Wednesday, April 28, 2010

[FEMA]

Homeland Security Threat Level: YELLOW (ELEVATED)

Significant National Weather

West:
Under a large low pressure system precipitation is forecast for the entire region. Lower elevations will see up to an inch of rain and the higher elevations will see a foot of snow. The Desert Southwest and Four Corners area will see gusty winds over 50 mph with occasional gusts 80 mph in higher elevations.
The gusty winds and low humidity will result in critical fire weather across southern Arizona and much of New Mexico. The Intermountain West will see showers and higher elevation snow for the next several days.
Midwest
The system dropping out of the West will produce southerly winds gusting to 30 and 45 mph, across the High Plains. A warm front will produce rain and thunderstorms across the Dakotas. Tomorrow, a line of showers and thunderstorms will develop a front from Texas to Minnesota. The greatest potential for severe thunderstorm will be over Kansas. The cold front and the thunderstorms will move slowly eastward over the next several days.
South:
Under high pressure the region will be dry with partly cloudy skies. Northwest Texas and Oklahoma will have southwesterly winds gusting from 30 to 50-mph. The wind and low humidity will result in critical fire weather. Tomorrow, the storm moving out of the West will produce increasing winds and a few thunderstorms across Oklahoma and north-central Texas.
Northeast:
A low over New England and an associated trough will produce showers over eastern New York and New England. Higher elevations could receive up to a foot of wet snow. Winds gusting between 30 and 45 mph are forecast from the Mid-Atlantic to southern New England.Â*(NOAA, National Weather Service, various media sources)Â*
Tornado and Severe Weather Activity:

Numerous tornadoes moved across the Southeast from April 23-25, producing rain, large hail, damaging winds and tornadoes.Â* Most states have transition from response phase to recovery.
Oil Platform Explosion Update â Gulf of Mexico:

The Deepwater Horizon Mobile Offshore Drilling Unit (MODU) located in the Gulf of Mexico, 51 miles southeast of Venice, Louisiana sank at 10:20 a.m. EDT, April 22, 2010. More than 1,000 personnel are involved in the response effort both on and offshore with additional resources being mobilized as needed.Â*(Coast Guard Command Center and NOAA Press Release)Â*Â*Â* Fire Management Assistance Grant (FMAG)

No activity.(FEMA HQ)Â*
Tropical Weather Outlook

No new activity (FEMA HQ)
Earthquake Activity

On April 27, 2010, around 4:16 p.m. EDT, a swarm of earthquakes ranging in magnitude from (4.0 - 5.3) occurred in the Rat Islands of Alaska, approximately 280 miles ESE of Attu station, Alaska at a depth of 22 to 50 miles.Â* There have been no reports of injuries or damage and no tsunami was generated.Â* (USGS)Â*
Preliminary Damage Assessments

No new activity (FEMA HQ)
Wildfire Update

National Preparedness Level 1
National Fire Activity as of Tuesday, April 27, 2010:Â*
Initial attack activity: Light (180 new fires)
New large fires:Â* 0
Large fires contained:Â* 0
Uncontained large fires:Â* 5
States affected:Â* North Carolina and MinnesotaÂ*(NIFC)Â*
Disaster Declaration Activity

Virginia
On April 27, 2010, the President has signed Major Disaster Declaration FEMA-1905-DR for the Commonwealth of Virginia as a result of Severe Winter Storms and Snowstorms that occurred February 5-11, 2010. Specifically, the declaration provides Public Assistance for 29 counties and 8 independent cities, Emergency Protective Measures (Category B), including snow assistance, for 13 counties and 7 independent cities, and Hazard Mitigation for the entire Commonwealth have been approved. The FCO is Regis Leo Phelan of the National FCO Program.
West Virginia
On April 27, 2010, amendment 2 was approved for Major Disaster Declaration FEMA-1893-DR-WV to add Greenbrier County for Public Assistance (already designated for Individual Assistance).Â*Â*(FEMA HQ)Â*


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