Homeland Security Threat Level: YELLOW (ELEVATED)

Tropical Depression Gustav

At 5:00 am EDT the center of Tropical Depression Gustav was located 80 miles northwest of Little Rock Arkansas and 110 miles south of Springfield Missouri.  Gustav is moving off to the northeast at 11 mph this general motion is expected to continue.
Maximum sustained winds are near 15 mph with higher gusts. Gustav is expected to become extratropical today as it interacts and becomes absorbed with a stationary frontal boundary.

Flood and flash flood warnings are in effect for parts of Louisiana, Arkansas, Mississippi, extreme eastern Oklahoma, extreme southeastern Kansas and much of Missouri. Flood and flash flood watches are in effect for portions of northeastern Louisiana, Mississippi, Arkansas, Missouri and extreme western Illinois.

Rainfall amounts of 1 to 3 inches are expected from Missouri northeastward into portions of Illinois, southeastern Wisconsin, southeastern Iowa, northwestern Indiana and much of Michigan with isolated maximum amounts of 5 inches through Saturday morning. Additional rainfall amounts of 1 to 2 inches are expected across southeastern Louisiana, eastern Mississippi and western Alabama.

Federal / State Operations

FEMA NRCC:

• NRCC is activated to Level I, 24/7 operations (Watch and all Emergency Support Functions).
• National IMAT-East deployed to Houma, LA.
• The Hurricane Liaison Team (HLT) is activated and deployed to the National Hurricane Center.
• NORTHCOM and US TRANSCOM are coordinating planning for the ingress/return of evacuees based upon damage assessments and re-entry
• Activated National Emergency Family Register and Locator System (NEFRLS).

FEMA Region III:

• One EMS Strike Team remains in LA
• One Law Enforcement Strike Team assigned to LA Maryland:
• Maryland is providing ambulances and medical team support to Louisiana through EMAC.
• The Maryland Emergency Management Agency (MEMA) is at Level 2 activation.
• The Maryland State Police have responded to a 20 person law enforcement EMAC request, pending Louisiana approval.

Pennsylvania:

• The commonwealth of PA is providing ambulances and medical teams to LA in support of EMAC. (SLB)

FEMA Region IV:

• RRCC is activated at Level II, 24/7 with all ESFs.
• Region IV ERT-A deployed to AL EOC in Clanton, Alabama.
• The Joint Field Office (JFO) is operational in Orlando, FL.
• Region IV IMAT deployed to Gulfport, Mississippi.(SLB)
• ESF 12 power response teams in Alabama and Mississippi. (SLB)
• Total power outages total 64,277
• Total shelters 161 with 26932 occupants
• Region IV has no unmet needs.

Mississippi:

• The Mississippi State EOC is activated at Level I (full activation).
• Federal Medical Stations (FMS) operational at Jackson State University in Jackson, MS.
• Mississippi ARF for 300 pet carriers fulfilled.  One State-run pet shelter has been opened in Jackson, Mississippi Coliseum.(SLB)

FEMA Region VI:

• RRCC is operating at Level I, providing 24/7 coverage and has activated all ESFs.
• Region VI IMAT is operational in Tyler, TX.(SLB)
• ESF-9, Urban Search and Rescue, has 1 incident support team and 9 Search and Rescue Task Forces activated in the Region. 
• All Region VI ESFs and Federal agency partners are engaged in preparedness actions to support response operations.
• PA-PDA teams deployed to Louisiana.
• IA-PDA teams continue to assess damages in Louisiana.
• The majority of MERS deployed personnel will remain at Barksdale AFB, LA awaiting assignment.
• The RRCC will transition to Level II today (24 hr operations) and Level III on Friday (normal operating hours)
• Shelters 120 with 21196 occupants

  Louisiana:

• GOHSEP activated the EOC at Level I.
• The Emergency Management Assistant Compact (EMAC) continues to provide assistance to Louisiana, where 31 states are supporting 106 requests.
• Priority issues for the State include monitoring levees, search and rescue, debris removal, power restoration, and  planning for and facilitating re-entry of evacuees.
• The Louisiana Department of Health requested from EPA Region 6 technical assistance with drinking water infrastructure and post-storm technical assistance. (Reg V)
• All checkpoints are now open, and citizens are returning to the city of New Orleans.
• Evacuation orders have been lifted for all Parishes, Plaquemines (began limited re-entry Wednesday), and Terrebonne (tentative plans to allow entry on Friday).
• State has exhausted contracts for commodities.  Expecting requests for commodities support from this point forward.
• Significant damage to transmission system is complicating restoration; coordinating efforts with ESF 3 and ESF 12 to ensure all avenues of support are being utilized to expedite restoration, especially for critical facilities.

Tropical Storm Hanna

At 5:00 am EDT the center of Tropical Storm Hanna was located about 295 miles east-southeast of Nassau and about 770 miles south-southeast of Wilmington, North Carolina.
Hanna is moving toward the northwest near 12 mph and this motion is expected to continue during the next couple of days with a gradual increase in forward speed.  On this track the center of Hanna will be near the southeast coast of the United States by Friday or Friday night.

A hurricane watch is in effect from Surf City, North Carolina southwestward to north of Edisto Beach, South Carolina and a tropical storm watch is in effect from Edisto beach southwestward to Altamaha Sound Georgia. 

Data from a NOAA reconnaissance aircraft indicate that maximum sustained winds have increased to near 70 mph with higher gusts.  Slight strengthening is possible during the next couple of days and Hanna could become a hurricane before reaching the southeast U.S. coast.

Tropical storm force winds extend outward up to 290 miles from the center.
Coastal storm surge flooding of 1 to 3 feet above normal tide levels can be expected in areas of onshore winds within the tropical storm warning area.

Swells from Hanna are expected to increase the risk of dangerous rip currents along portions of the southeastern United States coast during the next couple of days. For the latest information on Tropical Storm Hanna see  www.nhc.noaa.gov   (NOAA, HPC, National Hurricane Center)

Federal Preparations

FEMA NRCC:

• NRCC activated at Level I (including all ESFs) providing 24/7 coverage until further notice.

FEMA Region I:  

• RRCC activated at Level III Monitoring

FEMA Region II:

• RRCC activated at Level I (7:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. EDT) FEMA Regions I and II:
• Combining the staff from Regions I, II, and III into one dedicated Level I - capable “East Coast Regional RRCC” to coordinate Hanna operations along the East Coast and including the Caribbean.
• Supporting the establishment of three full-time ERT-A dedicated to East Coast and Caribbean response, combining the staff from Regions I, II, and III.

FEMA Region III:

• The East Coast RRCC continues to operate at Level II.
• The Region III RRCC will begin to operate at Level I from 0700-1900 today.
• Coordinated with HQ Logistics Management Center and Region IV Logistics Chief to determine potential support requirements in response to Tropical Storm Hanna.
• The ERT-A deployed to Region IV reviewed GA, NC, and SC Gap data to determine their shortfalls.
• Coordinating with Region III State EOCs daily to discuss potential logistics requirements, including commodities and Federal support contracts.
• There are no unmet needs or concerns.

FEMA Region IV:

• Region IV RRCC activated at Level II, 24/7, with ESFs.  The Region will resume Level I operations at 7:00 p.m. EDT today.
• Region IV IMAT deployed to Jackson, Mississippi.
• ERT-A deployed to Alabama Emergency Operations Center (EOC) in Clanton, AL.
• JFO is operational in Orlando, Florida.
• Priority response issues are:  shifting some focus to TS Hanna and East Coast states, readying resources for possible East Coast support, continuing monitoring re-entry of LA evacuees
• One 50 pk of generators and 29 trailer loads of water being shipped to NLSA Gillem.
• One MERS communications unit will be moved to NLSA Gillem
• ERT-A and IMAT Teams in Reg IV as follows:
  • North Carolina ERT-A made up of Region III & ERT teams
  • South Carolina ERT-A made up of Region I, IV and VIII ERT teams
  • Georgia ERT-A made of Region IV ERT members
  • Florida ERT-A made up of FL JFO personnel
  • Alabama ERT-A made up of Region IV & VIII ERT teams
  • Mississippi IMAT made up of Region IV IMAT and ERT members.

US Coast Guard (USCG)

• CG Sectors Miami, Jacksonville and Charleston at Hurricane Condition (HURCON) III (tropical storm force winds expected to make landfall in next 48 hours). 
• Port Condition Whiskey (gale force winds expected w/in 72 hours and operations normal) set in the following ports:  1) Wilmington, NC 2) Moorehead City, NC 3) Charleston, SC and 4) Jacksonville, FL.

State and Local Preparations:
Florida

• EOC is at Level 2, 12/7 operations for Gustav, preparing for Hanna.
• Possible transition to Level I activation today
• Closely monitoring river and Lake Okeechobee levels
• Based on the current storm track, FL is not expecting to be issuing evacuation orders.

 Georgia

• EOC is activated at Level II, 24/7.
• No evacuation orders expected (voluntary or mandatory)
• Determining status of school bus conversion kits for special needs evacuation, verifying number and location of potential special needs evacuees, and coordinating location, staffing, and transportation issues for special needs shelter.(SLB)

 South Carolina:

• EOC is in Level III, 24/7  (partial activation) operations and are discussing evacuations plans for the coast.(SLB)
• The State emergency Operations Plan has been activated. 
• Select National Guard assets have been alerted for possible activation.
• Based on current storm track, possibility of voluntary evacuations today and mandatory evacuations on Friday

 North Carolina:

• EOC is activated at Level II (Full Activation); and will go to Level I (Full Activation with ESFs, FRP and ERT-A) as of 0700 EDT today.
• Pre-designated FCO and ERT-A on site at state EOC
• No evacuations projected at this time  

Virginia:

• The VEOC is responding to Emergency Management Assistance Compact requests from states in the Gulf Region.
• In consideration of the possible impact from Hanna, EMAC missions will ensure resources likely required in Virginia will not be committed elsewhere

Significant National Weather

West:
Under a ridge of high pressure most of the region will be dry with only a few showers or thunderstorms in northeast Montana, Wyoming and New Mexico. Gusty winds are forecast for the beaches of southern Oregon and northern California. High temperatures are expected to range from the mid-40s in Wyoming to well over 100 in the Mojave and Sonoran Deserts.

Midwest:
Tropical Depression Gustav will produce heavy rain and flash flooding in the Midwest today as discussed above. Elsewhere, isolated showers or thunderstorms are forecast for North Dakota due to an upper-level low. High temperatures are predicted to range from the upper 50s in North Dakota to near 90 in southern Ohio River Valley.

South:
A cold front containing moisture from the remnants of Gustav will produce significant precipitation from southeast Louisiana and Mississippi northward through western Tennessee. High temperatures are forecast to range from the low 70s in northwest Arkansas to the mid-90s in south Texas.

Northeast:
A weak cold front moving off the Great Lakes will produce isolated showers or thunderstorms in New York and New England but most of the region will be dry. High temperatures will be above seasonal averages ranging from the mid-70s in northern Maine to the mid-90s in central Virginia.(NOAA, National Weather Service, Various Media Sources)

Tornadoes in Louisiana

Severe thunderstorms associated with now-Tropical Depression Gustav produced approximately 15 to 20 tornadoes across parts of Mississippi and Louisiana from Tuesday afternoon through early Wednesday morning.  A strong thunderstorm associated with a rain band from Gustav spawned a tornado which touched down southwest of Mamou in southwest Evangeline Parish Louisiana at approximately 320 am CDT Wednesday.  Two fatalities were confirmed (a 21-year-old female and a 57-year-old male, according to media reports) with numerous injuries. (NOT CONFIRMED BY CORONER)(Media sources, NOAA)

Fire Management Assistance Grant (FMAG)

Nothing significant to report. (FEMA HQ)

Tropical Weather Outlook

Atlantic/Caribbean:
Tropical Depression Gustav and Tropical Storm Hanna are discussed above
Hurricane Ike:
At 5:00 am EDT the center of Hurricane Ike was located about 550 miles northeast of the Leeward Islands or 730 miles east-northeast of San Juan, Puerto Rico. Ike is moving toward the west-northwest near 17 mph and a gradual turn toward the west and west-southwest is expected over the next 48 hours. On this track the hurricane will move over the open waters of the west-central Atlantic during the next couple of days.  It is too early to determine what if any land areas might eventually be affected by Ike. Maximum sustained winds have increased to near 145 mph with higher gusts.  Ike is an extremely dangerous category four hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson hurricane scale.  It is expected that Ike will maintain a category four or category three intensity over the next 48 hours. Hurricane force winds extend outward up to 35 miles from the center and tropical storm force winds extend outward up to 140 miles.

Tropical Storm Josephine: At 5:00 am EDT the center of Tropical Storm Josephine was located about 465 miles west of the southernmost Cape Verde islands. Josephine is moving toward the west-northwest near 10 mph and a west-northwest to westward motion is expected to continue for the next several days. Maximum sustained winds are near 60 mph with higher gusts.  Some fluctuations in strength are possible during the next two days.  Tropical storm force winds extend outward up to 105 miles from the center.

Eastern Pacific:
An area of low pressure, the remnants of Karina, is located about 325 miles west-southwest of the southern tip of Baja California. Regeneration of this system is not expected as it moves slowly northwestward.
Elsewhere, tropical cyclone formation is not expected during the next 48 hours.

Western Pacific:
No tropical cyclone activity. (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)

Wildfire Update

• National Fire Activity as of Wednesday, 03 September 2008:
• National Wildfire Preparedness Level: 2
• Initial attack activity: Light (96)
• New large fires: 1
• Uncontained large fires: 8
• Large fires contained: 2
• States with Large fires: CA, ID, NV, OR, UT, and WY.

Disaster Declaration Activity

• On September 02, 2008 the Governor of Mississippi requests a Major Disaster Declaration for The Individuals and Households Program, the Disaster Food Stamp Program and Disaster Unemployment and Small Business Administration loans for 16 counties. Hazard Mitigation Grant Program requested for the entire state and Public Assistance for 3 coastal counties as a result of Hurricane Gustav.
• On September 02, 2008 the Governor of Florida requests an Emergency Declaration for Public Assistance for the first 72 hours (100% federal funding), Cat A&B, to include direct federal assistance for the entire state as a predicted result from TS Hanna.

Source: Original Source
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