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National Situation Update: Monday, February 5, 2007

Homeland Security Threat Level: YELLOW (ELEVATED).

Hazards for the Week

• Much below normal temperatures are expected across large portions of the northern and eastern United States from February 5 through 11.

• Locally heavy lake effect snows are expected around the Great Lakes from February 5 through 9.

• Severe drought will persist across portions of the central and southwestern United States
  

National Weather Summary

Midwest
Wind chill advisories or warnings cover all or parts of ten Midwestern states from Ohio to the Dakotas. Sub-zero lows forecast for the eastern Dakotas and northern Minnesota, penetrating as far south as the lower Missouri Valley and northern Ohio Valley. While winds lighten over the Plains and Mississippi Valley, the Great Lakes and northern Ohio Valley will continue to have some gusts to between 20 and 35 mph. The very coldest wind chills from 30 to 50 below zero may again plague western Upper Michigan, northern Minnesota, and North Dakota.

Northeast
An arctic cold front will set up an extended period of cold weather for the region. From southern New England to Philadelphia highs may reach into the low-mid 20s. For the rest of the interior Northeast, teens or even single digits are expected. A heavy lake-effect snow event will continue through most of the upcoming week for the snow belts of northwest Pennsylvania, southwest New York, and Upstate New York's Tug Hill Plateau.

South
Some patchy light rain showers over South Florida, but no strong thunderstorms are expected.

West
Only light valley rain & mountain snow is expected from Washington State into the Bitterroots and Tetons.  (NWS, Media Sources)

FEMA Regional Activity Reports

Region I
RRCC is activated at Level III with the hours of 7:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Region II
RRCC is activated at Level III with the hours of 7:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Region III
RRCC is activated at Level III with the hours of 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Pennsylvania Emergency Operations Center (PA EOC) was notified of a non-hazardous train derailment in Yardley along the Delaware River.  The car was carrying paper, and there were no spills of any kind.  No impact to the Delaware River.

Region IV
RRCC is activated at Level II with the hours of 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. The Florida Tornado JFO is scheduled to open this afternoon in Orlando, Florida.

Florida Tornadoes Update:
15 fatalities confirmed by State Medical Examiner. Progress Energy Florida and Sumter Electric Co-Op reported that all customers that can safely receive electric power are back in service.

Impacted County Information (as of 7:00 pm EST)
Lake County
County EOC is at Partial Activation with scaled-back hours at night. No shelters are open in Lake County. The Disaster Response Center (DRC) at Lake Mack was partially operational yesterday, expected to be a full operation this morning. The County is attempting to find a second DRC location. Five Points of Distribution established throughout the county. County Government and Schools will be open today.

Volusia County
County EOC is at Partial Activation with scaled-back hours at night. The Incident Command Post in Deland remains operational today. Volusia County Shelters at Babe James Community Center and Chisholm Community Center remained open last night.

Sumter County
County EOC is at Level II Partial Activation. Disaster Recovery Center (DRC) is on site at Lady Lake, and was visited by the Governor yesterday. A satellite DRC will be open tomorrow. The Animal Disaster Assistance Team is operational.

Seminole County
Only 2 structures had minor damage.

Florida State Actions
State Public Health and Medical Services (ESF 8) Resources deployed.

Federal Actions
FIRST-Atlanta has established a base of operations at "The Villages" site at Lady Lakes FL, which is the western edge of the disaster area. The team supports the Federal Coordinating Officer (FCO) in assisting with Community Relations efforts. The MERS contingent supporting the ERT-A at the State EOC has been stood-down and are returning to base.

Region V
The Governor of Illinois requested a Major Disaster Declaration and implementation of Public Assistance for 26 counties and Hazard Mitigation statewide on January 29, 2007.

Region VI
Oklahoma Ice Storm Damage Assessment Line (877) 628-5297 closes Monday, February 5, at 7 p.m.

Region VII
Nothing significant to report.

Region VIII
Nothing significant to report.

Region IX
Nothing significant to report.

Region X
Nothing significant to report.

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Provides Locations of Unacceptably Maintained Levees

A U.S. Army Corps of Engineers study has determined 27 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico have substandard levees. The assessment identified 122 poorly maintained levees. California has nearly a quarter of the problem levees, totaling 37 segments. Washington State has 19 suspect levees. A majority of the suspect levees were built decades ago and are riddled with rodent holes and weakened by overgrowth. The list of levee units is attached or may be viewed at: http://www.hq.usace.army.mil/cepa/releases/leveelist.pdf.

Tropical Weather Outlook

No new activity (FEMA HQ)

Earthquake Activity

At 3:57 PM EST there was a strong (magnitude 6.1) earthquake in the Cuba Region, about 125 miles south of Bayamo, Cuba and 116 miles north of Lucea, Jamaica. The quake caused mild tremors along Cuba's southwestern coast. No tsunami bulletins issued.  The Caribbean Area Office reports no damage and no request for assistance in Puerto Rico or the US Virgin Islands. (FEMA Region IX, USGS, Earthquake Hazards Program, Alaska Earthquake Information Center, Pacific Tsunami Warning Center, and West Coast/Alaska Tsunami Warning Centers)

Preliminary Damage Assessments

Florida: Three (3) Public Assistance (PA) teams are performing damage assessments in Lake County and 2 PA teams are performing assessments in Volusia County and Seminole Counties. Two (2) Individual Assistance (IA) teams are performing assessments in Lake County, 1 IA team in Volusia County, and one (1) IA team in Sumter County. (FEMA HQ)

Disaster Declaration Activity

No new activity (FEMA HQ)