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National Situation Update: Thursday, October 11, 2007

Homeland Security Threat Level: YELLOW (ELEVATED).

National Weather Summary

West:  Southern California, through the Great Basin and into the Rockies will enjoy sunshine today.  High temperatures are forecast to range from the 50s in the northern Rockies to the 90s in the Southwest.  Most of the Northwest, Montana and Wyoming will reach the 50s and 60s.

Midwest:  Once again, low clouds and scattered showers will spread over the Great Lakes region, southward into Indiana and Ohio.  High temperatures will only reach the 40s and 50s across most of the northern Plains, Upper Midwest and Ohio Valley.  The central and southern Plains will be milder, with highs generally into the 60s and 70s.

South:  West Texas and extreme southern Florida could have scattered showers in the afternoon.  High temperatures are expected to range from the 60s in the Tennessee Valley to a little over 90 in a few locations in western and southern Texas and on the Florida Peninsula.

Northeast:  Rain showers are anticipated throughout much of the northeastern United States.  A weak low pressure center will form over New Jersey then track northeastward bringing wet and windy conditions to New England for Friday.  High temperatures will be near to or slightly below seasonal averages.  (NOAA, NWS and Media Sources)

Train Derailment - Painesville, Ohio

On October10, 2007 at 12:00 p.m. CDT a CSX train carrying Hazmat materials derailed and caught fire in Painesville, Ohio.  CSX reports a half mile evacuation radius affecting about 200 homes.  The evacuation is expected to last through Thursday morning.  Three shelters have been established to accommodate an estimated 1300 residents.  Portions of State Highway Route 44 and Route 2 remain closed.   

The derailed train, which is blocking three of the four track lines, consisted of 106 loaded and six empty cars.   A total of 30 cars have been involved in the derailment, eight containing flammable materials.  The fire department is allowing the fire to burn itself out overnight.  Ethanol is the suspected material that ignited.  Department Of Transportation Crisis Management Center reports Amtrak shares this route and will be detoured to parallel tracks; minimal delays are expected.  (National Infrastructure Coordination Center, FEMA Region V, DOT and Media Sources)

Tropical Weather Outlook

Atlantic - Caribbean Sea - Gulf of Mexico
A large, disorganized area of disturbed weather extends from the northwestern Caribbean Sea northeastward across Cuba, Jamaica, Hispaniola, and portions of the Bahamas into the Atlantic for several hundred miles.  Tropical cyclone formation is not anticipated.
Elsewhere, tropical cyclone formation is not expected during the next 48 hours.

Eastern Pacific:
Tropical cyclone formation is not expected during the next 48 hours.

Central and Western Pacific:
Tropical cyclone formation is not expected during the next 48 hours.
(NOAA, National Hurricane Center, Central Pacific Hurricane Center and the Joint Typhoon Warning Center)

Earthquake Activity

Several minor earthquakes ranging in magnitude from 3.0 - 4.5 have occurred along the Aleutian Islands in Alaska over the past 24 hours.   No damage or injuries were reported and no tsunami warnings were issued.    (USGS, Earthquake Hazards Program, Alaska Earthquake Information Center, NOAA, Pacific Tsunami Warning Center)  

Preliminary Damage Assessments

No new activity (FEMA HQ)

Wildfire Update

National Preparedness Level: 1
States Most Affected: None.
Uncontained Large Fires: None.
National Fire Activity:  No new fire activity to report. Due to low fire activity, the Wildfire Incident Management Situation Report will be updated on Fridays, unless there is significant activity to report.  (National Interagency Coordination Center, National Incident Information Center)

Disaster Declaration Activity

Iowa disaster FEMA-1727-DR was amended to include the additional counties of Montgomery, Union and Winneshiek for Public Assistance.  (FEMA Regions, HQ)