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National Situation Update: Saturday, May 2, 2009

Homeland Security Threat Level: YELLOW (ELEVATED).

National Weather Forecast

West:
A frontal system will bring showers to Los Angeles and San Diego this morning. Moving rapidly into the Four Corners area it will produce a few thunderstorms in Arizona and New Mexico.  A storm moving in off the Pacific will produce showers (snow in higher elevations) from Washington to California and spread inland across southern Idaho, Nevada, Utah, Wyoming and Colorado.  Montana will see little precipitation; however, rapidly melting snow could cause localized flooding.
Midwest
The front stretching from Texas to the Mid Atlantic will produce rain and thunderstorms from Kansas to the Ohio Valley and Kentucky. Some areas could receive as much as six inches of precipitation. Other than a few showers in the Upper Midwest, the area from the northern Plains to the Great Lakes will be dry.
South:
The front stretching from Texas to the Mid Atlantic will produce showers and thunderstorms from the southern Plains, through the Tennessee Valley, to the Carolinas.  Parts of eastern Oklahoma, northern Texas, Arkansas and Tennessee could pick up 3 to 6 inches of additional rainfall.  A ridge of high pressure will keep southern Georgia and Florida dry.
Northeast:
The cold front stalled over the Mid-Atlantic will produce rain across southern New England, southeast New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania this weekend and showers and thunderstorms south of the Mason-Dixon Line. (National Weather Service, various media sources)

H1N1 Flu Outbreak Update

H1N1 Flu Outbreak - USA

• The H1N1 Flu outbreak continues to grow in the United States and internationally. On May 1, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) reported 141 laboratory-confirmed cases in 19 states.
  
• The Pan American Health Organization / World Health Organization (PAHO/WHO) pandemic alert level increased to Phase 5. Characterized by human-to-human spread of the virus into at least two countries in one WHO region.
  
• HHS distributed a total of 11 million courses of antiviral drugs among 50 states.

H1N1 Flu Outbreak - International

• As of May 1 the CDC reported there were 226 laboratory-confirmed cases of H1N1 Flu outside of the U.S. and reports 9 confirmed deaths in Mexico.
  
• The following countries have reported confirmed cases with no deaths - Austria 1, China 1  Canada 34, Germany 4, Denmark 1, Israel 2, Netherlands 1, New Zealand 4, Spain 13,  Switzerland 1, Mexico 156 and the United Kingdom: 8. 
  
• HHS delivered 400,000 courses of antiviral drugs to Mexico on May 1.
  
• Government of Mexico has closed schools and suspended all public events through May 4.

H1N1 Flu Outbreak - FEMA Response

• Leadership is monitoring the current situation and participating in conferences and planning sessions to respond to the needs of State and local agencies.
  
• FEMA NRCC is maintaining contact with FEMA Regions, DHS, HHS/CDC, and other Federal and state partners.
  
• FEMA Regions I, II, IV and VI have activated personnel in response to the Department of Health and Human Services nationwide Public Health Emergency Declaration.

Travel Considerations related to H1N1 Flu Outbreak

• The United States Embassy in Mexico suspended all visa and non-emergency American citizen services from April 30 - May 6.
  
• CDC issued a Traveler's Health Alert Notice and a Traveler's Health Warning, which recommends against nonessential travel to Mexico.(HHS SOC April 30, DHS Leadership Brief April 30; CDC Update April 30; PAHO/WHO Update on Swine Influenza April 30, 2009, FEMA DSAR April 30, 2009)

Fire Management Assistance Grant (FMAG)

 No significant activity.   (FEMA HQ)

Tropical Weather Outlook

Western Pacific:
The Joint Typhoon Warning Center has issued a Tropical Cyclone Formation Alert (TCFA) for an area of convection approximately 460 miles west-northwest of Guam. Maximum sustained surface winds are estimated at 17 to 22 knots and minimum sea level pressure at 1005 mb. The potential for the development of a significant tropical cyclone within the next 24 hours is good.  (NOAA, HPC, National Hurricane Center, Central Pacific Hurricane Center and the Joint Typhoon Warning Center)

Earthquake Activity

On Friday, May 1, 2009 at 09:11 pm EST an earthquake measuring 4.4 struck about 36 miles West of Los Angeles, California at a depth of 6.5 miles.  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)

On Friday, May 1, 2009 at 10:19 pm EST an earthquake measuring 5.6 struck about 634 miles Southwest of Anchorage, Alaska at a depth of 6.0 miles.  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

The Governor of Tennessee requested a Major Disaster Declaration for tornadoes, heavy rains, high winds, and flooding beginning April 10, 2009 and continuing. Public Assistance for the following counties: Benton, McMinn, Rutherford and Sequatchie.  Hazard Mitigation statewide is being requested.

Amendment No. 1 to FEMA-1833-DR-GA (Severe Storms, Tornadoes and Flooding that occurred March 26, 2009 and continuing) adds 23 counties for Public Assistance.

Amendment No. 2 to FEMA-1831-DR-FL (Severe Storms, Flooding, Tornadoes, and Straight line Winds that occurred March 26, 2009 and continuing) adds 5 counties for Public Assistance. (FEMA HQ)

Amendment No. 3 to FEMA-1831-DR-FL (Severe Storms, Flooding, Tornadoes, and Straight line Winds that occurred March 26, 2009 and continuing) adds 2 counties for Individual Assistance and 2 counties for Public Assistance (already designated for Individual Assistance).  (FEMA HQ)

Amendment No. 1 to FEMA-1835-DR-AL (Severe Storms, Tornadoes and Flooding that occurred March 25 - April 3, 2009 and continuing) adds 3 counties for Individual Assistance (already designated for Public Assistance).