National Situation Update: Sunday, May 3, 2009

Homeland Security Threat Level: YELLOW (ELEVATED).

National Weather Forecast

West:
The system over the Northwest coast will move eastward as far as western Montana spreading showers and mountain snow across the region.  Warmer temperatures across Montana will melt the record late-April snow and could cause minor flooding.
Midwest:
A frontal system remains draped across the country from Texas to the Mid-Atlantic.  A broad swath of precipitation with imbedded thunderstorms will extend across southern portions of the Midwest from Kansas to the Ohio Valley and Kentucky.  To the north, only the Upper Michigan peninsula will have showers from a disturbance moving through the Great Lakes.
South:
The frontal system discussed above, combined with moisture off the Gulf of Mexico, will produce heavy rain and thunderstorms from eastern Oklahoma and eastern Texas to the Carolinas. Flooding will continue across eastern Oklahoma, northeast Texas, Arkansas, northern Mississippi, northern Alabama and Tennessee. The area from Little Rock, AR, to Nashville, TN, will receive the heaviest precipitation; up to five inches is possible during the next 24 hours.  The front will also produce severe thunderstorms with the threat of hail, damaging wind gusts and isolated tornadoes.  Tomorrow, a low pressure area will move from the southern Appalachians to just off the Mid-Atlantic Coast. Thunderstorms will extend from eastern Tennessee and the Carolinas to the northern Gulf Coast.
Northeast:
The stalled front on the Virginia-North Carolina line will produce rain and rain showers across southeast New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and southern New England.  Showers and thunderstorms are forecast for West Virginia and Virginia.  Tomorrow, a low pressure system will move across the southern Mid-Atlantic, producing soaking rain and a few thunderstorms. Rain totals south of the Mason-Dixon Line could exceed three inches. (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 2, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) reported 160 laboratory-confirmed cases in 21 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. 

H1N1 Flu Outbreak - International

  • As of May 2 the CDC reported there were 658 laboratory-confirmed cases of H1N1 Flu outside of the U.S. and reports 16 confirmed deaths in Mexico.
  • The following countries have reported confirmed cases with no deaths - Austria 1, Canada 51 (+17), China 1, Costa Rica 1 (+1),  Denmark 1,  France 2 (+2), Germany 6 (+2),  Israel 4 (+1),  Mexico 397 (+241), Netherlands 1,  New Zealand 4 (+1),  Republic of  Korea 1 (+1),  Spain 13,  Switzerland 1,  and the United Kingdom 15 (+7).  
  • 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,  CDC,  PAHO/WHO)

ORNL Incident – Tennessee Chemical Leak

At 5:07 am EST, Bldg 7920 at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) had 4 high level alarms sound and was evacuated.  A leak occurred in the hot cell where a radiological mix was being transferred.

No release occurred outside the facility and no offsite protective actions were required.
DOE Crisis Assessment Manager declared the event; In Recovery and terminated the Emergency Status at 1:53 pm EST.  No request for federal assistance received.

Fire Management Assistance Grant (FMAG)

No significant activity.   (FEMA HQ)

Tropical Weather Outlook

Western Pacific:

  • The Joint Typhoon Warning Center has canceled the Tropical Cyclone Formation Alert (TCFA) for the area of convection approximately 440 miles west-northwest of Guam.
  • Tropical Storm 01W (Kujira) is located approximately 270 miles east of Manila, Philippines and is forecast to move to the northeast. Based on the current forecast the system will pass 635 miles northwest of Guam on Wednesday, May 6, 2009. (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)

Disaster Declaration Activity

No new activity (FEMA HQ)

Last Modified: Monday, 04-May-2009 07:38:27 EDT