National Situation Update: Wednesday, July 27, 2011Severe Weather Reported Over Portions of New England
On July 26, severe storms were reported over western Massachusetts in same area struck by tornadoes this past June. The National Weather Service reported funnel clouds, but no touch downs were reported. One fatality was reported in Hinsdale, MA, but no other injuries or fatalities were reported.
There have been reports of tree and power line damages. Approximately 18,000 customers in Massachusetts and less than 15,000 customers in Connecticut are without power. Restoration of power is ongoing. The Regional Incident Management Assistance Team (IMAT) was deployed to Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency (MEMA) Command Center in support of this event. MEMA is not currently activated.
The Region I Public Assistance staff will deploy to 7 towns in Massachusetts this morning to assess damages.
Significant National Weather
Limited High Heat and Humidity Continues Over U.S.
Portions of the Central/Southern Plains and the Middle Mississippi Valley will continue to be hot. Temperatures will again top 100 in many locations today. Excessive heat continues to be forecasted across the Central Plains this weekend. Temperatures up to 110 degrees are possible.
Midwest:
A slight risk of severe thunderstorms extends across the Middle Mississippi Valley into parts of the Upper Great Lakes and the Central Plains. Heavy rain of 1 to 4 inches is possible from the thunderstorms causing some localized flooding over parts of the Upper Mississippi Valley into the Upper Great Lakes today. The main threats are damaging wind gusts and hail, although a few tornadoes are possible in southern Wisconsin and northern Iowa. Showers and thunderstorms are forecast over the Northern and Central Plains through Thursday evening. A slight risk of severe thunderstorms is also forecast over a portion of the Northern and Central Plains with isolated large hail and wind a possible threat today. High temperatures range from the lower 80s in the northern tier to 105 or higher in southern Kansas.
South:
Hot temperatures continue over the northeast Southern Plains with temperatures in the 100’s. Temperatures will be near 10 degrees above average for parts of the Southern High Plains but will range in the upper 90s from the Lower Mississippi Valley to the upper 80s along the Carolina Coast. Showers and scattered thunderstorms are forecast over parts of the Central Gulf Coast to the Southeast today. Torrential downpours and localized flooding are possible with the greatest chance occurring along the Gulf Coast.
Northeast:
High pressure keeps the region mostly dry today. Scattered showers or thundershowers are possible in New England today. Showers and thunderstorms some with heavier downpours will develop along and ahead of the boundary over the Upper Midwest into parts of the Northeast and Northern Mid-Atlantic by Thursday. Temperatures will range from the 90s in the Mid-Atlantic to 70s in New England.
West:
Monsoonal thunderstorms are forecast over parts of the Desert Southwest into the Rockies during the afternoon and evening. Some storms may be strong to severe producing gusty winds and an isolated tornado in Northern/Central Plains. Storms in Four Corners Region may produce heavy downpours and localized flash flooding. Isolated late day thunderstorms are forecast for the Intermountain West. High temperatures will range from the 70s and 80s in the Northwest and northern Rockies to the 110s in the Desert Southwest.
Tropical Weather Outlook
Atlantic / Caribbean /Gulf of Mexico
Area 1 (Invest 90L) – At 2:00 a.m. EDT July 27, showers and thunderstorms associated with a tropical wave over the northwestern Caribbean Sea just to the south of the western tip of Cuba moving west-northwestward near 15 mph have become better organized over the past few hours, and surface observations suggest that a circulation could be forming about 125 miles east of Cancun, Mexico. If these trends continue, a tropical depression could develop later today. This system has a high chance (70%) of becoming a tropical cyclone during the next 48 hours.
Eastern Pacific
Tropical cyclone formation is not expected during the next 48 hours.
Central Pacific
No tropical cyclones are expected through Thursday evening.
Western Pacific
Tropical Depression 11W – At Midnight EDT July 27, Tropical Depression (TD) 11W was located 320 miles southwest of Guam moving northwest at 8 mph. Little change in forward speed during the next 24 hours. Maximum sustained winds are at 35 mph and is expected to strengthen in the next 24 hours becoming a tropical storm today.
Earthquake Activity
No new activity (FEMA HQ)
Fire Activity
Tuesday, July 26, 2011:
National Preparedness Level: 2
Initial attack activity: LIGHT (168 new fires)
New Large Fires: 6
Large Fires Contained: 3
Uncontained Large Fires: 16
Type 1 IMT Committed: 1
Type 2 IMT Committed: 5
States affected: GA, NC, TX, OK, NM, CA, WY, CO, ID, & WA.
Wildfires
Oklahoma
Frankhoma-81 Fire, Sapulpa (Creek County)
The Frankhoma-81 Fire began on the morning of July 26 as brush fire in Sapulpa (Creek County), OK. Approximately 3,000 acres has burned and containment is unknown. Approximately 100 homes in community of Sapulpa are threatened and 350 persons were evacuated. A Fire Management Assistance Grant (FMAG) was requested by the State and approved by Region VI on July 26, 2011.
Disaster Declaration Activity
Missouri
The Governor of the State of Missouri requested a Major Disaster Declaration as a result of flooding, flash flooding, high winds, hail, and tornadoes beginning June 1, 2011, and continuing. The Governor has requested Individual Assistance for 11 counties, Public Assistance for 22 counties and Hazard Mitigation statewide.
There have been reports of tree and power line damages. Approximately 18,000 customers in Massachusetts and less than 15,000 customers in Connecticut are without power. Restoration of power is ongoing. The Regional Incident Management Assistance Team (IMAT) was deployed to Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency (MEMA) Command Center in support of this event. MEMA is not currently activated.
The Region I Public Assistance staff will deploy to 7 towns in Massachusetts this morning to assess damages.
Significant National Weather
Limited High Heat and Humidity Continues Over U.S.
Portions of the Central/Southern Plains and the Middle Mississippi Valley will continue to be hot. Temperatures will again top 100 in many locations today. Excessive heat continues to be forecasted across the Central Plains this weekend. Temperatures up to 110 degrees are possible.
Midwest:
A slight risk of severe thunderstorms extends across the Middle Mississippi Valley into parts of the Upper Great Lakes and the Central Plains. Heavy rain of 1 to 4 inches is possible from the thunderstorms causing some localized flooding over parts of the Upper Mississippi Valley into the Upper Great Lakes today. The main threats are damaging wind gusts and hail, although a few tornadoes are possible in southern Wisconsin and northern Iowa. Showers and thunderstorms are forecast over the Northern and Central Plains through Thursday evening. A slight risk of severe thunderstorms is also forecast over a portion of the Northern and Central Plains with isolated large hail and wind a possible threat today. High temperatures range from the lower 80s in the northern tier to 105 or higher in southern Kansas.
South:
Hot temperatures continue over the northeast Southern Plains with temperatures in the 100’s. Temperatures will be near 10 degrees above average for parts of the Southern High Plains but will range in the upper 90s from the Lower Mississippi Valley to the upper 80s along the Carolina Coast. Showers and scattered thunderstorms are forecast over parts of the Central Gulf Coast to the Southeast today. Torrential downpours and localized flooding are possible with the greatest chance occurring along the Gulf Coast.
Northeast:
High pressure keeps the region mostly dry today. Scattered showers or thundershowers are possible in New England today. Showers and thunderstorms some with heavier downpours will develop along and ahead of the boundary over the Upper Midwest into parts of the Northeast and Northern Mid-Atlantic by Thursday. Temperatures will range from the 90s in the Mid-Atlantic to 70s in New England.
West:
Monsoonal thunderstorms are forecast over parts of the Desert Southwest into the Rockies during the afternoon and evening. Some storms may be strong to severe producing gusty winds and an isolated tornado in Northern/Central Plains. Storms in Four Corners Region may produce heavy downpours and localized flash flooding. Isolated late day thunderstorms are forecast for the Intermountain West. High temperatures will range from the 70s and 80s in the Northwest and northern Rockies to the 110s in the Desert Southwest.
Tropical Weather Outlook
Atlantic / Caribbean /Gulf of Mexico
Area 1 (Invest 90L) – At 2:00 a.m. EDT July 27, showers and thunderstorms associated with a tropical wave over the northwestern Caribbean Sea just to the south of the western tip of Cuba moving west-northwestward near 15 mph have become better organized over the past few hours, and surface observations suggest that a circulation could be forming about 125 miles east of Cancun, Mexico. If these trends continue, a tropical depression could develop later today. This system has a high chance (70%) of becoming a tropical cyclone during the next 48 hours.
Eastern Pacific
Tropical cyclone formation is not expected during the next 48 hours.
Central Pacific
No tropical cyclones are expected through Thursday evening.
Western Pacific
Tropical Depression 11W – At Midnight EDT July 27, Tropical Depression (TD) 11W was located 320 miles southwest of Guam moving northwest at 8 mph. Little change in forward speed during the next 24 hours. Maximum sustained winds are at 35 mph and is expected to strengthen in the next 24 hours becoming a tropical storm today.
Earthquake Activity
No new activity (FEMA HQ)
Fire Activity
Tuesday, July 26, 2011:
National Preparedness Level: 2
Initial attack activity: LIGHT (168 new fires)
New Large Fires: 6
Large Fires Contained: 3
Uncontained Large Fires: 16
Type 1 IMT Committed: 1
Type 2 IMT Committed: 5
States affected: GA, NC, TX, OK, NM, CA, WY, CO, ID, & WA.
Wildfires
Oklahoma
Frankhoma-81 Fire, Sapulpa (Creek County)
The Frankhoma-81 Fire began on the morning of July 26 as brush fire in Sapulpa (Creek County), OK. Approximately 3,000 acres has burned and containment is unknown. Approximately 100 homes in community of Sapulpa are threatened and 350 persons were evacuated. A Fire Management Assistance Grant (FMAG) was requested by the State and approved by Region VI on July 26, 2011.
Disaster Declaration Activity
Missouri
The Governor of the State of Missouri requested a Major Disaster Declaration as a result of flooding, flash flooding, high winds, hail, and tornadoes beginning June 1, 2011, and continuing. The Governor has requested Individual Assistance for 11 counties, Public Assistance for 22 counties and Hazard Mitigation statewide.
Last Modified: Wednesday, 27-Jul-2011 08:57:05 EDT
http://www.fema.gov/emergency/reports/2011/nat072711.shtm
RELATED:
Following the September 11, 2001 attacks, Congress passed the Homeland Security Act of 2002, which created the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to better coordinate among the different federal agencies that deal with law enforcement, disaster preparedness and recovery, border protection and civil defense. FEMA was absorbed into DHS in 2003.
Department of Homeland Security FEMA Agency's Region Map
On March 27, 1969, President Richard Nixon divided the country into 10 regions via the Government Reorganization Act. Then with Nixon’s Executive Order 11647, the nation was divided up into 10 administrative regions on February 14, 1972 (Federal Register February 12, 1972, Vol. 37, No. 30), which also established the Federal Regional Council for the newly designed 10 regions
http://www.newswithviews.com/Levant/nancy116.htm.
Nixon's 1972 Regions Map
EPA REGION'S MAP
