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

National Situation Update: Thursday, January 10, 2008

Homeland Security Threat Level: YELLOW (ELEVATED).

Significant National Weather

South:
A major severe weather outbreak is expected this afternoon and evening in the central Gulf Coast  region.  Low pressure will lift northward from the Gulf and pull warm, unstable air through the Mississippi Valley.  The system will produce thunderstorms capable of damaging winds, hail, heavy rain and tornado outbreaks from southwestern Louisiana to the western Florida panhandle and northward into Kentucky.

Northeast:
The storm system moving across the southeast will track up the east coast Thursday evening and night bringing heavy rain to the Carolinas, Middle Atlantic, and New England. As much as three inches of rain is expected in many areas.  Temperatures will remain above seasonal averages behind this front, with highs ranging from near 30s in northern New England to the 40s and 50s through the rest of the Northeast.

Midwest:
A new storm moving east from the Rockies across the Plains today will join forces with the Southeast storm and bring as much as three inches of snow to the northern Plains and upper Midwest with up to six inches of snow possible in parts of Michigan.  Significant flooding problems will persist along Iroquois, Illinois, Vermilion and Kankakee Rivers in Illinois and record flooding continues on the Tippecanoe River in Indiana.  High temperatures will range from the 20s across the extreme north to the 50s in southern Kansas, southern Missouri, the lower Ohio Valley and Kentucky.

West:
Another storm system will impact the Pacific Northwest today with onshore wind gusts of up to 50 mph possible along coastal areas from Washington to northern California.  This storm will also produce heavy snow in the the Olympics, Cascades, Bitterroots and Idaho's Clearwater Mountains.  Lighter snows will reach as far east as the Colorado Rockies.  Heavy rain will occur west of the Cascades, while lighter rain moves southward into central California.  (NWS, Media Sources)

Midwest Severe Weather

A strong low pressure system and cold front moved across the central United States on Monday and Tuesday, January 7-8, 2008.  Thunderstorms associated with this front produced tornadoes and severe weather from Kansas and Missouri to Wisconsin and Michigan.  Flood conditions and warnings continue across a large segment of northern Indiana, southern lower Michigan and northwest Ohio. There have been no requests for Federal assistance related to these storms.

Wisconsin
The Governor of Wisconsin declared a State of Emergency for Kenosha County on Tuesday, January 8, 2008.  Kenosha County conducted Preliminary Damage Assessments (PDAs) yesterday; however, damage numbers are currently unavailable.

Indiana
Major flooding continues to persist across northwestern Indiana with several rivers near record levels.  The Indiana EOC is partially activated and conducting 24 hour operations while numerous flood warnings have been extended until 7:00 a.m. CST.  Currently, FEMA Region V reports that 100 homes were damaged and this number is expected to rise as residences become accessible.  Consequently, four shelters have been established housing 142 people.  There are three confirmed fatalities related to the storms.

Illinois
The recent storms have resulted in significant flooding along portions of the Iroquois River.  The Governor of Illinois declared Livingston and Iroquois Counties as State Disaster areas.  Approximately 100 homes were evacuated in Livingston County.  An estimated 40-50% of all residences in Watseka, Illinois are flooded with one to three and a half feet of water, and a shelter has been established in the town.  In total, 433 people were evacuated from 179 homes in Iroquois County.  Fortunately, there has been no impact on the critical infrastructure in the towns of Watseka and Livingston.  Flood warnings remain in effect for most areas until late today.

Missouri
Damage assessments are still ongoing for homes that have been affected by the storms.  Currently, 80 homes and 50 commercial buildings are reported destroyed.  Three shelters have been established with a population of 25 people.  One flood warning remains in effect for southwest Missouri until 1:00 p.m. CST today.

Arkansas
Tornadoes touched down in Mississippi, Pope and Conway counties in Arkansas on January 8, 2008.
There was one confirmed fatality and two injuries attributed to the tornado touchdown in Conway County.  Ten homes are reported destroyed and 61 damaged in Conway County.  Damage assessments are scheduled to continue. (FEMA Regions V, VI, VII, State EOCs, NWS and media sources)

Fire Management Assistance Grant (FMAG)

No new activity to report.  (FEMA HQ)

Tropical Weather Outlook

No new activity (FEMA HQ)

Earthquake Activity

A magnitude 6.4 earthquake occurred Wednesday, January 9, 2008 at 8:37 p.m. EST off the coast of Oregon, about 151 miles west northwest of Barview, Oregon and 252 miles west southwest of Portland, Oregon at a reported depth of 6.2 miles.  There have been no reports of damage or injury and a tsunami is not expected; however, in coastal areas of intense shaking, locally generated tsunamis can be triggered by underwater landslides.

A magnitude 3.7 earthquake occurred Wednesday, January 9, 2008 at 4:37 p.m. EST in Yellowstone National Park, 12 miles northeast of West Yellowstone, Montana, at a reported depth of 4.7 miles.  There have been no reports of damage or injury.

A magnitude 6.1 earthquake occurred Wednesday, January 9, 2008 at 9:40 a.m. EST off the coast of Moresby Island, British Columbia, Canada, about 172 miles west northwest of Port Hardy, British Columbia, Canada and 389 miles west northwest of Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada at a reported depth of 6.2 miles.  There have been no reports of damage or injury and a tsunami is not expected; however, in coastal areas of intense shaking, locally generated tsunamis can be triggered by underwater landslides.  This earthquake follows a series of five 5.0-6.6 magnitude earthquakes that occurred in the same region on January 5-6, 2008. (USGS/NEIC, West Coast & Alaska Tsunami Warning Center)

Preliminary Damage Assessments

Missouri - Three Public Assistance teams began joint PDAs in six counties January 9, 2007 for damages received from tornadoes, flash flooding, hail and high winds January 7, 2008 and continuing.  Individual Assistance PDAs are scheduled to begin later in the week.

Kansas - Public Assistance PDAs in 37 counties began on December 28, 2007 for damage resulting from severe storms on December 6, 2007 and continuing.  Assessments are expected to be completed this week.  (FEMA HQ)

Disaster Declaration Activity

Washington - FEMA-1734-DR was amended January 9, 2008 to include Wahkiakum County for Individual Assistance.  The County was previously designated for Public Assistance December 8, 2007, when the major disaster declaration was approved for severe storms, flooding, landslides and mudslides. (FEMA HQ)