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National Situation Update: Saturday, February 9, 2008

Homeland Security Threat Level: YELLOW (ELEVATED).

Significant National Weather

Midwest
An arctic cold front will send frigid air into the northern Plains and upper Midwest today, and continue into the Great Lakes area tonight.  The front will be accompanied by light snow, but strong winds could create ground blizzards from North Dakota to Upper Michigan and Wisconsin by Saturday, and around the Great Lakes Sunday.  Temperatures will be as much as 30 degrees below average behind the front.  Today highs will be around zero across North Dakota and northwest Minnesota, and in the teens and 20s to zero across the remainder of Minnesota, Wisconsin, western Upper Michigan, northern Illinois, northern Iowa, South Dakota and northern Nebraska.  On Sunday, cold temperatures will dominate the Midwest, ranging from the 20s and low 30s in the Ohio Valley to 10 below zero just south of the Canadian border over northeast North Dakota and northwest Minnesota.  Wind chills will range from as low as minus 10 across northern Ohio to minus 50 in northern Wisconsin and Minnesota.  Lake-effect snow is forecast for northern Wisconsin plus Upper and northern/western Lower Michigan, moving into northwest Indiana and northeast Ohio by Sunday.

Northeast
A weak weather system will produce light rain and snow on Saturday across much of the Northeast region.  An arctic cold front will result in colder temperatures and strong winds today and Sunday.  Lake-effect snow will develop southeast of Lakes Erie and Ontario tonight and Sunday.  Some locations will see from 6 to 12 inches of wind-driven snow, with locally higher amounts.  Winds could gust to 45-50 mph across the Mid-Atlantic, Upstate New York and New England with low wind chills and temperatures ranging from the 20s in the major East Coast cities to near zero in northwest Pennsylvania and western New York.

West
Another snow storm will create more snow from the Cascades to the northern and central Rockies.  The Washington Cascades will see additional accumulations of snow and strong winds from western Montana to Colorado.  The avalanche threat will remain high throughout much of the region.  Heavy snow and avalanche danger forced Washington state transportation officials to close all three major highways through the Cascade Range.

South
Increased winds and colder temperatures are expected tonight and Sunday as very cold air from the north moves into the region.  Northwest winds could gust to 45 mph in the southern Appalachians.(NWS)

Mississippi Valley Severe Weather

Tennessee
A Major Disaster Declaration 1745-TN was approved by the President on February 8, 2008.  Public and Individual Assistance was approved for Hardin, Macon, Madison, Shelby and Sumner Counties.  There have been 32 confirmed fatalities reported, 192 injured and 1 missing.  There are two open shelters housing 85 people.  There are 7,232 customers without power.  An estimated 700 homes sustained damage and 606 have been destroyed or sustained major damage.  Fifty three mobile homes sustained major damage and 44 mobile homes sustained moderate damage.  Region IV ERT-A and FIRST-Team-Atlanta are in TN.  Mobile Emergency Response Support (MERS) communications are operational at the Tennessee EOC.  Five Mobile Disaster Recovery Centers (MDRCs) are deployed.  Joint IA and PA PDAs are on-going.  The Mobility Emergency Response Van is pre-positioned in Nashville, TN.

Arkansas
Major Disaster Declaration 1744-AR was approved by the President on February 8, 2008.  Public Assistance (Categories A and B), was approved for ten counties (Baxter, Conway, Independence, Izard, Pope, Randolph, Sharp, Stone, Union, and Van Buren) and Individual Assistance for five counties (Baxter, Pope, Sharp, Stone and Van Buren).  There have been 13 confirmed fatalities and 150+ injuries reported.  One shelter is open and currently housing 30-50 people.  There are 13,100 customers without power.  A reported 114 businesses sustained damage and 402 homes were damaged or destroyed. 
Region VI ERT-A and FIRST-Team Chicago deployed to Little Rock, AR.  The Initial Operating Facility (IOF) became operational on 2/07/08.  The JFO will be operational no later than Tuesday, February 12, 2008.  The FIRST-Team Chicago will proceed to impacted counties today.  Four MDRCs were deployed to Arkansas.  PA PDA field work should be completed Friday and IAs will be completed Saturday. 

Alabama
A Major Disaster Declaration has been requested.  Six fatalities have been reported.  There are 200 customers without power.  There is one shelter open with no residents.  There are approximately 100 homes damaged or destroyed.  Joint IA and PA PDAs were conducted in Jackson, Lawrence, Fayette and Walker counties.

Kentucky
A Disaster declaration has not been requested.  There are seven confirmed fatalities and numerous injuries.  There are two open shelters open with no residents.  A State of Emergency was declared by the Governor for six counties with 37 counties affected.  There are nine customers without power.  Kentucky EOC is activated at Level IV (back to normal operations).  There are 89 National Guard members supporting local Law Enforcement.  PDAs have been requested and will begin on Saturday.

Mississippi
A Disaster Declaration has not been requested.  No fatalities and 19 injuries have been reported.  There are no shelters open.  Twenty one homes have been destroyed or sustained major damage, 20 mobile homes were destroyed or sustained major damage and 23 businesses have been destroyed or sustained major damage.  Mississippi EOC has returned to Level IV (Normal Operations). 

Northwest Winter Storm

Washington:
The Governor declared a State of Emergency in 16 counties of Eastern Washington as a result of recent significant snowfall.  Washington State EOC remains activated at Phase II, with ESF-1 (Transportation) activated to support avalanche control on interstate highways.  The Spokane County Commissioners declared a State of Emergency and requested State support for snow removal.  The State is working to assign requested resources and does not foresee the need for Federal assistance.

Idaho:
The Governor declared a statewide State of Emergency as a result of recent significant snowfall.  Idaho
State EOC is activated at Phase III-Emergency Operations.  Ten counties have declared local disasters. 
The Idaho National Guard is assisting with snow removal.  There have been no requests for Federal assistance. (NWS, FEMA Region X, Media Sources)

Midwest Flooding Update

Illinois:
The Vermilion River at Danville is experiencing moderate flooding; the river crested Friday at 20.2 feet and will fall below flood stage today (flood stage is 18 feet).  The Rock River at Moline is experiencing moderate flooding; the river crested Friday at 12.8 feet and will continue to rise to 13.1 feet by Sunday (flood stage is 12 feet). 

Indiana:
Major flooding is occurring in western and southern Indiana this weekend, with the most significant along the Wabash River from Covington to Vincennes.  Flood levels continue to rise and Flood Warnings remain in effect for 80 counties across the State.  Major flooding, exceeding levels of the January flood, have been reported on the Tippecanoe River.  Flood conditions have improved along the Tippecanoe River downstream of Oakdale Dam.  The Elkhart River at Goshen and the Eel River at North Manchester have crested and water levels are now dropping.  Twenty National Guard members are performing flood response operations in Lafayette and Elkhart.  Three U.S. Army Corps of Engineers flood teams were deployed to Newton, Jasper, Porter and Whitley Counties to offer technical assistance to local authorities.  Five confirmed flood related fatalities has been reported.  There has been no State Disaster Declaration.  There have been no requests for Federal assistance

Ohio:
Two to four inches of rain have fallen in northern Ohio and one to two inches in southern Ohio since Monday morning.  The heaviest rainfall has fallen in the Maumee River Basin and in tributaries to Lake Erie.  Nine rivers are experiencing moderate flooding.  The Sandusky and Blanchard Rivers were expected to have crested last night.  The Portage and Tiffin Rivers are expected to drop below flood stage this afternoon.  The Maumee and Auglaize Rivers are expected to drop below flood stage on Sunday.  The St. Joseph River is expected to fall below flood stage on Monday.

Fire Management Assistance Grant (FMAG)

Fire Management Assistance Grant FEMA-2742-TX was issued on February 8, 2008 for the Chevron Fire that began on January 29, 2008, and continuing. (FEMA HQ)

Tropical Weather Outlook

No new activity (FEMA HQ)

Earthquake Activity

No new activity (FEMA HQ)

Preliminary Damage Assessments

No new activity (FEMA HQ)

Disaster Declaration Activity

On Friday, February 8, 2008, the Governor of Alabama issued a State of Emergency for four counties affected by severe weather that occurred on February 5, 2008.

The Governor of Alabama has requested an expedited Major Disaster Declaration for four counties (Jackson, Lawrence, Walker, and Fayette) as a result of severe storms, tornadoes, straight line winds, and flash-flooding that occurred on February 5-6, 2008.  The Governor is requesting Individual and Public Assistance (Categories A & B) debris removal and emergency protective services for four counties, and Hazard Mitigation statewide at 100% Federal funding for the first seventy-two hours.(FEMA HQ)