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National Situation Update: Wednesday, August 6, 2008

Homeland Security Threat Level: YELLOW (ELEVATED).

UPDATE: Tropical Depression Edouard

At 8:00 a.m. EDT on August 5, Tropical Storm Edouard made landfall on the upper Texas coast about halfway between High Island and Sabine Pass. Winds as high as 65 mph and as much as six inches of precipitation has caused flash flooding, road closures, and power outages in southeast Texas and Louisiana. As of 5:00 a.m. EDT August 6, Edouard had weakened to a Tropical Depression (TD), and was located 30 miles west-northwest of Waco, TX and 30 miles north of College Station, TX moving toward the northwest near 15 mph. Maximum sustained winds were near 10 mph. The potential for flooding rains will extend primarily over southwest Louisiana and central and southeast Texas. Also, isolated tornadoes may occur in this area as the center of Edouard takes a more northwesterly track. Approximately 14,000 customers were without power in southeast Texas as of 7:00 p.m. EDT Tuesday - down from a peak of over 30,000 customers without power. All power in Louisiana has been restored from a peak of 1,552 customers without power.
The Texas State Operations Center (SOC) released its ESFs, but continues to monitor the possibility of flash flooding. The Louisiana State Emergency Operations Center has closed operations.
The National Incident Management Assistance Team (IMAT) is deployed to Lake Charles, (Calcasieu Parish) LA.
FEMA Region VI IMAT is deployed to Houston (Harris County), TX and maintaining contact with the State and Division Coordinators.
FEMA Region VI RRCC, which was activated at Level I, returned to Level III Tuesday night; an overnight staff of Operations and Planning personnel is monitoring potential flash flooding as a result of Tropical Depression Edouard. All ESFs have been released.
FEMA NRCC returned to Steady State status and all ESFs were released at 5:00 p.m. EDT Tuesday, August 5. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) placed two liaisons in the Texas SOC to respond to requests for flood fight assistance, if so needed. If conditions permit today, USACE will begin assessments of navigation projects. There have been no requests for State or Federal assistance. (Region VI, NOAA HPC)

Significant National Weather

South
The Southeast will see a few scattered thunderstorms from Virginia down to the Florida Peninsula.
Remnant moisture from former Tropical Storm Edouard will increase the chances for showers and thunderstorms over a large portion of Texas and Louisiana. In Tennessee, a few severe storms could occur during the afternoon or evening as a cold front approaches. High temperatures are forecast to range from upper 80s at a few spots in Central or West Texas to near 100 degrees at a few locations in the Carolinas and Georgia.
Midwest
Scattered strong thunderstorms are possible from the Upper Midwest, Great Lakes region, and Central Plains to the Central Appalachians. High temperatures will range from the mid and upper 90s in northern Minnesota and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, to the mid-90s in southwest Kansas and 80s in the Midwest and Plains.
Northeast
Widespread showers and some possible locally heavy rain is forecast for the New England area.
High temperatures are forecast to range from the 60s in northern New England to the mid-90s around the Tidewater area of Virginia.
West
Thunderstorms are likely from Idaho and Wyoming down to Arizona and western New Mexico with some isolated thunderstorms in the Central Rockies.
Some isolated thunderstorms are also possible across some higher elevations of northern California and northwest Nevada. (National Weather Service, Media Sources)

Fire Management Assistance Grant (FMAG)

Nothing significant to report. (FEMA HQ)

Tropical Weather Outlook

Atlantic/Caribbean:
At 5:00 a.m. EDT August 6, Tropical Depression Edouard continues to move northwest through Texas at approximately 15 mph. Maximum sustained winds were near 10 mph, with higher gusts. This general motion is expected to continue over the next 12 hours. There is the potential of flooding in low-lying areas.
Elsewhere, tropical cyclone formation is not expected during the next 48 hours.
Eastern Pacific:
At 2:00 a.m. EDT August 6, a low pressure system located about 525 miles south-southwest of Manzanillo, Mexico continues to show signs of organization; environmental conditions appear favorable for further development and a tropical depression could form during the next couple of days as the system moves west-northwestward at 10 to 15 mph. 
Western Pacific:
No tropical cyclone activity threats in U.S. territories.(NOAA, National Hurricane Center, Central Pacific Hurricane Center and the Joint Typhoon Warning Center)

Earthquake Activity

No new activity (FEMA HQ)

Preliminary Damage Assessments

No new activity (FEMA HQ)

Wildfire Update

National Fire Activity as of Tuesday, August 5, 2008:
National Wildfire Preparedness Level: 4
Initial attack activity: Light (180 new fires)
New large fires: 9
Uncontained large fires: 41
Large fires contained: 5
States with Large fires: AR, AZ, CA, CO, ID, MT, NC, NM, TX, UT, WA and WY
Fire Weather Discussion: Thunderstorms are predicted for northern California and southern Oregon this afternoon and evening. Wetter thunderstorms are expected for southern California, southern Great Basin, Wyoming, and southern Montana. The rest of the western states will be warm and dry.(National Interagency Fire Center, National Incident Information Center)

Wildfire - Craig Fire, Butte County, CA: 2,500 acres burned; 20% contained. One injury. 1 residence and 1 outbuilding destroyed; 75 residences threatened. The Craig Fire increased in activity the afternoon of August 5. There were Immediate Threat Evacuations under way for roads north of Lumpkin Road. Precautionary Evacuations were in place for roads south of Lumpkin Road. A shelter has been opened at the Church of the Nazarene, Oroville, CA. No EOC activation at this time. There are concerns that thunderstorm activity today may affect the fire. (CA OES Incident Report)

Disaster Declaration Activity

Vermont: The Governor of Vermont requested a major disaster declaration as a result of severe storms occurring July 18, 2008 and continuing. The Governor specifically requested Public Assistance for three counties and Hazard Mitigation statewide.
Minnesota: FEMA-1772-DR-Minnesota, Amendment # 3. Effective August 5, 2008, this notice amends the incident period for this declared disaster to June 6-12, 2008. Prior incident period was June 7-12, 2008.
Minnesota: FEMA-1772-DR-Minnesota, Amendment # 4. Effective August 5, 2008, this declared disaster is amended to include Cook County for Public Assistance. (FEMA HQ)