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National Situation Update: Friday, March 20, 2009

Homeland Security Threat Level: YELLOW (ELEVATED).

National Weather

West
A strong weather system moving into western Washington and western Oregon today will bring up to a foot of snow to the mid and higher elevations of the Washington Cascades and Sierras, and up to 2 inches of rain in the lower elevations. Northern and central California and the Rockies will experience scattered showers, thunderstorms, and some high elevation snow through the weekend.
Midwest
Mixed precipitation and rain is expected across parts of North Dakota and northern Minnesota. A few showers and thunderstorms are likely across Kansas. Showers and scattered thunderstorms are forecast for Nebraska, Kansas, Missouri and Illinois through Saturday. A strong storm system is expected early next week, causing showers and thunderstorms, some severe, across the region. This may aggravate the flooding in the Dakotas, western Minnesota, eastern Missouri, Illinois, and Indiana.
South
Southward down the East Coast gusty onshore winds, dangerous rip currents and some showers are forecast along Atlantic beaches. Showers and thunderstorms will continue across the southern Florida Peninsula. Western Oklahoma and the Texas Panhandle could see a few severe thunderstorms.
Northeast
The Northeast will be cool and dry until Sunday, when a few snow showers may fall over northern sections of Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine. (NWS, Media Sources)

North Dakota Flood Preparations

Current Situation
Record flooding is possible at many locations on the Red River of the North and its tributaries with major spring flooding expected for most of the Red River Basin as well as the Devils Lake Basin.  Tributaries and some main stem communities in the southern Red River Basin are beginning to see elevated stages due to snow-melt runoff, while rivers and streams remain clogged with ice.

Current Weather
A strong storm system forecast for late this weekend into early next week may produce locally heavy rainfall and thunderstorms, which may increase flooding. The recent warm weather has allowed runoff into rivers; much warmer temperatures this weekend will accelerate the melting process. Ice jams are possible next week.

FEMA Headquarters
FEMA NRCC is at Watch/Steady State (24/7). The NRCC is participating in video teleconferences with Regions V, VIII, and affected states to anticipate level of activation, readiness, and actions needed to support the response to forecast flooding.

FEMA Region V
RRCC is at Watch/Steady State - 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. CDT. Region LNO is deploying to the MN SEOC today, March 20. Flood Warnings are in effect for parts of Illinois, Indiana, Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Michigan. The Region is maintaining contact with respective states to maintain situational awareness.

Minnesota
The EOC is partially activated - 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. CDT and through the weekend. Clay, Marshall, and Wilkin counties and four cities have declared States of Emergency. The recent warm weather has started the spring snow melt process in the Red River of the North Basin in Minnesota. US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) St. Paul District EOC is fully activated and conducting 24 hour operations to provide technical assistance and resources to Minnesota and North Dakota. (MN DPS Situation Report; Region V)

FEMA Region VIII:
RRCC is at Watch/Steady State - 6:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. MDT, monitoring Red River flooding preparations. Flood Warnings are in effect for parts of North Dakota and South Dakota. Region VIII State EOCs are not activated. A two-man Region VIII SST (Planning and Operations) deployed to the ND EOC on March 18 to support State preparations for spring flooding. A GIS Specialist will be deployed to the ND EOC later today, March 20. An ERT-A will be deployed to ND EOC on March 23.
The RRCC will be staffed at the Watch Level on March 21 and 22 to support the LNOs and ERT-A staff deployed and deploying to the ND EOC.

North Dakota
The ND Governor issued an Emergency Declaration in anticipation of potential flooding and has alerted the National Guard. The State requested US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) assistance with river flooding preparations. Emergency levee construction in Fargo began Thusday, March 19; all contractors will be operating 24/7 until protection is in place. The City of Moorhead (Clay County) requested assistance for extending the height and length of the current dike and constructing two smaller dikes within the city. (Region V)

North Dakota National Guard
Approximately 200 North Dakota National Guard soldiers and airmen will be in-processing on March 20 for sandbagging operations along the Red River Valley. Five ARNG personnel are performing preparation operations. (NGB)

U. S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE):
USACE St. Paul District EOC is fully activated and conducting 24 hour operations to provide technical assistance and resources to Minnesota and North Dakota. Resources available: 1 million sandbags; sand; traffic control devices; and personnel. Flooding engineers are surveying the Red River basin for threatened communities. The Agency will also begin building emergency levees this weekend in Harwood, ND, Wahpeton, ND, and Breckenridge, MN. (MN DPS Situation Report; Region V).

Fire Management Assistance Grant (FMAG)

No activity.(FEMA HQ)

Tropical Weather Outlook

Atlantic/Caribbean:
No current tropical cyclone warnings. (NOAA, HPC, National Hurricane Center, Central Pacific Hurricane Center and the Joint Typhoon Warning Center)

Eastern Pacific:
No current tropical cyclone warnings.  (NOAA, HPC, National Hurricane Center, Central Pacific Hurricane Center and the Joint Typhoon Warning Center)

Western Pacific:
No current tropical cyclone warnings.  (NOAA, HPC, National Hurricane Center, Central Pacific Hurricane Center and the Joint Typhoon Warning Center)

Earthquake Activity

on March 19, 2009 at 2:17 p.m. EDT, a magnitude 7.9 earthquake occurred offshore approximately 135 miles south-southeast of Nuku'Alofa, Tonga and 670 miles southwest of the American Samoa, at a depth of 21.1 miles. Initially, the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center (PTWC) issued a Tsunami Warning for a part of the Pacific near the earthquake. PTWC also issued a Tsunami Advisory for Hawaii. All Warnings and Advisories have been cancelled. (USGS, AK Earthquake Information Center, Earthquake Hazards Program)

Preliminary Damage Assessments

No new activity (FEMA HQ)

Disaster Declaration Activity

No new activity (FEMA HQ)