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National Situation Update: Saturday, April 8, 2006

Homeland Security Threat Level: YELLOW (ELEVATED).

Severe Storms and Tornadoes

Severe Thunderstorm Warnings, Tornado Watches and Warnings, as well as high wind advisories have been issued throughout the States of Alabama, Kentucky, Mississippi and Tennessee for Friday, April 7, 2006. 

State Status: 
Alabama:  The State EOC has not activated but is monitoring the situation.  There has been one reported touchdown in the State.  No damage report as yet.

Kentucky:  The State EOC is activated at Level 2, partial activation.  Barren County reported a tornado touchdown. Multiple homes and mobile homes are affected.  There are leaks of natural and propane gas at numerous locations.    People are trapped in the debris of their homes. Several TVA electrical towers have fallen. 

Mississippi:  The State EOC has not activated, but the duty officer is monitoring the situation.  Three counties have reported damages: local sporadic power outages, six-seven homes destroyed and others with minor damages. The Storm Prediction Center has reported 3 tornadoes have touched down in MS. 

Tennessee:  The State EOC has been activated at Level 3 with selected ESC (Health, Safety, Transportation, Human Services, National Guard). Tennessee is experiencing a series of Tornado storms sweeping the state. There have been 15 reports of touchdowns.

At 6 p.m. CDT, counties confirm ten fatalities (eight in Sumner County and two in Warren County) and approximately 30 injured. Media sources are reporting a third fatality in Warren County for a total of 11 fatalities. Upward of 30,000 customers are without power.  There are reports of significant home and building damage including schools, businesses, a church and a hospital. 

Tennessee officials are attempting to compile damage reports at present but have phone and radio damage in a wide area across middle Tennessee and have lost power over a wide area.  The hardest hit areas at this time appear to be within a 90 mile radius of Nashville. Portions of I-65 have been shut down and a shelter has been opened in Goodlettsville. The State will forward all damage information as soon as received. 

The State of Tennessee response is ongoing. The SEOC will be operational Saturday and Sunday as damage assessment and recovery continues. 

Georgia, North Carolina and South Carolina:   The State EOCs are at normal operations.

Federal Actions:
The Regional Response Coordination Center (RRCC) in Thomasville, GA activated at Level 3 at 12:00 PM EDT Friday to monitor the severe weather activity.  Contact with all affected states is being maintained.  Status Briefings will be completed as necessary. Hours of operations will be 12:00 PM until 7:30 PM this evening and 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM until further notice.  No Federal assistance is requested at present.

The National Weather Service issued Tornado Watches for Alabama, Mississippi, and Tennessee that expire at 5 a.m. EDT, Saturday, April 8. A Tornado Watch for portions of Kentucky expired at 11 p.m.  Friday, April 7.

FEMA HQ has issued an advisory to the NRCC staff to alert members of the possible need for activation.

North Dakota Flooding

The rapid snowmelt of heavy winter snow accumulations compounded by spring rains and sudden warm temperatures is causing spring flooding along the Red River Valley.  The National Weather Service (NWS) has forecast moderate weather during the upcoming weekend; however, current flood waters will still cover some roads in the Red River Basin from recent snow melt.  Widespread river flooding continues especially for the Red River.  Flooding from snowmelt will subside slowly.  There is a 50 percent chance of thunderstorms throughout the region late April 10, 2006, moving east from the Red River Valley on April 11, 2006.  The highest chance of significant rain fall will be over the northern Red River Basin as the next significant weather system approaches from the southwest on April 14, 2006.

Grand Forks County (2000 Population - 66,109):  Sandbagging efforts continue in Manville (2000 Population - 370).  The Red River crested in Grand Forks (2000 Population - 49,321) on April 7, 2006, at 47.8 feet and has slowly been dropping.  Significant flood mitigation efforts over the last nine years have prevented significant damages this year.

Pembina County (2000 Population - 8,585):  The Red River in the town of Pembina is expected to crest near 49 feet on April 15, 2006.  The Tongue River west of Cavalier remains very high.  The County Water Board and the ND State Water Commission are checking dams on the Tongue River to estimate the duration of the high water levels on the river. 

State and local authorities and the North Dakota Department of Emergency Services (NDDES) are monitoring the situation.

Region VIII continues to coordinate closely with state officials.  A Region VIII representative has been on site throughout the flooding event.  Other than the assistance from the U.S. Army COE, there has been no request for Federal Assistance at this time.

Minnesota Flooding

On April 6, 2006 the State of Minnesota reported that the Red River has crested in the area of Moorhead.  The River will remain high for the next few days in the East Grand Forks area before it is expected to start dropping, if no significant rain occurs.  The River in the area of Roseau dropped significantly and at a faster pace than expected.  Earlier this week the rivers, streams, and creeks in the Roseau area froze and the ice is now starting to breakup.  The State is monitoring this situation for potential ice jams. 

Snow levels in the northern Plain area have reduced over the last two or three days and are expected to continue reducing over the weekend. No significant rain is expected over the weekend.  However, up to an inch of rain could fall Monday.  This is not expected to be a significant problem.

The State EOC is now at minimal staffing and has been supporting the local sandbag and levee adjustment projects   The Governor has issued Emergency Declarations in support of local efforts

The NWS and US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) are providing specific support under their own authorities.   A FEMA Region V liaison has been sent to the State EOC and is monitoring the situation. (FEMA Region V)

South Dakota Flooding

At approximately midnight April 6, 2006, a band of heavy rain over the area from Mitchell, SD (2000 Population - 14,558), to Jackson, MN remained stationary for four and one half hours producing two to four inches of total precipitation along I-90.  The heaviest rainfall amounts included 4.90 inches for Renner, SD; 4.83 inches in Crooks, SD (2000 Population - 859); 4.30 inches for Madison St and Sycamore Ave, Sioux Falls (2000 Population - 123,975); and 3.36 inches for the Sioux Falls Airport. 

The heavy precipitation caused local flooding in the city of Sioux Falls as well as significant flooding for local creeks within Minnehaha County (2000 Population - 148,281).  Skunk Creek, Beaver creek, Split Rock Creek, and the Big Sioux River have all risen above flood stage.

State and local authorities are monitoring the situation and responding as required. There is no request for Federal Assistance at this time. (FEMA Region VIII)

Storms and Tornados leave South, More Rain in California

South: The large weather system that brought severe thunderstorms and tornadoes Friday will linger in the Southeast on Saturday. Thunderstorms and heavy rain will start the morning in Tennessee and the central Appalachians. By afternoon the thunderstorms will extend along the front from Virginia to coastal Alabama. Some of the storms may reach severe limits in the Southeast on Saturday. The rain and storms will push off the Southeast Coast and into South Florida by Sunday. Tampa, Fla. may see an end to their very long dry spell on Sunday with the increasing chances of isolated thunderstorms. The cold front will bring cooler air to Texas where temperatures will run 10-15 degrees cooler then on Friday. High pressure that builds in behind the front will also bring a short reprieve from the very gusty winds that have wrecked havoc on Oklahoma, Texas, and New Mexico.

West: An active pattern is setting up in the West as one storm after another will come ashore starting this weekend. The first storm came onshore tonight in Central California then head toward the Pacific Northwest on Saturday. Right on the heels of this storm is a second storm that will bring rain into south central California and then spread rain and snow into sections of the Great Basin and the Pacific Northwest. These rounds of rain are falling on already saturated ground across California. The NWS has issued a Flash Flood Watch for northern California.

Northeast: The Northeast and mid-Atlantic will start Saturday cloudy and rainy as the huge storm system swings by the region. As the day progresses a cold Canadian high-pressure system will settle into the Northeast bringing drier and cooler air to the region.

Midwest: After a nasty snowy and windy Friday in eastern Colorado, eastern Wyoming, western Kansas, western Nebraska, and South Dakota Saturday is forecast to be warm and sunny. (NWS, media sources)

Tropical Activity

No new activity (FEMA HQ)

Earthquake Activity

No new activity (FEMA HQ)

Preliminary Damage Assessments

No new activity (FEMA HQ)

Wildfire Update

The National Preparedness Level is Level 2. Initial attack activity was light nationally with 123 new fires reported. Three new large fires were reported, one in Arkansas and two in Oklahoma. Two fires were contained. Very high to extreme fire indices were reported in Delaware, Illinois, and Indiana.

For the last two-day period the State of Texas responded to 21 new fires that have burned 3,206 acres. There were 135 homes threatened, 126 homes saved and 9 homes lost. There were 2 evacuations with 2350 persons evacuated.

There are no Critical Fire Areas forecast for Saturday. Cooler temperatures and light winds have reduced the fire threat in the Southwest and the East.  

Disaster Declaration Activity

No new activity (FEMA HQ)