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National Situation Update: Monday, October 6, 2008

Homeland Security Threat Level: YELLOW (ELEVATED).

Significant National Weather

Northeast
Showers and possible thunderstorms are forecast for upstate New York and New England. A few of the thundershowers could contain small hail and strong winds. Overnight lows could fall close to freezing in the suburbs of New York, Philadelphia and Washington, DC.
Midwest
Rain, heavy at times, is likely in the Plains and northern Mississippi River Valley. Thunderstorms may occur through Missouri and Iowa Monday afternoon.
South
Showers and thunderstorms, some severe, could occur mainly in the southern Plains and in central and eastern Texas. The heaviest thunderstorms should occur this afternoon and evening across central Oklahoma and north-central Texas, and may contain strong winds, hail and isolated tornados. A few of the storms could move into western Arkansas, southwest Missouri and southeast Kansas by evening.
West
By the afternoon a new storm system brings showers back to the Northwest. Steadier rain moves into the region Monday night and Tuesday. (NOAA, National Weather Service, Various Media Sources)

Federal / State Response for Hurricane Ike

FEMA Region VI
As of Oct 3, nearly all petroleum pipelines had resumed operations. EPA reports 626,045 barrels per day of the Gulf's crude production remains shut-in.  This is equivalent to 48% of the Gulf's crude oil production. Gulf natural gas production shut-in is 3,303 million cubic feet per day (44.6 percent capacity out).

Federal priorities include the following: Support facilities, housing, public infrastructure restoration, and debris management.

Louisiana
GOSHEP remains activated at Level III (Emergency Operations).

The National Shelter System (NSS) reports three shelters remain open with a population of 142.  Seven MDRCs / MRICs and 10 DRCs are open for registration intake.(TX JFO).

Texas
The State Emergency Operations Center remains activated at Level I, 24/7. The Texas Department of Transportation (TXDOT) is in the process of removing debris from highway rights of way. TXDOT continues to inspect roads and bridges for damage assessments and monitor road conditions and providing support in the affected areas.

The National Shelter System reports eleven shelters remain open with a population of 1,511.

The Texas Public Utility Commission has 1,911 customers remaining without power (NICC). Currently, the only company that still has electric outage from Hurricane Ike is CenterPoint Energy. CenterPoint Energy continues to restore power to customers who can receive electrical service.

There are 24 MDRCs / MRICs and 15 DRCs open (TX JFO).

Twenty-one Public Assistance (PA) Preliminary Damage Assessments (PDAs) have been completed, with eleven PA PDAs scheduled. Six Individual Assistance (IA) PDAs have been completed, with one IA PDA scheduled. (FEMA HQ; TX JFO, SitRep #24 Oct 4, (NSS Report, 7:00 am Oct 5).

Puerto Rico Flooding Update

Local emergency managers continue to provide support and supplies to the cut-off community of 300 residents in the municipality of Patillas. A temporary pedestrian bridge has been built.

On Sunday, a Disaster Recovery Center opened in the Municipality of Salinas. Four shelters remain open with a total population of 42.

Three residences were destroyed, 1,456 residences sustained major damage, 364 sustained minor damage, and an additional 202 residences were affected by the storm. (PR JFO SitRep #11, 6:00 pm Oct 5)

National Fire Prevention Week 2008

National Fire Prevention Week was established by President Woodrow Wilson in 1922 to commemorate the Great Chicago Fire of October 9, 1871, as well as to provide a time for reflection on fire safety issues. This year the event is being observed from October 5 through October 11, and the 2008 theme is "Prevent Home Fires." Each year, fire departments respond to over 400,000 residential fires. The most common cause of home fires result from cooking, heating, electrical malfunction, smoking materials and candles. In many cases, following these simple safety steps may prevent home fires from starting:

• Stay in the kitchen when you are cooking. Many fires start from "unattended" cooking.
  
• Maintain heating equipment and chimneys by having them inspected and cleaned annually by a qualified professional.
  
• If you smoke, put it out, all the way, every time.
  
• Keep things that can burn away from light bulbs, light fixtures and lamps.
  
• Use flashlights during emergencies, not candles. If using candles, blow them out when leaving the room, and keep them away from things that can burn.

The US Fire Administration (USFA) has a great deal of information related to each of the common causes of residential fire on its website, www.usfa.dhs.gov. There is also information on smoke alarms, escape planning and sprinklers. Please find out what you can do to ensure that you and your family lower the risk of a home fire. (U.S. Fire Administration)

Tropical Weather Outlook

Atlantic/Caribbean:
96L - A small low pressure area is located along the southeastern coast of the Bay of Campeche.  Some slow development of this system is possible as it moves westward about 10 mph across the extreme
southern portion of the Bay of Campeche during the next day or so.

Eastern Pacific:
92E - Shower and thunderstorm activity remains disorganized in association with the area low pressure located about 125 miles south-southwest of El Salvador.  Upper-level winds are forecast to become a little more conducive for development and this system could become a tropical depression during the next day or two as it moves slowly westward.

Tropical Storm Marie
At 5:00 a.m. EDT, the center of Tropical Storm Marie was located about 900 miles west-southwest of the southern tip of Baja California. Marie is stationary. A slow and erratic motion to the west-southwest is expected over the next day or so.

Maximum sustained winds are near 40 mph with higher gusts. Marie is expected to weaken to a tropical depression later today and degenerate to a remnant low by Tuesday. Tropical storm force winds extend outward up to 70 miles from the center.

Tropical Storm Norbert
 At 5:00 a.m. EDT, the center of Tropical Storm Norbert was located about 340 miles south of Manzanillo, Mexico, moving toward the west near 7 mph. A west to west-northwest motion is expected during the next couple of days. 

Maximum sustained winds are near 65 mph with higher gusts. Strengthening is forecast during the next day or two, and Norbert could become a hurricane later today or tonight. Tropical storm force winds extend outward up to 70 miles from the center.

Western Pacific:
No tropical cyclone activity affecting United States Territories. (NOAA, HPC, 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 Sunday, October 5, 2008 was light with 8 new fires. The National Wildfire Preparedness Level is 2. Four large fires were contained and no new large fires were reported; four uncontained fires continue in California and Oregon. Much cooler temperatures are forecast across the West. Widespread showers and thunderstorms stretch from the Rocky Mountains and Four Corner states into the Great Plains. Relative humidity will gradually increase across the Southeast.  (NIFC)

Disaster Declaration Activity

No new activity (FEMA HQ)