Thursday, March 8, 2012

[FEMA]

Homeland Security Threat Level: YELLOW (ELEVATED)

Significant National Weather

West
A new storm moving onshore over the Pacific Northwest will produce light rain along parts of the coast and snow at the highest elevations. Temperatures will be 15 to 25 degrees below average over portions of the Southern and Central Rockies and portions of the Central and Southern High Plains. High pressure over the Great Basin will aid in the development of strong gusty winds over parts of southwestern California. A Red Flag Warning remains in effect through Thursday for the Lake Meade National Recreation area and the Colorado River Valley.
Northeast
An approaching cold front will bring rain into the region today. Temperatures will be 15 to 20 degrees above average across parts of the Northeast and northern Mid-Atlantic.
South
Heavy rain and severe thunderstorms are possible across eastern Texas and parts of the Lower Mississippi Valley with some storms possibly producing damaging winds, hail, isolated tornadoes and localized flash flooding. Rainfall accumulations will likely exceed one inch, with some areas possibly approaching three inches by Saturday morning. This system will gradually move eastward, producing showers and thunderstorms along the eastern Gulf Coast and parts of the Southeast by Friday evening.
Midwest
A weakening system moving southeastward out of central Canada will produce light snow over portions of the Upper Great Lakes and into parts of the Northeast and lower Great Lakes by Friday evening.
Severe Weather Outbreaks - Update

Severe thunderstorms began in the Midwest on February 28, 2012, and moved across the Ohio & Tennessee Valleys through February 29, 2012. A second system began in the Midwest on March 2, 2012, and moved across the Ohio & Tennessee Valleys and into the Southeast US through March 3, 2012. These two storm systems created high winds, large hail, heavy rain, and 77 confirmed tornadoes across 14 states. Widespread damages, electrical and power disruptions, numerous injuries, and 54 confirmed fatalities resulted from the storms. State Emergency Operations Centers remain open in Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Ohio, Tennessee, and West Virginia.Â* Joint Preliminary Damage Assessments are ongoing, or are scheduled to begin, in Indiana, Kentucky, West Virginia, Illinois and Tennessee.Â* All states have had power and water services fully restored.Â* On March 7, 2012, there were four shelters open in Kentucky with 65 occupants and five shelters open in Indiana with eight occupants.
All FEMA regional offices and the FEMA National Watch Center remain at Watch/Steady State. FEMA Region IV Incident Management Assistance Team (IMAT) and a FEMA liaison officer remains deployed to the Interim Operating Facility in Frankfort, Kentucky. Three Mobile Communications Office Vehicles are also deployed to Kentucky.Â* The FEMA Region V IMAT deployed to the Indiana State Emergency Operations Center is scheduled to begin their redeployment to home station on March 8, 2012.Â* The FEMA Logistics Incident Support Base at Fort Campbell, Kentucky will begin commodities retrograde on March 8, 2012.Â*
Severe Weather â Hawaii

The storm system that began on March 3, 2012, and caused damage to private and public property in the County of Kauai and the City & County of Honolulu, State of Hawaiâi continues to weaken and slide north away from the Islands. With the exception of portions of Kuhio Hwy and Kapaa Bypass Road, all highways/roads have reopened. All Emergency Operation Centers have returned to normal operations and all shelters are closed. The Hawaii National Guard is not activated.Â* There were no impacts to critical infrastucture or key resources; local damage assessments are continuing. At this time, there are no requests for FEMA assistance.
Space Weather

Space weather for the past 24 hours has been strong, with G2 geomagnetic storms and S3 solar radiation storms occurring. Space weather for the next 24 hours is predicted to be strong, with G3 geomagnetic storms, S3 solar radiation storms and R2 radio blackouts expected.Â*
Tropical Weather Outlook

No new activity (FEMA HQ)
Earthquake Activity

No new activity (FEMA HQ)
Preliminary Damage Assessments

No new activity (FEMA HQ)
Disaster Declaration Activity

No new activity (FEMA HQ)


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