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National Situation Update: Friday, November 30, 2007

Homeland Security Threat Level: YELLOW (ELEVATED).

Significant National Weather

West
An upper-level disturbance, moving southward along the West Coast before turning inland, will drive the upper-level low west of Baja and a generous tropical moisture plume into the Four Corners' states Friday, November 30, 2007 into Saturday, December 1, 2007, resulting in heavy 1-to-3-inch rains in Arizona and 2-to-3-foot snows across the south facing slopes of the San Juan Mountains in southwest Colorado.

A closed low to the southwest will move onshore today, November 30, 2007 as a cold weather system from the north moves into eastern California.

This system will create a chance of showers mostly in Los Angeles and Ventura counties. There may be enough cold air from the system to the east to allow some light snow to reach the surface mostly in the evening.

Precipitation should be under a quarter of an inch and although these rainfall amounts should not be significant enough to impact the recently burned areas, heavier precipitation is expected south of Los Angeles County.

If this moisture moves farther to the north than currently expected, rainfall amounts will be increased from the current forecast and may be a concern to the highly sensitive recently burned areas.   (NWS, Media Sources)

Pipeline Fire and Explosion, Clearbrook, MN

On November 28, 2007, at 4:41 pm EST, two maintenance workers were repairing a 34-inch pipeline near Clearbrook, MN when a massive fire erupted.  The pipelines are owned by Enbridge Energy Partners.

The fire on the 34-inch line burned down and was extinguished at 3:00 am EST, November 29, 2007. 
After the release, Enbridge shut down all 4 parallel lines, after observing the location of the lines, Line 1, 18-inch line, and Line 2, a 26-inch line were restarted during the night.  These lines each carry approximately 200,000 barrels a day of Crude Oil and Natural Gas Liquids.  Line 4 is closer to the site and remains shutdown.  

Enbridge expects to have Line 3 repaired within a few days. 

Enbridge is considering using the western portion of Line 3 to deliver product to the Clearbrook Station which is 3 miles upstream of the failure. 

The cause of this failure will be further investigated when the site is secured.

The pipeline carries crude oil from Saskatchewan, CN to the Chicago, IL area.

Current assessments from NICC indicate little or no significant economic impact as a direct result of this incident. (NICC, FEMA Region V) 

Fire Management Assistance Grant (FMAG)

No new activity to report. (FEMA HQ)

Tropical Weather Outlook

Atlantic - Caribbean Sea - Gulf of Mexico
Tropical cyclone formation is not expected during the next 48 hours.

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

Western Pacific:
No current tropical cyclone warnings affecting U.S. interests.  (NWS National Hurricane Center, Central Pacific Hurricane Center, USN Joint Typhoon Warning Center)

Earthquake Activity

On November 29, 2007 at 2:00 pm EST, a magnitude 7.4 earthquake struck the Martinique Region in the Windward Islands at a depth of 89 miles.  The tremor was felt throughout the eastern Caribbean and in parts of northern South America.  No reports of damage or casualties have been received at this time. The Caribbean Area Division Office has been evacuated however there have been no reports of structural damage or injury.  There was no Tsunami generated.

On November 29, 2007 at 2:34 pm EST, a magnitude 5.0 earthquake struck the Dominica Region of the Leeward Islands.  There were no reports of damage or injuries and no Tsunami generated as a result.

On November 29, 2007 at 11:00 pm EST, a magnitude 5.1 earthquake struck  the Martinique Region of the Windward Islands at a depth of 94 miles.  There were no reports of damage or injuries and no Tsunami generated.

These earthquakes all occurred within about 12 miles of each other in the Caribbean Region.

On Thursday, November 29, 2007, a magnitude 4.7 earthquake struck about 88 miles northeast of Fairbanks, Alaska at a depth of 6.2 miles.  There were no reports of damage or injuries.

On Thursday, November 29, 2007 at 11:37 pm EST, a magnitude 3.9 earthquake struck the Island of Hawaii, about 5 miles northeast of Honalo.  There are no reports of damage or injuries and no Tsunami generated.  (USGS, Earthquake Hazards Program, FEMA Region II)

Preliminary Damage Assessments

No new activity (FEMA HQ)

Disaster Declaration Activity

No new activity (FEMA HQ)