National Situation Update: Friday, February 8, 2008

Homeland Security Threat Level: YELLOW (ELEVATED).

Significant National Weather

South
The forecast is for scattered showers in southern Florida with colder air expected in the Tennessee Valley and southeast United States this weekend.

Northeast
A low pressure system over southeast New Hampshire and Maine could produce a foot of snow on Saturday.  Light snow and rain is forecast for the Mid-Atlantic, New York and New England on Saturday.  Lake-effect snow is expected downwind of Lakes Erie and Ontario on Saturday night and Sunday.  Flood Warnings continue for the Mohawk and Susquehanna Rivers in New York.

Midwest
Strong northwest winds will produce blizzard conditions from North Dakota to Michigan on Saturday.  Strong winds will linger in the Great Lakes and Ohio Valley on Sunday.  Wind chills will be as low as 45 degrees below zero Saturday morning, across eastern North Dakota and northwest Minnesota. Sunday highs will range from the 20s in the Ohio Valley to around zero across Wisconsin, Minnesota and eastern North Dakota.  Lake effect snow will fall this weekend east of Lake Michigan and across northeast Ohio southeast of Lake Erie.  River flooding problems will continue, especially in Illinois and Indiana, for the next several days.  More precipitation is forecast for the region late Monday.

West
The Governor of New Mexico declared a State of Emergency for Rio Arriba County due to heavy snowfall in the town of Chama, NM.  Twenty six NM National Guard members are providing assistance to local residents and assisting with snow removal.  A low pressure system moves into the Pacific Northwest today, resulting in more heavy snow from the Cascades to the northern and central Rockies. (NWS)

Mississippi Valley Severe Weather

Tennessee
A Major Disaster Declaration has been approved by the President.  Public Assistance and Individual Assistance was approved for five counties, and Hazard Mitigation approved statewide.  There are 33 confirmed fatalities, 189 injuries and 1 missing.  Two shelters are open and housing 85 people.  It has been reported that 25,269 customers statewide are without power.  It is estimated that there are 700 damaged homes; 606 were either destroyed or sustained major damage.  There are 53 mobile homes that sustained major damage and 44 with moderate damage.  Region IV RRCC is currently activated at Level III; Region IV ERT-A is onsite at TN EOC.  FIRST Team - Atlanta deployed to Macon County for initial assessments (team arrived on 2/6/08),  Region IV PDA Teams are on standby.  The Mobility Emergency Response Van pre-positioned at Nashville, TN.  Five Mobile Disaster Recovery Centers (MDRCs) are deploying to Nashville, TN.  The FEMA Regional Administrator; DHS Secretary Chertoff, and FEMA Administrator Paulison will tour Macon County. (Region IV, TN EOC)

Arkansas
A Major Disaster Declaration has been approved by the President.  Public Assistance (Categories A and B), including DFA was approved for 10 counties.  There are 13 confirmed fatalities and 138 injuries.  There are two shelters open.  Baxter shelter is currently housing 30-50 people, and Pope population is unknown.  It has been reported that 29,000 customers statewide are without power.  There are 114 businesses that are damaged statewide; 417 homes either sustained damage or were destroyed.  Critical Infrastructure was impacted by the storms.  The Arkansas Nuclear One Power Plant is expected to remain at reduced capacity until a storm damaged transmission line is repaired.  Region VI RRCC is activated at Level II with ESFs: 3, 7, 8, 12 and DCE.  Region VI ERT-A and FIRST Team - Chicago are deployed to Little Rock, AR. (Region VI, AR EOC, DHS NICC)

Kentucky
No declaration has been requested at this time.  There are seven confirmed fatalities. The  American Red Cross shelters has opened five shelters with an unknown number of residents.  State of Emergency has been declared for six counties.  It was reported that 18,074 customers statewide are without power.  There were reportedly 20 homes destroyed.  One hundred Guard members are deployed to the most seriously impacted areas.  The state EOC is activated at Level II. (Region IV, KY EOC, DHS NICC)

Alabama
No declaration has been requested at this time.  There are six confirmed fatalities.  It has been reported that 200 customers statewide are without power. There is one shelter open with no residents.  There are approximately 100 homes damaged or destroyed.  Joint IA PDAs are being conducted in four counties.  Joint PA PDAs are scheduled to begin in 4 counties on Friday, February 8, 2008. (Region IV, AL EOC, DHS NICC)

Mississippi
No declaration has been requested at this time.  No fatalities have been reported.  There are no shelters open.  It was reported that 4,400 customers statewide are without power.  It is reported that there are 18 homes destroyed or sustained major damaged.  The state EOC was downgraded to partial activation. (Region IV, MS EOC, DHS NICC)

Northwest Winter Storm

Washington:

  • Governor declared a State of Emergency in 16 counties of eastern Washington as a result of recent significant snowfall.
  • WA State EOC remains activated at Phase II, with ESF-1 (Transportation) activated to support avalanche control on interstate highways.
  • There have been no requests for Federal assistance.

Idaho:

  • Governor declared a statewide State of Emergency as a result of recent significant snowfall
  • There was extensive power failure in central Idaho, but power has been restored to all but 100 customers.
  • State EOC is activated at Phase III Emergency Operations.
  • The National Guard assisting with snow removal.
  • There have been no requests for Federal assistance. (NWS, FEMA Region X, Media Sources)

Midwest Flooding Update

Illinois:

  • Flooding is occurring along the Sangamon, Vermilion, Embarrass, and Mackinaw Rivers
  • Flood Warnings continue for the Wabash, Illinois, Sangamon, and Iroquois Rivers

Indiana:

  • Flooding is occurring along the Kankakee, Tippecanoe, Wabash, St. Joseph, Elkhart, Iroquois, Eel, Little, Mississinewa, White, and Yellow Rivers
  • Flood Warnings continue for the Tippecanoe, Wabash, White, Eel, St. Joseph, Kankakee, Yellow, Maumee, Elkhart and numerous other rivers

Michigan:

  • Flooding continues for the Grand River; water level is at 14.3 feet and forecast to rise to 14.6 feet; flood level is 12.0 feet

Ohio

  • Flooding isoccurring along the Blanchard, Portage, Tiffin, Auglaize, Sandusky, Maumee, Huron, Chagrin, Mahoning, Scioto, Grand, and Mackinaw Rivers
  • Flood Warnings continue for the Black, Maumee, Blanchard, Auglaize near Defiance Power Plant, Tiffin, Mahoning, Chagrin, Huron, Grand and numerous other rivers. (FEMA Region V, NWS)

Fire Management Assistance Grant (FMAG)

No new activity to report. (FEMA HQ)

Tropical Weather Outlook

No new activity (FEMA HQ)

Earthquake Activity

A magnitude 6.8 earthquake occurred February 8, 2008 at 4:38 a.m. EST in the northern Mid-Atlantic Ridge area, 950 miles north northeast of Belem, Para, Brazil, at a reported depth of 4.1 miles.  No damage, or injuries reported and no tsunami warning or watch was generated. (USGS)

Preliminary Damage Assessments

No new activity (FEMA HQ)

Disaster Declaration Activity

On February 7, 2008, the President signed Arkansas Major Disaster Declaration FEMA-1744-DR for the State of Arkansas for Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding that occurred February 5, 2008 and continuing.  The declaration designates Public Assistance for the counties of Baxter, Conway, Independence, Izard, Pope, Randolph, Sharp, Stone, Union, and Van Buren for emergency work and the repair or replacement of disaster-damaged facilities, and Hazard Mitigation statewide. The FCO is Philip E. Parr of the National FCO Program. (FEMA HQ)

On February 07, 2008 the President signed Tennessee Major Disaster Declaration FEMA-1745-DR for Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-line Winds, and Flooding that occurred on February 5-6, 2008.  Individual and Public Assistance (categories A and B) was approved for five counties Hardin, Macon, Madison, Shelby, and Sumner.  All counties in the State of Tennessee are eligible to apply for assistance under the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program.  The Federal Coordinating Officer is Garcia B. Szczech of the National FCO Program. (FEMA HQ)

Last Modified: Friday, 08-Feb-2008 08:27:23 EST