oneida. One shelter is open in Clinton County with 14 occupants.
Significant National Weather

West:
A front moving across the region will produce precipitation in the Pacific Northwest and Northern California.
Lower elevations could pick up a half an inch of rain and higher elevations will get a few inches of snow. Southerly winds of 25 to 35 mph with gusts to 50 mph and low relative humidity will produce critical fire weather is forecast for southwest Nevada.
Midwest:
A front extending from a low over southern Canada will produce showers and thunderstorms from the Great Lakes to the Southern Plains. Severe thunderstorms are forecast for the Great Lakes and the Ohio Valley.
Northeast:
A warm front extending from the low over southern Canada will produce a few showers in Pennsylvania and Western New York. The rest of the region will be dry and unseasonably warm. High temperatures will range from the 60s in Maine to the 90s in Virginia.
South:
Record flooding continues along the Lower Mississippi River. The southern end of the front extending from the Midwest will produce showers and thunderstorms over western Texas and Oklahoma. There will be a few showers in south Florida and the coastal Carolinas. Under high pressure the rest of the Southeast will be dry and hot with temperatures in the 90s.
Joint Typhoon Warning Center

Starting June 1, 2011, the Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC) will change its classification of tropical disturbances listed in the Significant Tropical Weather Advisories from “Poor,” “Fair,” or “Good,” to “Low,” “Medium,” or “High” based on the formation potential of a tropical disturbance to develop in to significant tropical cyclone within the next 24 hours.
This change allows the Joint Typhoon Warning Center to describe the formation potential in more understandable terms. The formal definitions are:

1. “Low” formation potential describes an area that is being monitored for development, but is unlikely to develop within the next 24 hours.
2. “Medium” formation potential describes an area that is being monitored for development and has an elevated potential to develop, but development will likely occur beyond 24 hours.
3. “High” formation potential describes an area that is being monitored for development and is either expected to develop within 24 hours or development has already started, but warning criteria have not yet been met. Like areas previously assessed as “Good”, for all areas designated as “High” will be accompanied by a Tropical Cyclone Formation Alert. (JTWC)

Tropical Weather Outlook

Atlantic / Caribbean / Gulf of Mexico:
Hurricane season begins June 1.
Eastern / Central Pacific
Tropical cyclone formation is not expected during the next 48 hours.
Western / South Pacific:Â*
No activity.Â*

Earthquake Activity

No new activity (FEMA HQ)
Wildfire Update

Monday, May 30, 2011:

• National Preparedness Level: 2
• Initial attack activity: LIGHT (118 new fires)
• New Large Fires: 5
• Large Fires Contained: 5
• Uncontained Large Fires: 16
• Type 1 IMT Committed: 1
• Type 2 IMT Committed: 5
• States affected: GA, NC, TX, FL, AZ, NM, CA and AK

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