National Situation Update: Monday, September 1, 2008

Homeland Security Threat Level: YELLOW (ELEVATED).

Hurricane Gustav

At 5:00 am EDT the center of hurricane Gustav was located about 115 miles south-southeast of New Orleans Louisiana and about 195 miles southeast of Lafayette Louisiana. This position is also about 65 miles southeast of Port Fourchon along the Louisiana coast.

The hurricane warning east of the Mississippi Alabama border to the Alabama-Florida border has been changed to a tropical storm warning. A hurricane warning remains in effect from just east of high island Texas eastward to the Mississippi-Alabama border including the city of New Orleans and lake Pontchartrain. A tropical storm warning is in effect from east of the Mississippi Alabama border to the Ochlockonee river.
Gustav is moving toward the northwest near 16 mph and this motion is expected to continue for the next day or so with some decrease in forward speed and a gradual turn toward the west-northwest on Tuesday. On the forecast track the center will cross the Louisiana coast by midday today.

Maximum sustained winds are near 115 mph with higher gusts. Gustav is a category three hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson scale. No significant change in strength is likely before landfall, with weakening expected to begin after Gustav moves inland later today. Hurricane force winds extend outward up to 70 miles from the center and tropical storm force winds extend outward up to 230 miles.

An Air Force hurricane hunter aircraft reported a minimum central pressure of 956 mb/28.23 inches.

An extremely dangerous storm surge of 10 to 14 feet above normal tidal levels is expected near and to the east of where the center of Gustav crosses the coast.

Gustav is expected to produce total rainfall accumulations of six to 12 inches over portions of Louisiana, southern and western Mississippi, Arkansas and northeastern Texas with isolated maximum amounts of up to 20 inches possible through Thursday.

Isolated tornadoes are possible over the central gulf coast today. (NOAA, HPC, National Hurricane Center)

Federal / State Preparations

FEMA NRCC:

NRCC is activated to Level I, 24/7 operations (Watch and all Emergency Support Functions).
National IMAT-East deployed to Baton Rouge, LA.
The Hurricane Liaison Team (HLT) is activated and deployed to the National Hurricane Center.
National Emergency Family Registry and Locator System has been activated.(SLB)
Priorities include: Coordinate pre-landfall asset deployments and overall Federal support to facilitate evacuation, implementation of Contra-flow program, and any unmet needs.(SLB)

FEMA Region IV:

RRCC is activated at Level I, 24/7 with all ESFs reporting.
Region IV ERT-A deployed to AL EOC in Clanton, Alabama.
Initial Operating Facility (IOF) remains operational at the State Logistics Warehouse in Orlando, Florida.
The Joint Field Office (JFO) for DR-1785-FL is operational in Orlando, FL.
Region IV-IMAT in place at the EOC in Jackson, Mississippi.
Logistics is preparing to transfer commodities from the Transitional Recovery Office (TRO) warehouse in Montgomery, Alabama to Maxwell Air Force Base
ESF 6 on Phase 2-Concern.
ESF 8 is in the process of activating three Disaster Medical Assistance Teams (DMAT's); four Medical Strike Teams; and one Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) Response Coordination Team, and placed an additional DMAT on alert.

Mississippi:

The President has declared FEMA-3291-EM for the State of Mississippi.
EOC is activated to Level 1 (full activation).
69 shelters are open with 5,481 population.

Alabama:

The President has declared FEMA-3292-EM for the State of Alabama (SLB).
State EOC is activated to Level I with 24/7, with all ESFs on site.
If storm shifts direction, state can move 37,000 people out of coastal communities. (SLB)
58 shelters are open with 4,720 population.

Florida:

EOC is now at Level I operations.
Monitoring Tropical Storm Hanna.
The Florida State Emergency Operations Center (SEOC) has ordered in all section chiefs, branch directors and selected ESF's to staff the SEOC at a Level 2 as they support the evacuation efforts from the western Gulf Coast states.
They have ordered shelters to be opened all along the I-10 corridor, variable message signage to be put in place and reports indicate many of the rest areas are at capacity with evacuees that may need support.
12 shelters are open with 342 population.

Georgia:

EOC is now activated at Level I .
4 shelters are open with 52 population.

Kentucky:

EOC is activated at Level I (monitoring).
Two State LNOs are deployed to the LA Warm Cell.
1 shelter is open with 1,418 population.

Tennessee:

Tennessee EOC is activated at Level IV (highest). (SLB)
27 shelters are open with 1,879 population. (SLB)

Missouri:

1 shelter is open with 0 population.

FEMA Region VI:

FEMA Region VI RRCC is at Level I, with 24/7. All ESF representatives and partners are activated.
The pre-designated FCO for Texas and the Region VI IMAT is co-located with Texas DEM in Austin, TX.
The Louisiana Warm Cell (LWC) is working closely with the State regarding evacuation, sheltering and other response issues.
Two FEMA-State Liaisons are deployed to the Louisiana EOC.
The FEMA Region X ERT-A deployed to Baton Rouge.
Region VI deployed four Parish Liaisons to the LWC in Baton Rouge to pre-stage.
All MERS equipment has been pre-staged in Austin, TX, Houston, TX, Bossier City, LA and Carville, LA.
Preliminary Damage Assessment (PDA) teams are on stand-by.
Staff and commodities hosted at Carville, LA have moved to Camp Beauregard, LA due to potential flooding from storm tidal surge.(SLB)

Louisiana:

GOHSEP activated the EOC at Level I..
LA working on contingency plan to shelter special needs patients in case they are not able to evacuate.(SLB)
Bus, Rail, Aero medical and General Air evacuations commenced on August 30, 2008. As of 3:00 am EDT, August 31, 2008 a total of 7,465 people were evacuated. (SLB)
There is a shortage of gas/diesel. State was granted fuel waiver to allow use of winterized gas and higher sulfur diesel. (SLB)
As of 11 a.m. MDT, TRANSCOM reports 2,387 personnel have been evacuated and USNORTHCOM Medical Operation Center has confirmed 74 patients have been evacuated.
As of 9:30 a.m. (CDT), August 31, 2008, a total of 28 flights have transported 2,628 Critical Transportation Needs evacuees (CTNs). (SLB)
59 shelters are open with 11,785 population. (SLB)
Louisiana has requested support from EMAC for other non-impacted states, Pennsylvania, Delaware and Ohio are supporting medical evacuations.(SLB)

Texas:

Texas State Operations Center (SOC) is at Level I.
IOF operational in Austin, TX.
Four FEMA State Liaisons are onsite at the Texas SOC in Austin.
The following resources were sent to support the medical needs evacuation in Port Arthur, TX: 250 buses, 56 wheelchair-accessible vans, 200 ambulances and 25 paramedic buses.
76 shelters are open with 7,815 population. (SLB) Arkansas:
DEM Level IV (Full activation).
12 shelters are open with 693 population.

Oklahoma:

DEM Level III (Normal Operations).
1 shelter is open with 0 population. New Mexico:
DHSEM Level III ( Monitoring).

FEMA Region III:

Level II activation.
Region is planning to fully staff RRCC in preparation for TS Hanna and is the lead for Operational Planning with other regions and east coast states.
Two USNORTHCOM planners.
OPB Future Planning supporting planning efforts.

Significant National Weather

West:
A strong upper-level system and surface cold front will move through the Rocky Mountains producing rain and scattered thunderstorms. A few of the thunderstorms in Colorado could produce gusty winds and hail. Highs Monday will range from the 60s in Montana to the mid-90s and 110 in the Desert Southwest.
Midwest:
A cold front over the Dakotas will produce gusty winds, scattered showers and thunderstorms. High pressure will keep the Great Lakes, Ohio Valley and middle Mississippi Valley mostly sunny. High temperatures will range from the middle 80s to the lower 90s.
South:
As discussed above Hurricane Gustav is forecast to make landfall along the Louisiana coast later today spreading heavy precipitation, strong winds and tornados into Louisiana, southern Mississippi, southern Alabama and the Florida Panhandle. For the latest information on Hurricane Gustav see www.nhc.noaa.gov/. High temperatures will generally be in the 90s across the region except for south Texas where temperatures in the Rio Grande valley will be above 100.
Northeast:
High pressure dominates the weather in the region with mostly clear skies. Temperatures will be above seasonal norms - Highs will range from 70s in Maine to 90s in Virginia (NOAA, National Weather Service, Various Media Sources)

Tropical Storm Hanna

At 5:00 am EDT the center of tropical storm Hanna was located about 90 miles north-northeast of the southeastern Bahamas or 535 miles east southeast of Miami, Florida.

Hanna has been drifting slowly westward near two mph and a continued slow forward motion between west and west-southwest is expected during the next day or so although Hanna could become stationary at times. On the forecast track the center of Hanna will move near or over the southeastern Bahamas during the next day or two.

A NOAA buoy east of the center indicates maximum sustained winds are near 50 mph with higher gusts. Some fluctuations in strength are possible during the next day or so.

Tropical storm force winds extend outward up to 140 miles from the center.

The estimated minimum central pressure is 996 mb/29.41 inches.

Swells from Hanna are expected to increase the risk of dangerous rip currents along portions of the southeastern United States coast during the next couple of days. (NOAA, HPC, National Hurricane Center)

St. Louis, Illinois HAZMAT Incident

East St. Louis emergency crews responded to a hazardous chemical that may have led to one to two fatalities (unconfirmed media reporting) on August 30, 2008. Additionally, at least eight to ten people were hospitalized after being exposed to an unknown hazardous chemical or material (possibly nitroaniline).
Officials believe the hospitalized individuals are employees who was mixing the chemicals. Investigation by the EPA and the FBI are ongoing. Clean up is expected to begin on August 31, 2008 at 1300 CDT and is expected to be completed within the next 24-48 hours. (Region V)

Tropical Weather Outlook

Atlantic/Caribbean:
Shower and thunderstorm activity has increased and become a little more concentrated near the center of a broad area of low pressure Located about 675 miles west of the Cape Verde Islands. Conditions appear favorable for a tropical depression to form during the next day or so as the system moves westward at 15 mph.

A vigorous tropical wave has emerged off the west coast of Africa about 400 miles southeast of the Cape Verde Islands. This system is already showing signs of organization and additional development Is possible over the next two days as it moves westward at around 15 mph.
Eastern Pacific:
A broad area of low pressure centered about 180 miles south-southwest of Manzanillo Mexico is producing disorganized showers and thunderstorms. Upper-level winds are expected to remain unfavorable for tropical cyclone development during the next couple of days as the system moves westward at about 10 mph.
Western Pacific:
No tropical cyclone activity. (NOAA, HPC, National Hurricane Center, Central Pacific Hurricane Center and the Joint Typhoon Warning Center)

Earthquake Activity

No new activity (FEMA HQ)

Preliminary Damage Assessments

No new activity (FEMA HQ)

Wildfire Update

National Fire Activity as of Sunday, August 31, 2008:
National Wildfire Preparedness Level: 3
Initial attack activity: Light (72 new fires)
New large fires: 1
Uncontained large fires: 15
Large fires contained: 2
States with Large fires: UT, ID, OR, MT, WY, CO, CA, NV, NJ, NM and TN. (NIFC)

Disaster Declaration Activity

On August 31, 2008, Amendment #5 to FEMA-1785-DR-FL to include Duval County for Individual Assistance, 3 additional counties for Individual and Public Assistance and 6 counties for Public Assistance. (FEMA HQ)

Last Modified: Tuesday, 02-Sep-2008 08:15:35 EDT