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National Situation Update: Sunday, April 9, 2006

Homeland Security Threat Level: YELLOW (ELEVATED).

National Weather

More Rain In the West

West:  The western half of the country will remain very unsettled from central California, through the Great Basin, and into the Pacific Northwest. Several storm systems are poised to come ashore in the next few days in the West which will antagonize already saturated ground. Flooding is possible over the next couple of days in parts of Central California and parts of Nevada. Showers and a few rumbles of thunder are forecast from San Francisco to Seattle on Sunday. Snow levels in the Washington and Oregon Cascades are expected to range between 3500-4000 feet, with 7000 foot snow levels in the Sierra Nevada. The Four Corners and the Desert Southwest will remain dry and very warm on Sunday and into the early part of next week. 

South:  High pressure building into the Eastern half of the country will bring sunny skies and dry weather to the Southeast on Sunday. There is a chance for showers and thunderstorms on Sunday in southern Florida.  Some clouds and scattered showers may linger along the Outer Banks of North Carolina through mid-morning before moving completely offshore by afternoon. By the middle of the week, a warming trend will be underway with both overnight lows and afternoon highs running 10-20 degrees above average across the entire South and Southeast.

Northeast:  Mostly sunny skies are forecast Sunday to replace the cold rain from Maine to the Del-Mar-Va. This high-pressure system will remain in place in the East through the early half of the week keeping the skies partly cloudy and allowing temperatures to warm into the 50s and 60s from Boston to Pittsburgh. 

Midwest:  Clear skies and calm winds under a large high-pressure system from the Ohio River to eastern Kansas. High pressure will dominate the weather in the Midwest though the end of the week. Gusty southerly winds on the backside of this high pressure system will usher warm air into the Great Plains this week. Both overnight lows and afternoon highs will run between 10-20 degrees above average this week from the Rockies to the Appalachians. 

Concerns over California Levee Failure Prompt New State Actions

As a contingency plan for potential levee failures along the San Joaquin River, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), California Department of Water Resources (DWR), and county officials have outlined potential advanced measures (classified as a Flood Fight with river levels above monitor stage) along the San Joaquin River levee system to prevent flooding and levee failure.

In a conference call Saturday afternoon, the officials identified five potential sites (adjacent to agricultural areas to ensure no impact to populated areas) to allow breaches in the levee system to occur.  As breaches occur, the plan is to channel the flood waters and re-direct them back towards the San Joaquin River downstream, providing a "relief cut" to allow the water to re-enter the San Joaquin River levee system.  This plan is still under development.

Flood conditions are not expected to threaten Sacramento, but the San Joaquin Valley is deemed particularly vulnerable because it lies more directly in the path of storms forecast to arrive next week. San Joaquin Valley reservoirs and river channels are much smaller and already strained.

The State Department of Water Resources has moved a crew of about 120 people, including three California Conservation Corps teams, into the area to shore up weak levees in San Joaquin and Stanislaus Counties.

The National Weather Service predicts that the San Joaquin River at Vernalis, south of Lathrop, will reach flood stage of 29 feet late Sunday as a new storm moves through the area this weekend.

The weather service predicts the river will exceed the "danger stage" of 29.5 feet on Monday.   San Joaquin River is equal to the flood elevation in 1997 when they experienced the last big flood.

STATE/LOCAL RESPONSE:  The California Office of Emergency Services (OES) continues to have the Inland Regional Operations Center (REOC) activated 0700 to 1900 PDT.  In addition, the State Operations Center (SOC) is activated and will focus on advanced planning for the Delta and 24 critical levee sites.  The CA Department of Water Resources (DWR) continues to have Flood Ops Center activated.   San Joaquin County EOC remains activated 0700 to 1900 hrs.

POTENTIAL FEDERAL INVOLVEMENT:  No request for Federal Assistance is requested at this time.  Region IX has activated its RRCC at a Level III to monitor the situation. Region IX staff are also participating in planning sessions and video-conferences. USACE San Francisco Division office is also monitoring the situation at Duty Officer status.  The USACE Sacramento Division Office is activated and providing technical assistance to DWR. (Region IX, media sources)

Severe Storms and Tornado Updates

State Status: 
Alabama:  The State EOC has not activated but is monitoring the situation.  No reports of major damage.

Kentucky:  The State EOC is activated at Level 2 (partial activation).  Barren County 911 called to report a tornado touchdown. Minor damage is reported with no injuries or death.

Mississippi:  The State EOC is currently at Level 1 and compiling information from the local governments from the previous 24 hours. Four tornados have been reported causing damage to over 50 homes and one business. No reports of injuries or death.

Georgia:  The State EOC is currently at Level 1 (normal operations).  There are no reports of serious injury or death associated with these storms. Damage assessments are on-going.  Georgia Power reports approximately 14,000 customers without power in metro Atlanta, and 6,000 elsewhere. Over 100 homes are reported damaged, along with 4 businesses, and 1 school.  No requests for state assistance have been received.

Tennessee:  The State EOC is currently at Level 3 activation due to multiple tornado touchdowns, wind, and hail.  12 deaths and 57 injuries have been reported.   Over 25,000 homes without power, and over 1500 homes, farms, and businesses damaged or destroyed. 

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

Federal Actions:
The Regional Response Coordination Center (RRCC) in Thomasville, GA activated at Level 3 to monitor the severe weather activity.  Hours of operations will be 7:00 AM to 5:00 PM until further notice.(Region IV)

Tropical Activity

No new activity (FEMA HQ)

Earthquake Activity

No new activity (FEMA HQ)

Preliminary Damage Assessments

No new activity (FEMA HQ)

Wildfire Update

Initial attack activity was moderate nationally with 203 new fires reported. Six new large fires were reported, three in the Southern Area, two in the Eastern Area, and one in the Southwest Area.

Three large fires were contained, two in the Southern Area, and one in the Southwest Area.

Very high to extreme fire indices were reported in Minnesota. (NIFC, NICC, media sources)

Disaster Declaration Activity

No new activity (FEMA HQ)