Wednesday, May 26, 2010

[FEMA]

Homeland Security Threat Level: YELLOW (ELEVATED)

Significant National Weather

West:Â*
A frontal system will produce showers, mountain snow and thunderstorms from Washington, to central California eastward into the western slopes of the northern and central Rockies. Afternoon and evening showers and thunderstorms are forecast for the High Plains from southeast Montana to eastern New Mexico. The storms in Wyoming, Colorado and New Mexico could become severe.
Midwest:
A cold front extends from the Great Lakes to Kansas. Showers and thunderstorms are forecast for much of the Midwest. Areas in the upper Mississippi Valley could receive almost an inch of rain today.
South:
Moist onshore flow associated with a slow-moving disturbance off the southeast coast will produce periods of showers and thunderstorms across the Southeast during the next 48 hours.
Northeast:
A front draped across New England will produce scattered showers and thunderstorms across New England, New York and New Jersey. The thunderstorms will produce gusty winds and hail. (NOAAâs National Weather Service, the Hydro Meteorological Prediction Center and media sources)

Alaskan Oil Release

Yesterday, May 25, at 2:30 p.m. EDT, an oil release was reported at a pump station along the Alaskan National Pipeline. An estimated amount of 13,000 barrels (600,000 gallons) of crude oil was inadvertently released from a tank at Pump Station 9, located 150 miles south of Fairbanks, AK.Â*(USNG 6WWS 6192301840)
The oil did not exceed back-up containment and the entire release was contained within primary and secondary dikes. No external release occurred beyond the pump station. No injuries reported. The pump station and adjacent sections of the Alaskan National Pipeline are shut-in pending further investigation. Local EPA and DHS representatives are en route and will arrive this morning.
(Bothell MOC Incident Reports)

Mississippi Canyon 252 Update

Â*
FEMA Actions
FEMA is supporting the operation by providing personnel to the National Integration Center and Logistics and External Affairs support for the Federal On-Scene Coordinator. FEMA is also leading the Social Services and Small Business Interagency Working Group (Claims and Benefits).
A fishery disaster has been declared for Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama by the U.S. Department of Commerce. Top Kill operations are scheduled to start today. The Riser Insertion Tube Tool (RITT) remains inserted into the riser. The recovery average is 1,220 barrels (51,240 gallons) per day. Relief Wells continue to make progress. Seventy miles of Louisiana shoreline is impacted by oil; cleanup activities continue. Subsurface water sampling continues from Louisiana to Florida at multiple sites, with negative results.
(Deepwater Horizon JIC)Â*
Fire Management Assistance Grant (FMAG)

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

Atlantic:
The non-tropical low pressure system located about 450 miles southeast of the North Carolina Coast remains disorganized. The potential for this system to acquire subtropical characteristics continues to diminish. The low is drifting generally north-northwestward and a turn toward the northeast is expected over the next couple of days. This system continues to produce a large area of rain, thunderstorms and gale force winds. There is a low chance (10 percent) of this system becoming a subtropical cyclone during the next 48 hours and no additional special tropical weather outlooks on this system are anticipated
Eastern Pacific
A large area of disturbed weather is centered about 285 miles south of El Salvador in Central America. Although the area is currently disorganized, environmental conditions appear to be favorable for some development as the disturbance drifts toward during the northwest in the next 24 to 48 hours. The system has the potential to produce locally heavy rains and flooding over portions of Central America during the next few days. There is a medium chance (30 percent) of this system becoming a tropical cyclone during the next 48 hours.
Elsewhere, tropical cyclone formation is not expected during the next 48 hours.
Western Pacific:Â*
No activity.Â*Â*(NOAA, NWS, NHC, CPHC JTWC)Â*
Earthquake Activity

No significant activity in the United States in the last 24 hours.
Japan:
A 6.4 magnitude earthquake occurred at 4:53 a.m. EDT this morning. The earthquake occurred 145 miles east of Naha, Okinawa, Japan or 890 miles southwest of Tokyo, Japan. The depth was 6.2 miles.
No destructive widespread tsunami threat exists based on historical earthquake and tsunami data. However, local tsunamis are possible along coasts near the epicenter.Â*
(USGS, PTWC)
Preliminary Damage Assessments

No new activity (FEMA HQ)
Wildfire Update

National Preparedness Level 1
National Fire Activity as of Tuesday, May 25, 2010: Initial attack activity: Light (77 new fires)
New large fires: 2, Large fires contained: 0, Uncontained large fires: 5,
States affected: NM, CO, and AK
(NIFC)
Disaster Declaration Activity

No new activity (FEMA HQ)


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