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National Situation Update: Tuesday, September 16, 2008

Homeland Security Threat Level: YELLOW (ELEVATED).

Significant National Weather

South
A slow-moving frontal system should bring mostly cloudy skies with showers and scattered thunderstorms to the Florida Tuesday and mainly along the Southeast coast Wednesday.

Midwest
Significant rainfall affected the midwest over the weekend as moisture from Tropical Storm Lowell combined with a stalled front and the remnants of Hurricane Ike moved through Sunday.
Many rivers are in flood stage and should remain there through Tuesday.

Northeast
A surface low will linger along the front near the southeast U.S. coast with showers and some thunderstorms from the Carolinas to Florida. 

West
Hot temperatures continue to be the weather story over the western half of the country.
Afternoon highs in the upper 80s to upper 90s are possible across interior lower elevations in Washington, Oregon, California, Idaho, Nevada and Utah Tuesday.
Cooler readings are anticipated along the coast in the mountains with afternoon readings mainly in the 70s although a few 60s are possible. (NOAA, National Weather Service, Various Media Sources)

Federal / State Response for Hurricane Ike

Region IV
Kentucky
Activated at Level III (Full Activation)
369,841 without power as of 8:00 p.m. EDT, September 15, 2008
State of Emergency declared in 12 counties and 4 cities due to power outage, road closures, and damage to buildings. No request for Federal assistance.

Region V
Michigan
State EOC partially activated
Heavy rainfall and flash flooding in central and southwest MI. due to remnants of Hurricane Ike and Tropical Storm Lowell beginning September 12, 2008.
Two minor tornadoes with minor damage.79 residents of a nursing home in Farmington Hills were evacuated due to the flooding. Approximately 17,000 without power. No requests for Federal assistance

Illinois
IL EOC at level III activation with selected ESFs
Rainfall up to 7 inches in some areas from showers and scattered thunderstorms September 12, 2008
One fatality. 9 shelters with a population of 196. 7,500 without power
One nursing home evacuated as a result of flooding on the Illinois River

Ohio
State EOC Assessment Room activated at 6:00 a.m. CDT September 15 with 24 hour operations
High wind event with straight line winds in excess of 60 mph from remnants of Hurricane Ike caused widespread power outages. No fatality, one injuries. 4 shelters open with 0 population
1,137,998 without power as of 8:00 p.m. EDT, September 15, 2008. State liaison officer en route to State EOC.

Indiana
IL EOC at level III activation with selected ESFs
Severe flooding due to remnants of Hurricane Ike caused rainfall up to 10 inches in some areas and strong straight line winds up to 60 mph across central and southern IN. 6 fatalities, 19 injuries, 5 shelters with a population of 70. 170 residents of an extended care facility were relocated to other facilities
90,433 without power as of 8:00 p.m. EDT, September 15, 2008

FEMA Region VI
Louisiana
Activated at Level I (Full Activation)
67,081 customers without power as of 8:00 p.m. EDT September, 15, 2008, as a result of Ike and Gustav.
22 shelters / population 1,472 as of 9:00 a.m. EDT September 15. (ESF 6) 4 reported fatalities specific to Hurricane Ike.

Texas
Activated at Level I, 24/7
2,216,526 customers remain without power as of 8:00 p.m. EDT September, 15, 2008. (DOE, Region VI).
Search and rescue operations estimated to be completed by September 17, 2008.
USACE has 20 crews engaged in debris removal. 556 medical special needs patients at Federal (FMS) or State Medical Stations,11 Disaster Medical Assistance Teams (DMAT) and 7 strike teams.
21 hospitals on back up generators (six less than the day before) 16 counties under mandatory evacuations; 6 counties under voluntary evacuations.

All airports now open except Galveston. Houston Intercontinental to begin flights today, September 16, 2008. Six ports closed (Freeport, Galveston, Houston, Port Arthur-Beaumont, Lake Charles, and Texas City). 281 shelters with a total population of 37,790 as of 9:00 a.m. EDT September 15, 2008. More people are entering shelters as they become unable to sustain themselves (ESF 6)

Region VII
Missouri
Minor to moderate flooding is expected with most rivers cresting by September 18, 2008. Flood warnings are in effect. High winds downed power lines and trees with 71,000 without power. No requests for Federal assistance.

Presidio, Texas Levee Concerns

In Presidio, Texas, the Rio Grande River is 2-6 feet below the top of the levees and the levees have not breached. All but one of Mexico's reservoirs on the Conchos River which feed into the Rio Grande at Presidio, TX, are above flood control capacity and are spilling. Mexico is releasing water from Luis Leon reservoir, the only reservoir not above flood control capacity.

 These releases cannot be turned off or slowed due to the reservoir being at 96% capacity with inflows from upstream reservoirs rapidly filling the remaining capacity. The International Boundary and Water Commission (IBWC) and Mexico's National Water Commission will conduct an on-site evaluation of the situation.

 Mandatory evacuation order issued for low lying areas; 500 people have been evacuated. If the levees break, another 4,500 residents are at risk but no evacuation order has been issued for these residents.

Fire Management Assistance Grant (FMAG)

Nothing significant to report. (FEMA HQ)

Tropical Weather Outlook

Atlantic/Caribbean:
No significant activity expected for the next 24 hours.

Eastern Pacific:
A Tropical wave continues to be embedded within a broad but weak monsoon trough which lies off the Mexican coast but is beginning to move away from this regime and should soon take on a stronger signature as it nears the trade wind belt.

Western Pacific:
No tropical cyclone activity affecting United States Territories. (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

IA PDAs are scheduled to begin on September 16, for 5 counties in Oklahoma as a result of tornado activity.
IA- Ten (10) IA-PDA teams awaiting assignment-Hurricane Ike.
PA- Ten (10) PA-PDA teams awaiting assignment-Hurricane Ike.

Wildfire Update

• National Fire Activity as of  Monday, September 15, 2008:
• National Wildfire Preparedness Level: 2
• Initial attack activity: Light (71)
• New large fires: 0
• Uncontained large fires: 4
• Large fires contained: 0
• States with large fires: ID, CA, OR

Predictive Fire: Warm, dry weather continues over the West. There is a chance of mostly dry thunderstorms Tuesday over northern California, Oregon and western Nevada as a Pacific low pressure system moves inland. Ed flag warnings are posted for Santa Barbara and Ventura Counties.

Disaster Declaration Activity

No new activity (FEMA HQ)