Wednesday, June 30, 2010

[FEMA]

Homeland Security Threat Level: YELLOW (ELEVATED)

Hurricane Alex

Â*Alex is now a Category One Hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Scale and the first June Atlantic Hurricane since 1995. At 5:00 a.m. EDT, the center was approximately 235 miles southeast of Brownsville, Texas moving west near 7 mph. Alex is expected to make landfall late today or early Thursday. Currently the storm has maximum sustained winds near 80 mph, with higher gusts. The hurricane force winds extend outward 25 miles and tropical storm force winds extend outward 200 miles. Alex will continue in a general west-northwest motion during the next 24-48 hours and is expected to strengthen prior to landfall but will then weaken once it moves inland.
A Hurricane Warning is now in effect for the Texas coast from Baffin Bay to the Rio Grande and south along the Mexican coast to La Cruz. Tropical Storm Warnings exist from Baffin Bay north to Port OâConnor and along the Mexican coast south of La Cruz to Cabo Rojo.
Alex is expected to produce rainfall accumulations of 6 to 12 inches over portions of northeastern Mexico and southern Texas, with isolated amounts of up to 20 inches. A dangerous storm surge will raise water levels as much as 3 to 5 feet above ground level along the immediate coast within the warning areas. Isolated tornadoes are also possible over portions of extreme southern Texas today.
(NOAA)Â*
Federal Response:
National
The National Response Coordination Center is activated to Level II with Emergency Support Functions # 1, 3, 6, 7, 8, 9, 11, 13, and 15 activated. Randolph Air Force Base in San Antonio, Texas is serving as a staging area and continues to collect prepositioned assets from FEMA Logistics. The Region VIII MERS team from Denver, Colo. is also deploying to that staging area and will arrive July 1.
On June 29, the President declared an emergency exists in 25 Texas counties and that federal aid is available to supplement state and local response efforts due to the emergency conditions resulting from Tropical Storm Alex beginning on June 27, 2010, and continuing.
Federal funding is available to coordinate all disaster relief efforts with the purpose of alleviating the hardship and suffering caused by the emergency on the local population, and to provide appropriate assistance for required emergency measures, authorized under Title V of the Stafford Act, to save lives and to protect property and public health and safety, and to lessen or avert the threat of a catastrophe.
Region VIÂ*
The Region VI Regional Response Coordination Center is activated to Level II (Mid â Level Staffing), with most Emergency Support Functions activated. The Region VI IMAT team deployed to the Texas State Operations Center in Austin, Texas.
(FEMA HQ, Region VI)
Significant National Weather

SouthÂ*
A cold front from the north will produce rain and thunderstorms for parts of the Southeast today. The front will move toward the northern Gulf Coast on Thursday and Friday, continuing to produce thunderstorms that may cause flash flooding.
West
Moderate rain and severe thunderstorms are forecast in Montana later today. The severe threat includes damaging wind gusts, hail and possible tornadoes. Rainfall accumulations near an inch are possible. Some thunderstorms are anticipated in isolated areas of the Rockies and in southern New Mexico. Red Flag Warning will be in effect this afternoon for southern Utah due to strong winds and low relative humidity.
Northeast
Some rain and a few thundershowers are possible from northern New York to northern Maine. Red Flag Warnings will be in affect this afternoon until tonight for western Pennsylvania and most of New Jersey due to strong winds and low relative humidity.
MidwestÂ*
A few severe thunderstorms are possible in western North Dakota late in the day.
(NOAA and media sources)
Mississippi Canyon 252

FEMA is providing personnel to the National Integration Center and additional Logistics and External Affairs support to the Federal On-Scene Coordinator. FEMA leads the Social Services and Small Business Interagency Working Group (Claims and Benefits).
An estimated 2.3 â 4.1 million barrels of oil has been released as of 28 June. The estimated oil spill rate has been revised to between 35,000 to 60,000 barrels per day. Approximately 78,597 sq miles, or 33 percent, of the Gulf of Mexico exclusive economic zone is closed to commercial and recreational fishing. Drilling of relief wells should not be impacted by the high sea states.
(NIC Daily Situation Update)
Fire Management Assistance Grant (FMAG)

No activityÂ*(FEMA HQ)
Tropical Weather Outlook

Atlantic, Caribbean Sea, and Gulf of MexicoÂ*
Hurricane Alex as discussed above.
Eastern, Central, Western PacificÂ*
No tropical cyclone activity expected in the next 24 hours.Â*Â*
Â*(NOAA)
Earthquake Activity

On June 30 at 2:22 a.m. EDT, an earthquake measuring a magnitude 6.5 occurred 25 miles northeast of Pinotepa Nacional, Oaxaca, Mexico at a depth of 6.2 miles. There were no reports of damage or injury and no tsunami was generated.
(USGS)

Preliminary Damage Assessments

No new activity (FEMA HQ)
Wildfire Update

National Preparedness Level 2
National Fire Activity as of Tuesday, June 29, 2010:Â*
Initial attack activity:Â* Moderate (233 new fires), new large fires: 2, large fires contained: 3, Uncontained large fires: 9, states affected:Â* AZ, NM, CO, AK, TX & NJ
Shultz Fire
The Shultz Fire, located 4 miles north of Flagstaff (Coconino County), Arizona was approved for an FMAG on Jun 20, 2010. Approximately 15,075 acres have burned and the fire is now 90% contained. All evacuation orders were lifted and no injuries or fatalities were reported. Resources continue to demobilize; yesterday weather conditions assisted in mop-up efforts for fire fighters.
(NIFC)
Disaster Declaration Activity

TexasÂ*
As discussed above.
South Dakota
Amendment No. 4 for FEMA-1900-DR-MN was approved on June 29, 2010 to add Nicollet County for Public Assistance.
(FEMA HQ)



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