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National Situation Update: Friday, May 30, 2008

Homeland Security Threat Level: YELLOW (ELEVATED).

Significant National Weather

Midwest
Powerful thunderstorms pushed east of the Rockies and moved over the central Plains overnight, bringing long-tracking tornadoes and localized flooding.  This front is moving into the Great Lakes and Middle Mississippi Valley today, pushing severe thunderstorms ahead of and along the front from eastern Kansas, Iowa and Missouri to Michigan and Ohio.  Damaging wind gusts will be the primary threat, but some tornadoes and hail are also possible.  Downpours will cause localized flooding.  Heavy rains yesterday and into today may push rivers in the Ohio Valley and Middle Mississippi Valley into Moderate Flood Stage today through Saturday.  The front is forecast to move east-west from Kansas to the Ohio Valley by Saturday, creating another round of severe thunderstorms.
Northeast
Scattered thunderstorms are expected in Upstate New York and into the Ohio Valley.  Western Pennsylvania and northern West Virginia may experience some severe thunderstorms by tonight.  The remainder of the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic will be dry today.
South
No significant weather is forecast for the South today.  However, on Saturday, scattered severe thunderstorms are forecast from the Carolinas to northeast Oklahoma.
West
The Northwest will remain unsettled through the weekend with isolated widely scattered showers and thunderstorms developing each day.  A few may briefly turn severe with heavy rainfall, which would contribute to continuing Flood Warnings for the Spokane River at Spokane affecting Kootenai County in Idaho and Spokane County in Washington.  The Southwest will experience typical rain free conditions.  High temperatures will be near or below average along the immediate West Coast, but above average inland. (NWS, Media Sources)

Severe Thunderstorms and Tornadoes May 29, 2008

On the evening of Thursday, May 29, 2008, an outbreak of strong supercell thunderstorms produced tornadoes, large hail, and damaging winds across south central Nebraska and portions of North Central Kansas.  Tornadoes were reported in Wyoming, Kansas, Nebraska, South Dakota and Iowa.  The hardest hit was Kearney, Nebraska where tornadoes were reported to have resulted in damage to 60 homes, a building on the campus of the University of Nebraska-Kearney, and the exposition center at the local fairgrounds.  There are no reports of fatalities or injuries.  The Governor of Nebraska declared a State of Emergency as a result of tornadoes occurring on May 29, 2008.  The Nebraska State EOC is activated and FEMA Region VII has deployed a State Liaison to the SEOC.  FEMA Region VII RRCC is at Level III and has begun 24/7 operations until further notice.  The Region has requested that FEMA Region II deploy a turnkey Emergency Response Team (ERT) to the Nebraska EOC. (FEMA Region VII).

Fire Management Assistance Grant (FMAG)

There have been no requests. (FEMA HQ)

Tropical Weather Outlook

Atlantic/Caribbean: There is no significant activity to report.

Eastern Pacific:
At 5:00 a.m. EDT May 30, the center of Tropical Depression Alma (previously classified as Tropical Depression One-E) was located inland over inland Honduras approximately 45 miles northwest of Tegucigalpa, Honduras.  Alma is moving north northwest 12 mph and will gradually turn northwest in the next 24 hours.  Maximum sustained winds have decreased to near 30 mph.  Gradual weakening is expected and the Tropical Depression is expected to dissipate as a remnant low by Saturday, May 31, over Belize and Guatemala.  Alma is expected to produce 10-15 inches of total rainfall over portions of Central America.  Alma is the first tropical storm in the available records to make landfall on the Pacific coast of Central America.  It also made landfall farther east than any previous eastern Pacific tropical cyclone, and was the first to do so on the Pacific coast of Nicaragua.

Western Pacific: There is no activity affecting U.S. Territories. (NOAA, National Hurricane Center, Central Pacific Hurricane Center and the Joint Typhoon Warning Center)

Earthquake Activity

A magnitude 6.2 earthquake occurred Thursday, May 29, 2008 at 11:46 a.m. EDT near the town of Selfoss, Iceland, 30 miles southeast of the capital, Reykjavik, at a depth of 6.2 miles. The Civil Protection Department of Iceland's Police reported up to 30 people received injuries, none serious. Minor damage was reported, the road between Selfoss and Reykjavik was closed, and residents in outlying areas were evacuated in response to anticipated aftershocks. (USGS, media sources)

Preliminary Damage Assessments

Joint Preliminary Damage Assessments (PDAs) have been requested or are continuing throughout the high and moderate risk areas in Iowa, Nebraska, Kansas, Missouri and Delaware as a result of storm events in mid-May, 2008.

Iowa - PDAs are ongoing in Butler County (FEMA-1763-DR-IA) for tornadoes that damaged portions of Parkersburg and Aplington, Iowa on May 25, 2008.

Nebraska - A PDA request from the State of Nebraska for 26 counties is expected today, May 30, 2008 for flooding which occurred the week of May 19 and throughout the weekend.  These PDAs are expected to begin next week.

Kansas - The Region received a verbal request for PDAs in the state of Kansas to begin in June, 2008 (TBD) for approximately 30 counties for storms that occurred May 22-27, 2008.

Missouri - An additional PDA for Newton County has been requested for DR-1760-MO, to begin early next week.  The JFO will be coordinating this PDA.

Delaware - PA PDAs began in Kent County on May 29, 2008 for severe storms and flooding that occurred May 12-13, 2008.(FEMA HQ FEMA Regions III, VII)

Wildfire Update

National Preparedness Level: 2
National Fire Activity as of Thursday, May 29:

Initial attack activity: Light (103 new fires)
New large fires: 1
Large fires contained: 2
Uncontained large fires: 7

Weather Discussion: Dry and windy conditions will develop across portions of the Four Corner states (Utah, Colorado, Arizona, New Mexico).  Dry thunderstorms are possible along the southern extent of the Continental Divide.  Moderate wind in combination with low relative humidity is expected in the Northeast.  Relative humidity will remain low over Florida. (National Interagency Fire Center, National Incident Information Center, NOAA/NWS Storm Prediction Center, NGB)

Disaster Declaration Activity

The Governor of Georgia requested a Major Disaster Declaration for Individual Assistance and Public Assistance for Cherokee County and Hazard Mitigation statewide for severe storms and tornadoes that occurred May 20, 2008. The Governor also requested 100% reimbursement for debris removal and emergency protective measures for the first 24 hours. (FEMA HQ, Region VI)