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National Situation Update: Tuesday, May 27, 2008

Homeland Security Threat Level: YELLOW (ELEVATED).

Scattered Severe Storms

Northeast
Showers and thunderstorms will affect most of the Northeast today with a few severe storms possible.

South
Showers and thunderstorms will affect the Carolinas into Oklahoma and northern Texas. Scattered severe storms may develop over Oklahoma, Texas, Arkansas, Tennessee and Mississippi. The heaviest downpours are expected in Tennessee in advance of a cold front.

Midwest
Showers and thunderstorms will move over the Ohio Valley, Kentucky, Missouri, Iowa and the Great Plains today. There is a risk that a few storms could turn severe in Missouri and southeastern Kansas.

West
Scattered showers and thunderstorms will be more limited today compared with previous days.Most of the activity will extend from the Pacific Northwest, California, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming and Colorado. High temperatures will range from the 40s in parts of northern Wyoming to near 100 in extreme southeast New Mexico. The majority of the Pacific Northwest will top out in the 60s and 70s. (NWS, Media Sources)

Tornado Activity

Region: V
Region monitoring state/local events related to severe weather outbreaks in Minnesota. A FEMA State Liaison (LNO) has been provided to Minnesota. No additional requests for Federal assistance have been received beyond a LNO. Region IMAT is deploying  part of the Team to Minnesota.

Region VII
RRCC is activated at Level 3 - Monitoring. Region received Iowa request for expedited Major Disaster declaration.Deploying IA, PA and Hazard Mitigation PDA teams to the Iowa State EOC, on Tuesday, May 27.

Iowa
State EOC is activated (Level 4) and coordinating assistance to local responders.Seven (7) tornado-related fatalities were reported; five (5) in Parkersburg and two (2) in New Hartford. There are an estimated 50 storm-related injuries.  Rainfall ranging from 4-6 inches caused flooding and flash flooding. Approximately 3,700 customers are without electrical service. The ARC has one (1) shelter with 45 occupants.
Local assessment indicated, 222 homes destroyed, 58 homes with major damage, 33 with moderate damage, 93 damaged but able to be occupied and 21 businesses destroyed. Long-term sheltering will be required Local authorities requested law enforcement assistance, communications, and Search and Rescue support from the State. Salvation Army staged at the Independence Fire Dept. Civil Air Patrol conducting damage assessment and aerial photography flights. Incident Management Team has been deployed to Parkersburg to support the Butler County EOC. Governor declared a state of emergency for Butler County The State submitted a request for an Expedited Major Disaster Declaration for Butler County, and a request for Joint PDAs (IA, PA, and Hazard Mitigation) to the Region State providing communications, State Patrol Command Trailer, security resources Iowa Task Force One: Deployed 10 USAR staff including search dogs/handlers, comms unit, lights/generators to Butler County. State Disaster Medical Assistance Team (DMAT) on stand-by.

Minnesota
The State responded to a tornado touchdown in Hugo, MN. American Red Cross is conducting damage assessments. There was one (1) confirmed tornado. There was one (1) Fatality and one (1) injury.  A FEMA State Liaison Officer has been deployed to Hugo, MN. (FEMA RegionV, Region VII)

Hurricane Preparedness Week Continues Through 31 May

High Winds: The intensity of a landfalling hurricane is expressed in terms of categories that relate wind speeds and potential damage. According to the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale, a Category 1 hurricane has lighter winds compared to storms in higher categories. A Category 4 hurricane would have winds between 131 and 155 mph and, on the average, would usually be expected to cause 100 times the damage of the Category 1 storm. Depending on circumstances, less intense storms may still be strong enough to produce damage, particularly in areas that have not prepared in advance.
Tornadoes: Hurricanes can also produce tornadoes that add to the storm's destructive power. Tornadoes are most likely to occur in the right-front quadrant of the hurricane.  However, they are also often found elsewhere embedded in the rainbands, well away from the center of the hurricane. Studies have shown that more than half of the landfalling hurricanes produce at least one tornado. (National Hurricane Center)

Fire Management Assistance Grant (FMAG)

No request has been made.  (FEMA HQ)   

Joint PDA Requests

No request have been made.   (FEMA HQ)

Tropical Weather Outlook

Atlantic/Caribbean: No significant Activity to report.
Eastern Pacific: No significant Activity to report.
Western Pacific: No activity affecting U.S. Territories. (NOAA, National Hurricane Center, Central Pacific Hurricane Center and the Joint Typhoon Warning Center)

Earthquake Activity

No significant activity reported. (USGS, PTWC)

Wildfire Update

National Preparedness Level: 2
National Fire Activity as of Monday, May 26:
Initial attack activity: Light (137 new fires)

New large fires: 0
Large fires contained: 0
Uncontained large fires: 9

Weather Discussion: Continued dry and windy weather over portions of New Mexico, the Texas Panhandle and southeast Colorado.  Florida will be dry with areas of low humidity over the north.  California will be cool with generally high humidity today along with a chance of showers over the northern and central sections of the state. (National Interagency Fire Center, National Incident Information Center, NOAA/NWS Storm Prediction Center, NGB)

Disaster Declaration Activity

The President has signed FEMA-1762-DR for Colorado.  The incident is for a severe storm and tornadoes May 22, 2008.   Two counties designated for Individual Assistance.  Hazard Mitigation statewide. (FEMA HQ)