Thursday, September 22, 2011

[FEMA]

Homeland Security Threat Level: YELLOW (ELEVATED)

Significant National Weather

West:
The region will continue to be generally dry under high pressure. Precipitation will be limited to rain in the Pacific Northwest and afternoon thunderstorms across the mountains of Arizona, New Mexico and Colorado. Temperatures will be 5-20 degrees above normal for areas west of the Rockies.
Midwest:
A cold dome of high pressure is producing below normal temperatures across much of the region. A cold front extends from the Eastern Great Lakes to the Desert Southwest. Circulation around the low pressure center over Lake Superior will produce rain over Great Lakes, Upper Mississippi and Ohio valleys. The tail end of the front will produce some welcome showers and thunderstorms over the Central and Southern Plains.
South:
The cold front will produce showers and thunderstorms across the region today. The heaviest precipitation (more than 1 inch) today is forecast for across Georgia and the Carolinas localized flooding is likely.
Northeast:
The cold front will produce widespread showers and thunderstorms. Heavy downpours will produce localized flooding. The precipitation will continue into the weekend as the front moves slowly across the region.

Northeast and Atlantic Storms Response/Recovery

Vermont
Two shelters are open with 33 (no change) occupants.
New York
There are 5 shelters open with 95 occupants. There are approximately 3,717 customers without power; primarily in Broome County. 27 Disaster Recovery Centers (DRCs), 14 Mobile Disaster Recovery Centers (MDRCs), Twenty boil water orders are in effect, impacting 168 systems and 11 counties; 105 boil water advisories have been rescinded.
New Jersey
There are 21 DRCs operational.
Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands
16 DRCs are operational.
Pennsylvania
15 (+1) water treatment facilities and 14 (-2) sewage treatment plants were affected; 12 (-2) boiled water advisories remain in effect. There are 5 shelters open with 131 occupants.
Virginia
There is 1 shelter open with 62 occupants.

Tropical Weather Outlook

Tropical Storm Ophelia
At 5:00 a.m. EDT September 22, the center of Tropical Storm Ophelia was located about 1,020 miles east-southeast of the Leeward Islands. Ophelia is moving toward the west near 14 mph and this motion is expected to continue today with a turn to the west-northwest expected on Friday.
Maximum sustained winds have increased to near 65 mph with higher gusts. Slow weakening is forecast during the next 48 hours due to strong upper-level winds.
Tropical storm force winds extend outward up to 230 miles mostly to the north of the center. A NOAA buoy located to the north of the center recently reported 1-minute mean winds of 63 mph and a wind gust of 78 mph.
There are no coastal watches or warnings in effect.
Area 1
At 2:00 a.m. EDT September 22, a small area of low pressure located near Puerto Rico is producing scattered showers and a few thunderstorms. Upper-level winds are not conducive for development and this system has a low chance, near 0 percent, of becoming a tropical cyclone during the next 48, hours as it moves generally westward at 15 to 20 mph.
Elsewhere, tropical cyclone formation is not expected during the next 48 hours.
Eastern Pacific
Tropical Storm Hilary
At 5:00 a.m. EDT September 22, Hilary was located about 115 miles south-southeast of Puerto Escondido Mexico. Hilary is moving west-northwest near 9 mph, and this general motion is expected to continue during the next 24-48 hours. On the forecast track, Hilary will continue to move parallel to the southwest coast of Mexico.
Maximum sustained winds near 70 mph with higher gusts. Strengthening is forecast during the next 48 hours and Hilary is expected to become a hurricane today and possibly a major hurricane by Saturday. Tropical storm force winds extend outward up to 85 miles.
There are coastal warnings in effect for Mexico.
Central Pacific
No Tropical Cyclones expected through Friday evening.
Western Pacific
There are no tropical cyclones threatening U.S. Territories.

Earthquake Activity

No new activity (FEMA HQ)
Wildfire Update

Wednesday, September 21, 2011:
National Preparedness Level: 2
Initial attack activity: Light (104 new fires)
New Large Fires: 0
Large Fires Contained: 1
Uncontained Large Fires: 4
Type 1 IMT Committed: 3
Type 2 IMT Committed: 3
States affected: TX, MS, OR, WA, ID, and MN.
Fire Activity
Minnesota
Pagami Creek Fire (St. Louis County, MN)
As of September 21, there were 93,669 acres burned (93,898 acres initially reported, but adjusted down as a result of improved GPS mapping); the fire is now 30% (+7) contained. There has been 1 injury reported. Approximately 100 residence, 30 commercial properties, and 20 outbuildings remain threatened. The evacuation area remains closed to seasonal residents and the public. The Minnesota EOC has returned to normal operations. There has been no FEMA assistance or FMAG requested.

Disaster Declaration Activity

Texas
Amendment No. 4 to FEMA-4029-DR-TX adds Bastrop County for Public Assistance, including direct Federal assistance (already designated for Individual Assistance), and Hazard Mitigation statewide.

Nebraska
The Governor requested a Major Disaster Declaration for the State of Nebraska as a result of severe storms during the period August 18-22, 2011. The Governor is specifically requesting Public Assistance for Douglas County, and Hazard Mitigation statewide.


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