Tuesday, March 29, 2011

[FEMA]

Homeland Security Threat Level: YELLOW (ELEVATED)

Significant National Weather

Midwest
Strong high pressure will remain in place over much of the Great Lakes today with scattered precipitation possible across the Central Plains and Mid Mississippi Valley. Across the Northern Plains, a mixed precipitation of rain, freezing rain and light snow is possible this evening.
South
Showers and thunderstorms, some capable of producing heavy rains, are possible from eastern Texas to Louisiana this afternoon. The storm system will move into Alabama, Georgia and northern Florida by early Wednesday, producing up to two inches of rain.Â*
Northeast
High pressure will keep an unseasonably cold air mass in place across much of the eastern third of the U.S. this morning. Wednesday, the storm system moving out of the Central Plains will become better organized as it enters the Tennessee and lower Ohio Valleys, producing additional rainfall across the area. Low relative humidity and strong winds will increase the risk of fire danger today across portions of New Jersey.Â*
West
Widespread light precipitation is expected to continue across the Pacific Northwest, movingÂ* into the northern Rockies. Rain and snow, up to 10 inches, are possible in higher elevations of the northern Cascades and Colorado Rockies. (National Weather Service, Hydrometeorological Prediction Center, and various media sources)
Japan Recovery - Support Operations

National IMAT Activations
The National Incident Management Assistance Team-East Support Cell remains activated, supporting the EPAâs air monitoring mission.
Region X Response Division including, IMAT staff, NP REP Program, and Mission Support Divisions, are supporting the National IMAT and EPA in air monitoring in response to the Japanese emergency.Â* (FEMA HQ)

Spring Flood Preparation

Current Situation:
South Dakota continues to experience minor to major flooding on the James and Big Sioux River Basins. Colder temperatures have slowed the melt and runoff in much of the area resulting in declining water levels in the lower basin. Warmer weather later this week is expected to bring stream levels up again to moderate and major flood levels. The risk of ice jams has increased on the Redwood, Cottonwood and Little Cottonwood Rivers in Minnesota. Water levels continue to recede along portions of the lower Ohio River. Moderate flooding is forecast to continue on the Ohio River at the Grand Chain Dam and Cairo through Wednesday. No significant impacts have been reported.Â*(FEMA Region V, VII, VIII, USACE, NOAA)
Disaster Field Offices

14 Open Field Offices are supporting 13 Major Disaster Declarations and 2 Emergency Declarations.(FEMA HQ)Â*
Earthquake Activity

At 9:03 p.m. EDT March 28, a M 5.0 earthquake occurred 80 miles SSW of Hagatna, Guam, and 216 miles SSW of Saipan, Northern Mariana Islands, at a depth of 29.3 miles. No damage or injuries were reported and there were no requests for FEMA assistance.Â*Â*(USGS)Â*
Preliminary Damage Assessments

No new activity (FEMA HQ)
Wildfire Update

March 28, 2011

• Initial attack activity: Light (36 new fires)
• New large fires: 4
• Large fires contained: 1
• Uncontained large fires: 20
• Area Command Teams committed: 0
• NIMOs committed: 0
• Type 1 IMTs committed: 0
• States Affected: Georgia, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Mississippi, Arkansas, Texas, Arizona, Kansas, Colorado, Missouri and New Mexico. (NIFC)

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