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National Situation Update: Saturday, August 23, 2008

Homeland Security Threat Level: YELLOW (ELEVATED).

Weather Activity

West:
Isolated thunderstorms are forecast for the higher elevations of Colorado and New Mexico.  High temperatures will range from the 80s in the Northwest to over 100 in the Desert Southwest.
Midwest:
Scattered showers and thunderstorms will develop ahead of a front moving through the Great Lakes, the mid-Mississippi Valley and Kansas.  High temperatures will range from the upper 50s in northern Minnesota to the low 90s in southwest Kansas and the Ohio Valley. 
South:
The Tropical Storm Warning is extended westward along the northern Gulf Coast to the Mississippi/Louisiana border.  A Tropical Storm Warning is in effect from Destin westward to the Alabama/Mississippi border.  A Tropical Storm Watch is in effect west of the Mississippi/Louisiana border to Grand Isle, Louisiana including Metropolitan New Orleans and Lake Pontchartrain.  Flood Warnings remain in effect for portions of Arkansas and Florida.  High temperatures are forecast to be in the 80s and 90s for most of the region.
Northeast:
Mostly sunny skies and warm temperatures are forecast across the region.  High temperatures will mainly be in the 80s with some 70s in coastal New England. (National Weather Service, Media Sources)

Fire Management Assistance Grant (FMAG)

Nothing significant to report. (FEMA HQ)

Tropical Weather Outlook

Atlantic/Caribbean:
Tropical Storm Fay
At 5:00 a.m. EDT, August 23, 2008, the center of Tropical Storm Fay was about 50 miles east-southeast of Panama City, Florida.  Fay is moving toward the west near 7 mph and this general motion is expected to continue for the next 24 to 48 hours.  Maximum sustained winds are near 45 mph, with higher gusts. Little change in strength is forecast during the next 24 to 48 hours.

Federal Response:

• NRCC is activated at Level III  7:00 a.m. -  7:00 p.m. EDT
• FEMA Region IV is activated at Level II monitoring Tropical Storm Fay
• The Hurricane Liaison Team (HLT) is activated and deployed to the National Hurricane Center.
• 16 Preliminary Damage Assessment (PDA) Teams on standby (6 Individual Assistance; 10 Public Assistance) 
• IA PDAs have been completed in Martin and St. Lucie counties.
• PA PDAs are in progress for Monroe, Okeechobee, St. Lucie, and Brevard counties.
• PA PDAs began today for Collier, Hardee, Palm Beach, Hendry, and Glade counties. 

State Response:
Florida:

• The Governor of Florida has  requested a Major Disaster Declaration
• An Emergency Declaration (FEMA-3288-EM) was issued for all 67 counties in the State of Florida
• The Governor of Florida declared a State of Emergency for all counties
• EOC activated at Level I (Full Activation)
• 7 fatalities & 5 injuries confirmed
• The FL DEM reported 42 shelters open with 1,013 occupants as of 2:00 a.m. EDT, August 23, 2008.
• As of 4:00 p.m. EDT, August 22, 2008, the NICC is reporting that 182,062 customers are without power.

Invest 94
A broad area of low pressure associated with a tropical wave is located a couple hundred miles east of the Windward Islands and is producing several small areas of showers and thunderstorms.  Gradual development of this system is possible during the next couple of days as it moves generally westward at 10 to 15 mph. 

Invest 95
A tropical wave located about 1,100 miles east-northeast of the Leeward Islands is producing disorganized shower activity.  Significant development of this system is unlikely during the next couple of days as the wave moves westward at about 20 mph.

Eastern Pacific:
Invest 97
Showers and thunderstorms in association with a broad area of low pressure located about 150 miles southwest of Manzanillo, Mexico have changed little in organization. Although upper-level winds are not currently favorable for development, this system still has the potential to become a tropical depression over the next day or two as it moves northwestward toward an environment more conducive for development. 

Western Pacific:
Joint Typhoon Warning Center has issued the last advisory on TS Nuri.  There is no current tropical cyclone activity at this time. (NOAA, 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)

Wildfire Update

National Fire Activity as of Friday, August 22, 2008:
National Wildfire Preparedness Level: 3
Initial attack activity: Light (87 new fires)
New large fires: 3
Uncontained large fires: 30
Large fires contained: 3
States with Large fires: AZ, CA, ID, MT, NV, NM, OR, UT, VA, WA and WY
The West is predicted to warm up and dry out over the weekend. Northern California and southwest Oregon will have poor overnight humidity recovery. Dry thunderstorms are possible for Nevada and Utah.   (NIFC, CAL Fire)

Disaster Declaration Activity

No new activity (FEMA HQ)