Friday, September 3, 2010

[FEMA]

Homeland Security Threat Level: YELLOW (ELEVATED)

Significant National Weather

West
The region will be generally cool and dry under a ridge of high pressure with isolated thunderstorms over portions of Arizona and New Mexico. A strong upper level high pressure system developing over the Desert Southwest will bring a prolonged period of hot weather to Southern California, Nevada, and Arizona. Excessive Heat Warning and Watches are in effect through the weekend.
Midwest
A cold front extends from the Eastern Great Lakes to the Texas and will produce showers and thunderstorms from the Great Lakes to the Lower Mississippi Valley.
Northeast
Coastal areas will see the effects of Hurricane Earl. The low pressure system moving out of the Midwest will move into the region this afternoon and combine with the weather from Hurricane Earl to produce widespread showers and thunderstorms.
South
The front moving out of the Midwest will produce widespread precipitation in the Tennessee Valley and southern Appalachians before dissipating this evening.Â* Rainshowers and thunderstorms forecast for southern Florida and Texas.Â* The Carolinas are feeling the effects of Hurricane Earl as discussed above.Â*
(NOAA and media sources)Â*Â*Â*Â*Â*Â*Â*Â*Â*Â*

Fire Management Assistance Grant (FMAG)

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

Atlantic, Caribbean Sea, and Gulf of Mexico:Â*
Hurricane Earl is a Category 2 storm located 131 miles east-northeast of Cape Hatteras, North Carolina moving north-northeast at 18mph. Maximum sustained winds are near 105 mph and hurricane force winds extend out 70 miles from the center and tropical storm force winds extend out 205 miles from the center. Earl is expected to increase forward speed but weaken overall during the next 48 hours and as it approaches southeastern New England tonight.Â*
The storm conditions will follow the watches and warnings as issued by the National Hurricane Center during the next few days. Tropical storm force winds will reach from Virginia toward the Massachusetts coast later today and then to the coast of Maine tonight. Hurricane conditions are expected in Massachusetts tonight and Saturday morning.
Storm surge amounts will reach two to four feet above ground level in North Carolina, the lower Chesapeake Bay and areas of Massachusetts. Within the tropical storm warning areas, storm surges will raise water levels by one to three feet above ground level with large and destructive waves, rip currents and dangerous surf conditions.
Coastal North Carolina will see one or two additional inches of rain today as will the coasts of Virginia and Maine as the storm moves north. Southeast New England will see rainfall totals of one to three inches with isolated amounts up to five inches possible in some areas.Â*
Current watches and warnings for the U.S. East Coast
The hurricane watch north of the North Carolina/Virginia border to Cape Henlopen, Delaware was discontinued. All warnings were discontinued south of Cape Lookout, North Carolina and for the western portion of the Ablemarle Sound.
Hurricane warnings are in effect for Cape Lookout, NC northeastward to the North Carolina/Virginia border as well Westport, MA eastward around Cape Cod to Hull, MA including Marthaâs Vineyard and Nantucket Island.
Tropical storm warnings are in effect north of the North Carolina/Virginia border to Sandy Hook, NJ, the coast of Long Island, NY from Fire Island Inlet around to Port Jefferson Harbor, New Haven, CT to west of Westport, MA including Block Island as well as north of Hull, MA to the Marrimack River and from Stonington, ME eastward to Eastport, ME.
Tropical storm watches are in effect north of the Marrimack River to west of Stonington, ME, the Long Island Coast from west of Fire Island Inlet to west of Port Jefferson Harbor.
SeeÂ*www.nhc.noaa.gov/Â*Â*for the latest advisories.Â*
(NOAA)Â*
FEMA Preparations for Hurricane Earl
The National Response Coordination Center is operating 24/7 including the Emergency Support Functions, Emergency Management Agency Coordinators, and Movement Coordination Center to support the NRCC operations as directed. FEMA Logistics and MERS staff mobilized commodities and equipment including meals, water, generators, and communications teams, to Incident Support Bases in North Carolina and Massachusetts.
FEMA Region I Regional Response Coordination Center and the MERS Operations Center in Maynard, MA are operating 24/7. Numerous Incident Management Assistance Teams (IMATs) from around the country are deployed throughout the region. A FEMA Urban Search and Rescue team was activated for Region I and additional teams are on alert.
FEMA Region II Regional Response Coordination Center is operating 24/7 with Emergency Support Functions and the Defense Coordinating Element activated. Incident Management Assistance Teams (IMATs), Defense Coordinating Officers, and Federal Coordinating Officers are staffing New York and the Caribbean Area Division and there are no reported shortfalls or unmet needs.
FEMA Region III Regional Response Coordination Center is operating from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. The Region deployed IMAT teams to Virginia and Maryland and a team for Delaware is identified and on standby.Â*
FEMA Region IV Regional Response Coordination Center is operating from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. including the Emergency Support Functions and Defense Coordinating Element. Commodities are in place at the Incident Support Base in North Carolina. A Federal Coordinating Officer, Regional Incident Management Assistance Team, and a State Liaison Officer are assigned to the North Carolina State Emergency Operations Center.
The Governors of Massachusetts, Maryland, North Carolina, Rhode Island, and Virginia declared states of emergency.
(FEMA HQ, Regions I, II, III, IV)Â*
Additional Tropical Activity in the Atlantic BasinÂ*
Tropical Storm Fiona is 285 miles south-southwest of Bermuda moving north at 13 mph. Maximum sustained winds are near 50 mph with tropical storm force winds extending out 105 miles from the center. Fiona is expected to pass near Bermuda later this evening or early Saturday and weaken during the next few days.
The remnants of Gaston are now only a tropical low 1,100 miles west of the Cape Verde Islands with a 20 percent chance of redeveloping into a tropical cyclone during the next 48 hours.
Another tropical wave off the west coast of Africa has a low chance, near 10 percent, of becoming a tropical cyclone during the next 48 hours.
Eastern PacificÂ*
Tropical Depression Ten-E is located 220 miles south of the southern tip of Baja, California moving northwest near eight mph but is forecast to move west-northwest later today. The system has maximum sustained winds near 35 mph but is expected to weaken on Saturday.
Another system over the Gulf of Tehuantepec has a low chance, near 20 percent, of developing into a tropical cyclone during the next 48 hours. This storm is nearly stationary so regardless of development, it could produce heavy localized rain for areas of Mexico and Guatemala during the next few days.
Central and Central Pacific:Â*
No tropical cyclones are expected during the next 48 hours.
(NOAA, JTWC)Â*
Earthquake Activity

No new activity (FEMA HQ)
Preliminary Damage Assessments

No new activity (FEMA HQ)
Wildfire Update

National Preparedness Level: 2
National Fire Activity as of Thursday, September 2, 2010:Â*
Initial attack activity: light (98 new fires), new large fires: 5, large fires contained: 4
Uncontained large fires: 12, U.S. States affected: ID, UT, OR, HI, WY, OK, AR, KY, & MTÂ*
(NIFC)Â*
Idaho Wildfire
The Hurd Fire is located in Valley County, Idaho, northwest of Cascade, and has now burned 1,380 acres. It is 95% contained and there are no reported injuries or fatalities. FMAG-2853 was approved on Aug 26.Â*
(HQ FEMA)

Disaster Declaration Activity

Kansas
Amendment No. 1 to DR-1932-KS was approved on September 2, 2010 and makes an additional seven counties eligible for the Public Assistance program.
North Carolina
Amendment No. 1 to EM-3314-NC was approved on September 2, 2010 and makes 12 additional counties eligible for the Public Assistance program (Category B), to include direct Federal Assistance.
MassachusettsÂ*
On September 2, 2010, the President signed Emergency Declaration EM-3315 for Massachusetts as a result of Hurricane Earl beginning on September 1, 2010, and continuing. The declaration approves emergency protective measures (Category B), including direct Federal assistance. James N. Russo of the FCO Program will coordinate federal operations for this disaster response.
(HQ FEMA)Â*


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