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National Situation Update: Sunday, April 13, 2008

Homeland Security Threat Level: YELLOW (ELEVATED).

Significant National Weather

West:
A frontal system will bring rain to Washington, Oregon and Northern Idaho the remainder of the region will be dry.   The warming trend continues.  Highs today will range from the 60s in Montana to the 90s in the Desert Southwest.
Midwest:
A surface trough and upper-level disturbance associated with the low off the Canadian Maritimes will produce precipitation over the Mississippi Valley, Great Lakes and Ohio Valley. A wintry mix of snow and rain showers will fall from Missouri to southern Michigan and northern Ohio, with showers along the Ohio River and across Kentucky.  Highs, from 10 to near 30 degrees below average, and will only reach the 40s across Minnesota, Iowa, Missouri, Michigan, Ohio and Kentucky.
South:
The surface trough and upper-level disturbance discussed above will produce showers over the Tennessee Valley. The southern Appalachians will see some wet snow with possibly significant accumulations at the highest elevations tonight and tomorrow.  Behind the cold front, the Region will be 5 to 25 degrees below average ranging from the 40s in Tennessee, northern Alabama, northern Georgia and the southern Appalachians to the 60s along the Gulf Coast.
Northeast:
The surface trough and upper-level disturbance discussed above will produce rain and snow showers from western New York to Maine and rain showers across the Mid-Atlantic and southern New England.
With the cold front well offshore, temperatures will be well below average highs will range from the 30s in northern New England to the 60s in southeast Virginia. (NWS, Various Media Sources)

Severe Weather Outbreak

The storm system that moved through the Midwest and east coast over the last few days produced severe weather (tornadoes, hail gusty winds) across much of the Southeast. There were two unconfirmed reports of tornadoes in Wayne County North Carolina on Saturday April 12, 2008.
Previous reports of damage included:
Kentucky
16 residences destroyed
14 residences uninhabitable, but repairable
75 residences with minor-to-major damage
Downed power lines with isolated outages.
Several farming operations with damages.
Georgia
Downed power lines, with isolated power outages
Multiple trees downed
1 Mobile Home destroyed
American Red Cross (ARC) sheltering 8 residents
Tennessee
95 residences minor to major damaged
8 residences destroyed
Several farms damage, 2 barns destroyed
5 reported injuries.
Power lines down causing power outages.
Several vehicle accidents, trees down and high water in certain areas.

Mississippi Valley Flooding

CURRENT SITUATION
One to three tenths of additional precipitation is forecast for Mississippi Valley, Great Lakes and Ohio Valley today. Flood Warnings and Flood Watches are in effect for the Mississippi River Valley from Louisiana to Wisconsin, Illinois, and Indiana. River flooding will continue for parts of the Mississippi, Ohio, and Tennessee Valleys.

FEDERAL RESPONSE
FEMA Region VI
RRCC at Level III, monitoring situation, weekend staff on call.Region VI SPOT Report, 12APR08, 12:47 p.m. EDT).
USACE and TFS representatives at RRCC.
FEMA state liaisons deployed to state EOCs in Texas, Oklahoma and Arkansas.
Conducting daily conference calls with Texas and the National Weather Service.
Mission Assignment issued to the USACE to provide pumps to address flooding in Jacksonport (Jackson County), Arkansas.
Two (2) Disaster Recovery Centers opening Arkansas; one in Norfolk (Baxter County) and one in Pocahontas (Randolph County).
FIRST Atlanta redeploying to home station.
IA and PA PDA Teams are on stand-by to deploy to the affected states.

FEMA Region VII
Region VIII continues to coordinate with Region IV on potential support for the Mississippi Flooding.
FEMA state liaison deployed to Missouri EOC.

Other Government Agencies
Department of Transportation (DOT)
US Highways reported closed in affected states are Arkansas (I-55 in Crittenden County); Oklahoma (US-270 between Wister and Hodgen at the dam, due to high water); including several State and local roads.
US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE)
170 personnel deployed 3 Corps Divisions and 8 Districts are currently engaged in PL84-99 flood fighting activities in support of the Midwest Flooding event.
Issued a total of 1,153,200 sandbags; 54 pumps; 338 rolls of poly; 2,225 ft HESCO and 500 ft PORTADAM.
Technical assistance support; surveillance and monitoring at USACE projects; levee patrols; and inspections are ongoing response operations in Midwestern States.
Personnel in Arkansas monitoring the White, Arkansas and Little Rivers in Arkansas.
54 pumps issued to State and local authorities. (Denton MOC, Region V, Region VI, Region VII, USACE, USCG, FEMA HQ)

STATE and LOCAL RESPONSE
Arkansas
State EOC at Level III (Limited Activation) (Region VI SPOT Report, 12APR0).
Major Disaster declaration, FEMA-1751-DR, declared March 26, 2008.
2 shelters, population 23.
Homes destroyed/damaged: 161 homes destroyed and 699 damaged.
The levee in Prairie County is being reinforced by the Corps of Engineers using barrels and sandbags to mitigate the problem. They will continue to monitor the levee. (Region VI)
Major/Moderate Flooding Update:
White River:
Georgetown is at Moderate Flood Stage and receding slightly but will raise sharply reaching Major Flood Stage by April 14, 2008.
Des Arc is at Major Flood Stage and receding slightly.  The river is forecast to begin rising again on April 13, 2008.  Possible flooding in the river valley with numerous roads flooded, overtopping of Kitty Barnes levee in eastern Prairie and Monroe counties.  (NWS Advanced Hydrologic Prediction Service).
Newport is at Major Flood Stage, and is forecast to crest at 34 ft on the morning of April 13, 2008.  At 34 ft: Railroad Bridge downstream of Newport overtopped.  Serious flooding in Jacksonport and Newport.
Homes along State Highway 14 are flooded.  (NWS Advanced Hydrologic Prediction Service).
Mississippi River:
ArkansasCity is at Major Flood Stage, 44 ft.  At 44 ft, all land inside levee protection is inundated.
PDAs are on-going in Arkansas.  6 assigned IA PDAs remain and 3 PA PDAs remain as of 12 Apr 08.  (NWS Advanced Hydrologic Prediction Service).
Illinois
Counties: 19 Counties with Declared States of Emergency.
Major/Moderate River Flooding:
Ohio River:
Cairo is at Moderate Flood Stage, and is expected to continue to rise.  The first gate at Cairo was closed and pumping with 6 pumps continues.
Local Emergency Management Coordinators put in Culverton drains to pump water back into Ohio River.
Grand Chain Dam is at Major Flood Stage, and will remain steady throughout the forecast period. 
USACE gave water pumps to Pulaski County Emergency Management Agency for flood fighting efforts in Mound and Mound City, IL.
Joint IA PDAs have been completed in 12 counties(NWS Advanced Hydrologic Prediction Service, USACE, Region V)
Louisiana
State EOC is partially activated
On March 27, 2008, the Governor of Louisiana issued a State of Emergency from March 24, 2008 to April 22, 2008.
9 Parishes have declared States of Emergency.
Major/Moderate River Flooding:
Mississippi River:
Red River Landing is currently at Moderate Flood Stage and is forecast to continue rising; cresting on April 15, 2008.  The main levee is not expected to be topped according to Region VI.  (NWS Advanced Hydrologic Prediction Service Region IV)
Baton Rouge is at Major Flood Stage and will continue to steadily rise throughout the forecast period.  According to Region VI, the base line height of the levee is 48 ft and at this time, there is no impact.  (NWS Advanced Hydrologic Prediction Service, Region VI)
NWS and USACE assessment that no levees will be overtopped and river will crest well below the maximum protection height of the New Orleans levees. (NWS/USACE/Region VI)
Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development (LA DOTD) provided 40 dump trucks to haul sand to sandbagging operations in Vidalia to control €œsand boils€ below the levees.  No levee issues reported and local districts.

Mississippi
EOC at Level III (Partially Activated w/MEMA and key State agencies only).
Governor's State of Emergency for Mississippi River Flooding signed April 4, 2008.
95 people displaced.
2 shelters, population 0.

Mississippi State PDAs indicate 3 home destroyed and 37 homes with major damage.

Major/Moderate Flooding:

The Mississippi River:
Greenville, MS is at Moderate Flood Stage and forecast to gradually rise, reaching Major Flood Stage by April 15, 2008.  At the current level, practically all areas between levees are flooded and approximately 50 buildings have water inside. 
Vicksburg, MS is at Moderate Flood Stage and forecast to gradually rise, reaching Major Flood Stage by April 14, 2008.
PA and IA Joint PDA assessments completed April 10, 2008.  (Region IV RRCC, Region V RRCC, Region VI RRCC, Arkansas Department of Emergency Management (ADEM) Emergency Operations Center, Louisiana Governor's Office of State Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness (GOSHEP), Oklahoma Department of Emergency Management, Texas Division of Emergency Management State Operations Center, National Weather Service, National Guard Bureau, USACE.)

Fire Management Assistance Grant (FMAG)

Nothing significant to report.   (FEMA HQ)

Tropical Weather Outlook

No new activity (FEMA HQ)

Earthquake Activity

On Saturday, April 12, 2008 at 8:05 am EDT an earthquake measuring 5.2 struck about 161 miles west northwest of Bandon, Oregon.  There were no reports of damage or injuries and there was no tsunami generated. (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)

Disaster Declaration Activity

No new activity (FEMA HQ)