National Situation Update: Wednesday, June 18, 2008

Homeland Security Threat Level: YELLOW (ELEVATED).

Significant National Weather

West:
A large ridge of high pressure over the Southwest will remain stationary June 18 - 21, 2008.
Temperatures under the ridge should run five-to-10 (5-to-10) degrees above average, with afternoon readings ranging from the 70s and 80s over the mountains to the 110s over the desert areas.
Midwest:
A high pressure front is forecast to move through North Dakota, South Dakota and Nebraska June 18, 2008, producing a complex of thunderstorms that are capable of large hail and wind gusts over 60 mph.
Showers are likely around the Great Lakes on the back side of the upper low over the Northeast June 18 - 19, 2008.
South:
High pressure in the Southeast over the next few days will lower temperatures and humidity levels.
Thunderstorms will occur over Florida June 18 - 19, 2008.  These storms will be erratic, forming along the Gulf coast and moving to the east.
The most active weather the next two days will form over the central Plains, move south across Oklahoma and Texas, and impact Arkansas and Louisiana, producing heavy rain and damaging wind gusts. 
Northeast:
An upper-level low continues June 18 - 19, 2008.
Skies will be mostly sunny each morning, with thunderstorms appearing by late morning or early afternoon that will die out in the evening.
A few of the thunderstorms are forecast to produce small hail and wind gusts over 40 mph.  (NWS, Media Sources)

Midwest Severe Weather and Flooding

During the past two weeks over ten inches of rain have fallen in the vicinity of Des Moines Iowa and over large areas of northeastern Iowa, southern Wisconsin and west central Lower Michigan.  These amounts are about eight inches higher than normal.  Major flooding is occurring or forecast over most of Iowa.  Significant flooding is also occurring or forecast across southern Wisconsin and northern Illinois.  Moderate to major flooding is forecast along the Mississippi River from Iowa downstream to Illinois.

FEMA Region V RRCC:

  • Activated at Level II 24/7 with Planning, Watch, DCE, USCG and ESFs 1, 3, 6, 8, 10, 11, 12 and 15.
  • Region V LNOs deployed to IN, WI, MI and IL EOCs.
  • Activated Mississippi River Planning Cell to prepare for impacts of record flooding.
  • FEMA Region I ERT-A on site at Rock Island, IL.
  • FEMA Region V IMAT transitioning from Indiana to Illinois June 18, 2008.

Illinois:

  • IL EOC activated (8:00 a.m. - 10:00 p.m. CDT, Sa - Su) with ESF support
  • 0 fatalities; 0 injuries
  • 2 shelters; population: 13
  • 1,002 customers without power
  • FEMA to deliver 10 truckloads of water to Rock Island Arsenal at approximately 10:00 a.m. CDT, June 18, 2008.
  • Department of Health is stockpiling 100,000 gallons of water for Adams County.
  • Seven (7) of eight (8) trucks of plastic rolls for sandbagging operations arrived in Quincy, IL; eighth truck arrived 12:01 a.m. CDT, June 18, 2008.
  • Denver-MERS team arrived on site at IL EOC.
  • Four (4) US Highways closed
  • 25 counties affected; 17 under emergency declarations
  • Lima Lake Levee (Myer, Adams County) breached June 18, 2008.  Sandbagging operations ceased, personnel leaving the area.  Major impact is to agricultural areas.  No request for Federal Assistance at this time.
  • Mississippi River levee at Gulfport failed at 6:00 a.m. CDT, June 17, 2008, covering 5,000 acres of farmland, displacing 500 residents and forcing the closure of the Great River Bridge connecting Gulfport to Burlington, IA via Highway 34.
  • Boil water order issued by City of Galesburg at 4:30 p.m. EDT, June 17, 2008, affecting Galesburg, East Galesburg, Abingdon and Knoxville, as emergency backup wells that don€™t have an IL EPA approved chlorination system are being used due to floodwaters threatening the pumping station at Oquawka.
  • On the Mississippi River, Lock #15 in Rock Island scheduled to be reopened on June 19, 2008.

Indiana:

  • State EOC deactivated and staffed by public safety, law enforcement and homeland security representatives; public health representative demobilized.
  • IA PDAs conducted in 27 counties
  • 4 fatalities; 42 injuries
  • 4 shelters; population: 115
  • 175 customers without power
  • A "Mission Planning Team" has been deployed to JFO to scope housing issues with the State as part of a Joint Housing Task Force
  • 45 counties affected; 30 counties declared States of Emergency
  • Joint IA/PA PDAs ongoing; 28 IA and 29 PA PDAs approved at this time.

Wisconsin:

  • EOC activated with ESFs 1, 3, 5, 6 and 8.
  • FEMA Region II ERT-A arrived in Madison June 17, 2008
  • Joint PA PDAs to begin week of June 17, 2008
  • 1 fatality; 0 injuries
  • 8 shelters; population: 35
  • WI Department of Natural Resources monitoring dams in southern WI.
  • JFO in Madison opened June 17, 2008
  • Several state highways and portions of Interstates have reopened
  • 30 counties affected; all are under State Emergency Declaration.

FEMA Region VI RRCC:

  • Not Activated
  • One (1) ERT-A available, not deployed.

Oklahoma:

  • PA PDAs continuing, with an anticipated completion date for all 15 counties of June 19, 2008.

FEMA Region VII RRCC:

  • Level III, 7:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m. CDT (Mon - Fri)
  • Region IV IMAT deployed to Cedar Rapids, IA.

Iowa:

  • State EOC partially activated at Level 5, 24/7.
  • 17 fatalities; 78 injuries
  • 10 shelters; population: 340
  • PDA request for IA and PA received Monday for four (4) counties. Expect completion by end of week
  • IA PDAs conducted in 27 counties; PA PDAs began June 16, 2008
  • 2 USCG DART Teams in Iowa City
  • 83 counties affected; all under Emergency Declaration
  • On the Mississippi River, Lock 13 in Clinton and Lock 14 in Pleasant Valley to be reopened June 18, 2008.

Kansas:

  • State EOC activated Level 3, 7:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. CDT.
  • Additional IA and PA PDAs began June 16, 2008; anticipated to be completed by the end of the week.
  • 2 fatalities; numerous injuries (number unknown)
  • 71 counties affected

Missouri:

  • The Governor is requesting an expedited major disaster declaration for Individual Assistance, Public Assistance, direct Federal assistance, and Hazard Mitigation for all 115 counties and the independent City of St. Louis.
  • State EOC activated at Level II, Partially Activated (7:00 a.m. - 11:00 p.m. CDT, Su - Sa), with ESF support (ESFs 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, 13, 15 and 16).
  • 3 shelters; population: 37
  • USCG Liaison at State EOC
  • 14 counties affected
  • Several counties have begun voluntary evacuations in anticipation of Mississippi River flooding.
  • St. Louis Harbor expected to close June 19, 2008 for at least five (5) days as the Mississippi River crests, cutting off barge traffic from the Illinois and Missouri Rivers.

Nebraska:

  • Union Pacific (UP) restored service the evening of June 17, 2008 to the Trenton Subdivision, the north-south spine line between Kansas City and Des Moines.
  • UP anticipates opening of east-west mainline at Beverly, IA (near Cedar Rapids) with one of the two main tracks open for limited operation June 18, 2008.

FEMA Region VIII RRCC:

  • Level III, 6:30 a.m. - 6:30 p.m. MDT (M-F)
  • Two (2) ERTs deployed to Colorado JFO and supporting response in Montana.
  • Has three (3) rostered, rotating State Support Teams (SSTs)
  • One (1), composed of 12 PA PDA Teams and five (5) IA PDA teams, is deployed to SD EOC.

South Dakota:

  • Joint PDAs in 28 counties for IA and PA began June 16, 2008.
  • 12 PDA teams assessing 28 counties; five (5) IA teams assessing nine (9) of those counties along with three (3) tribal reservations.

Fire Management Assistance Grant (FMAG)

FEMA-2774-FM was approved for the Camp Bowie Fire in TX.  (FEMA HQ)   

Tropical Weather Outlook

Atlantic/Caribbean:
Tropical cyclone formation is not expected during the next 48 hours.
Eastern Pacific:
Tropical cyclone formation is not expected during the next 48 hours.
Western Pacific:
No threat to US territories.  (NOAA, National Hurricane Center, Central Pacific Hurricane Center and the Joint Typhoon Warning Center)

Earthquake Activity

A magnitude 4.8 earthquake occurred at 7:28 p.m. EDT, June 17, 2008, 45 miles southeast of King Cove, AK and 632 miles southwest of Anchorage, AK, at a depth of 31 miles.  The event was reviewed by a seismologist and no tsunami, damages or injuries were reported.  (USGS, Earthquake Hazards Program, Alaska Earthquake Information Center, Pacific Tsunami Warning Center, and West Coast/Alaska Tsunami Warning Centers)

Preliminary Damage Assessments

No new activity (FEMA HQ)

Wildfire Update

Bridger Fire, Fort Carson, CO
45,800 acres burned; 75% contained
No fatalities or injuries reported
2 residences, 1 outbuilding destroyed.
4 structures threatened
Type 2 IMT is assigned.

National Fire Activity as of Tuesday, June 17, 2008:
National Wildfire Preparedness Level: 2
Initial attack activity: Light (148 new fires)
New large fires: 4
Large fires contained: 4
Uncontained large fires: 14(National Interagency Fire Center, National Incident Information Center)

Disaster Declaration Activity

Amendment #7 for FEMA-1766-DR-IN, approved June 17, 2008, adds two (2) counties in Indiana for Individual Assistance.
Amendment #5 for FEMA-1763-DR-IA, approved June 17, 2008, adds five (5) counties in Iowa for Individual Assistance and twelve (12) counties for Public Assistance. (FEMA HQ)

Last Modified: Wednesday, 18-Jun-2008 08:06:17 EDT