Friday, August 19, 2011

[FEMA]

Homeland Security Threat Level: YELLOW (ELEVATED)

Coast Guard opens portion of Missouri River

The Coast Guard, in partnership with the Kansas City District of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the State of Missouri, reopened a portion of the lower Missouri River to all vessel traffic, Thursday.
The opened portion of the river, from mile marker 0.0 to mile marker 256.0, encompasses the area from St. Louis to Brunswick. The Missouri River closure from mile marker 256 to mile marker 811, near Gavin's Point Dam in Yankton, S.D., remains in place. The Big Sioux River closure, from the confluence with the Missouri River to the Military Road Bridge in north Sioux City, S.D., is also still in place. The Coast Guard, in concert with the Army Corps of Engineers and state officials, will continue to monitor water levels in an effort to open the river as soon as levee conditions and public safety concerns warrant.

Significant National Weather

West:Â*Â*
Monsoonal moisture will produce showers and scattered thunderstorms across the Four Corners states. A front will produce scattered thunderstorms in the Northern Rockies.
Midwest:
A frontal system draped across the region will produce showers and thunderstorms from the Central Plains to the Ohio Valley. In the Central Plains some of the thunderstorms are forecast to become severe with the primary threat from gusty winds and hail. Flash Flooding is possible along the front. High temperatures of 95 to 105 are forecast for much of Kansas.
South:
Scattered thunderstorms are forecast across the Southeast. The south Florida thunderstorms will produce heavy rain and localized flooding. Texas and Oklahoma will be dry and hot with high temperatures of 95 to 110.
Northeast:
Isolated thunderstorms are forecast from the Mid-Atlantic to Southern New England. The heaviest precipitation will fall over the Mid-Atlantic and localized flash flooding is possible.
Tropical Weather Outlook

Atlantic / Caribbean / Gulf of Mexico

Tropical Depression Eight

At 5:00 a.m. EDT, August 19, 2011, Tropical Depression Eight was located approximately 360 miles East-southeast of Belize City. Maximum sustained winds of 35 mph. The depression is moving toward the west near 12 mph and this general motion is expected to continue for the next couple of days on this track. The center of the depression should move near or over the North Coast of Honduras this morning and approach Southern Belize on Saturday.
Area 1 (Invest 97L)
A large tropical wave located about 1,125 miles east of the Lesser Antilles continues to produce limited shower activity. No significant development of this wave is expected today but environmental conditions are expected to become increasingly conducive as the disturbance approaches the Lesser Antilles on Saturday. This system has a medium chance, 30 percent, of becoming a tropical cyclone during the next 48 hours as it moves westward at 20 mph.
Area 2 (Invest 98L)
A broad area of low pressure associated with a tropical wave is located just off the west coast of Africa about 325 miles east- southeast of the southernmost Cape Verde Islands. The low is producing a large area of showers and thunderstorms and upper-level winds are forecast to be conducive for development of this system as it moves west to west-northwestward at 10 to 15 mph. This system has a medium chance, 40 percent, of becoming a tropical cyclone during the next 48 hours.
Eastern Pacific
Hurricane Greg
As of 5:00 a.m. EDT, August 19, 2011, the center of Hurricane Greg was located about 380 miles Southwest of the Southern tip of Baja California, Mexico, moving toward the west-northwest at 14 mph. A turn to the west with a decrease in forward speed is forecast during the next couple of days. Maximum sustained winds have decreased to near 80 mph with higher gusts which makes Greg a Category 1 Hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale. Additional weakening is forecast during the next 48 hours.
Central PacificÂ*
Tropical Storm FernandaAs of 5:00 a.m. EDT, August 19, 2011, the center of Tropical Storm Fernanda was located about 905 miles east-southeast of the south point of Hawaii. Fernanda is moving toward the West-northwest at 12 mph. Maximum sustained winds are near 65 mph with higher gusts. Some weakening is forecast during the next 48 hours.
Eastern Pacific
No current tropical cyclone warnings.

Earthquake Activity

There was no significant earthquake activity in the United States or any of its territories.
Internationally, a 6.3 magnitude earthquake occurred at approximately 11:36 p.m. EDT, August 18, 2011, approximately 62 miles East of Honshu, Japan. No Pacific wide tsunami threat was issued.

Wildfire Update

Thursday, August 18, 2011:
National Preparedness Level: 2
Initial attack activity: Light (148 new fires)
New Large Fires: 3
Large Fires Contained: 6
Uncontained Large Fires: 10
Type 1 IMT Committed: 1
Type 2 IMT Committed: 0
States affected: VA, TX, TN, ID, OK, NV, SD, and MT.

Disaster Declaration Activity

Louisiana
On August 18, 2011, a Major Disaster Declaration for Louisiana (FEMA-4015-DR-LA) was approved for flooding that occurred April 25 â July 7, 2011. Public Assistance was approved for 15 Parishes and Hazard Mitigation Statewide.
Texas
Amendment No. 3 to FEMA-1999-DR-TX, was approved August 18, 2011, adding Cochran, Hartley, Jeff Davis, and Palo Pinto Counties for Public Assistance.

More...