Monday, August 22, 2011

[FEMA]

Homeland Security Threat Level: YELLOW (ELEVATED)

Hurricane Irene

At 5:00 a.m. EDT, the center of Hurricane Irene was located along the north coast of Puerto Rico about 25 miles west of San Juan. Irene is moving toward the west-northwest near 12 mph. This general motion is expected to continue for the next couple of days. On the forecast track the center of Irene will move off the north coast of Puerto Rico this morning and move near or over the northern coastal regions of the Dominican Republic this afternoon and tonight.
Maximum sustained winds have increased to near 75 mph with higher gusts. Irene is a category one hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson hurricane wind scale. Some strengthening is forecast during the next 48 hours. Hurricane-force winds extend outward up to 15 miles the center and tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 150 miles mainly northwest and northeast of the center.
The Hurricane Watch has been discontinued for the U.S. Virgin Islands. Tropical storm conditions are occurring in the Virgin Islands, eastern Puerto Rico, Culebra and Vieques and will continue to spread across Puerto Rico this morning. Hurricane conditions are expected over Puerto Rico, Vieques and Culebra this morning. The highest winds are likely to occur over areas of elevated terrain.
Irene is expected to produce total rainfall accumulations of 5 to 10 inches across Puerto Rico the Virgin Islands and other Caribbean islands (including Haiti). Isolated maximum amounts of up to 20 inches are possible. These rains could cause life-threatening flash floods and mud slides in areas of steep terrain.
A storm surge of 1 to 3 feet above normal tide levels is expected along the coast of Puerto Rico as well as in the remainder of the tropical storm warning area near the coast the surge will be accompanied by large and dangerous waves.
See www.nhc.noaa.gov/ for the latest information:

Puerto Rico

• 64 shelters open with 600 occupants.
• 111,400 customers without power on PR. The Islands of Vieques and Culebra are also without power.
• 22 fire reports.
• No water outages.
• San Juan airport closed; expected to re-open today.
• Government and schools closed today.
• National Guard activated.

U.S. Virgin Islands

• Shelters open:
  • St. Croix: 1 shelter open with 5 occupants; 1 special needs shelter open.
  • St. Thomas: 1 shelter open; 1 special needs shelter open.
  • St. John: 1 shelter open; 1 special needs shelter open.
• Major power outages on St. Croix (exact numbers unknown).
• Telephone service (voice) down on St. Croix but texting and data still operational.
• St. Thomas and St. Croix airports closed; expected to re-open today.
• Requesting sandbags from USACE (50,000 for St. Croix; 50,000 for St. Thomas).

Significant National Weather

West:Â*Â*

A frontal system will bring heavy rain (up to 1 inch) to the Pacific Northwest. In north central Montana, Red Flag Warnings are in effect until this evening due to gusty winds and low relative humidity. Monsoonal moisture will produce showers and scattered thunderstorms over the Four Corners States.

Midwest:

Scattered showers and thunderstorms are forecast in the Central and Northern Plains. High pressure will produce dry conditions over the most of the Great Lakes and the Ohio and Tennessee valleys. Â*

South:

A frontal system will bring precipitation, including scattered thunderstorms across the Southeast. Heat Advisories remain in effect across eastern Texas, most of Oklahoma, southern Arkansas, Louisiana, and eastern Mississippi until this evening with heat index values ranging from 105 to 110 degrees.
Northeast:
A frontal system will bring precipitation, including scattered thunderstorms to New York State and New England. Most of the precipitation will end this evening as the front moves offshore.
Tropical Weather Outlook

Atlantic / Caribbean /Gulf of Mexico
Hurricane Irene
As discussed above.
Tropical Depression Harvey

As of 5:00 a.m. EDT August 22, Tropical Depression Harvey was located about 55 miles south-southeast of Veracruz Mexico and moving toward the west-southwest near 10 mph. A decrease in forward speed is forecast during the next12 - 24 hours before Harvey dissipates. Maximum sustained winds remain near 35 mph with higher gusts. Weakening is expected now that Harvey is inland over Mexico and Harvey is forecast to dissipate over mountainous terrain later today.

Area 1(Invest 98L)
A large and elongated low pressure system located about 300 miles northwest of the northernmost Cape Verde Islands is producing limited shower activity. This system continues to move northwestward at 10-15 mph over cooler waters and development is becoming lessun likely during the next couple of days. This system has a low chance (near 0 percent) of becoming a tropical cyclone during the next 48 hours.
Elsewhere, tropical cyclone formation is not expected during the next 48 hours.
Central Pacific
Area 1
The center of former Tropical Cyclone Fernanda was located about 340 miles south-southwest of Hilo, Hawaii. Isolated thunderstorms continue intermittently along the northern edge of the system. There is a low chance (near 0 percent) of this system becoming a tropical cyclone again during the next 48 hours.
Elsewhere, tropical cyclone formation is not expected through Tuesday evening.
Western Pacific
No activity threatening U.S. territories.

Earthquake Activity

No new activity (FEMA HQ)
Wildfire Update

Sunday, August 21, 2011:
National Preparedness Level: 2
Initial attack activity: Light (149 new fires)
New Large Fires: 9
Large Fires Contained: 2
Uncontained Large Fires: 20
Type 1 IMT Committed: 1
Type 2 IMT Committed: 2
States affected: VA, TX, CA, OK, NV, OR, WA, NM, UT, ID,CO, WY, and MT.

Disaster Declaration Activity

No new activity (FEMA HQ)


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