• Emergency Managers and Personnel
• Situation Reports
• National Incident Management System
• Grants & Assistance Programs
• Training
• Contacts
• Planning
• Best Practices

National Situation Update: Saturday, April 26, 2008

Homeland Security Threat Level: YELLOW (ELEVATED).

National Weather Forecast

Midwest
Friday's storm will exit the region as the low-pressure center lifts northward and the cold front moves from eastern Michigan and the eastern Ohio Valley toward the Northeast.  Scattered thunderstorms will continue to head eastward through Ohio and eastern Kentucky.
Snow will end over western and northern Minnesota, with some accumulations over one foot.

South
A cold front will move into the South today, April 26, 2008, with showers and thunderstorms extending from the Southeast states to southern Texas.
A few thunderstorms could turn severe.
Saturday and early Sunday, April 26 - 27, 2008, a new upper-level disturbance and strong cold front will push into the southern Plains, with heavy rain for southern Oklahoma and Texas and a new round of severe thunderstorms from the Red River southward.

Northeast
Showers and thunderstorms will affect more of the Northeast today, April 26, 2008, and linger along the Eastern Seaboard Sunday, April 27, 2008, as a weakening cold front moves eastward across the area.
Some thunderstorms may turn severe from central Upstate New York to Virginia.

West
Today, April 26, 2008, an upper-level disturbance will bring more snow and rain showers to parts of Montana, Wyoming and the mountains of Colorado.
By Sunday and Monday, April 27 - 28, 2008, the West will be precipitation-free except for showers across parts of Washington and western Oregon, the eastern fringe moisture of a large north Pacific storm. (NWS, Various Media Sources)

Mississippi Valley Flooding

FEDERAL RESPONSE
FEMA Region IV

• Kentucky: Joint PA PDAs are ongoing.
• No outstanding issues and no unmet needs.

FEMA Region VI  

• Oklahoma: Joint PA PDAs are ongoing and scheduled for completion by April 29, 2008.  (Region IV RRCC, Region VI RRCC, National Weather Service)

Fire Management Assistance Grant (FMAG)

No FMAG requested or issued.  (FEMA HQ)

Tropical Weather Outlook

No new activity (FEMA HQ)

Earthquake Activity

On Saturday, April 26, 2008, at 12:05 a.m. EDT, an earthquake measuring magnitude 4.6 occurred in Alaska at a depth of 6.8 miles, 55 miles north-northwest of Petersville, AK, and 143 miles north-northwest of Anchorage, AK.  There were no reports of damages.

On Saturday, April 26, 2008, at 2:59 a.m. EDT, an earthquake measuring magnitude 4.7 occurred in Nevada at a depth of 0.0 miles, 8 miles west of Reno, NV, and 1 mile north-northwest of Verdi-Mogul, NV.  Subsequent aftershocks registered at 3.0 - 3.5.  There were no reports of damages.  (USGS, NOAA, Earthquakes Hazard Program)

Preliminary Damage Assessments

No new activity (FEMA HQ)

Wildfire Update

National Preparedness Level:  1
National Fire Activity as of Saturday, April 26, 2008:
Initial attack activity: Moderate (204 new fires)
New large fires: 7
Large fires contained: 3
Uncontained large fires: 12
Weather Discussion: Critical fire weather conditions will continue over portions of Colorado, New Mexico, west Texas, southeast California, Kansas, Nevada, Arizona and Oklahoma today with dry and windy conditions.  Dry and windy conditions will also develop over the central Great Lakes.  The Northeast and Southeast continue to experience low relative humidity.  (National Interagency Fire Center, National Incident Information Center, InciWeb, NOAA/NWS Storm Prediction Center)

Disaster Declaration Activity

FEMA-1740-DR-IN is amended effective April 25, 2008.  Amendment 3 adds thirteen counties for Public Assistance. (FEMA HQ)