Sandy Talking Points

HURRICANE SANDY

Talking Points, Monday, October 29, 2012, 7 a.m.

Impact to Virginia

·        No storm-related deaths or serious injuries reported.

·        No storm-related traffic fatalities reported.

Potential Impact to Virginia

•        Sandy is a large storm that will affect Virginia with sustained winds, rain, storm surge and coastal damage in the eastern regions; significant snowfall expected in the higher elevations of southwest Virginia.

• Latest National Weather forecast:

·        Southside Hampton Roads: 2-3 inches of additional rain, sustained winds of 30-35 mph and gusts of 50-55 mph

·        Eastern Shore: 4-6 inches of additional rain, sustained winds of 40-45 mph and gusts of 60-65 mph and higher

·        Northern Neck: 3-4 inches of additional rain, sustained winds of 40-50 mph and gusts of 60-70 mph

·        Middle Peninsula: 2-3 inches of additional rain, sustained winds of 35 mph and gusts of 50-60 mph

·        Peninsula: 2 inches of additional rain, sustained winds of 30-35 mph and gusts of 50-55

·        Interstate 95 corridor including Richmond: ½ inch to 3 inches of additional rain, sustained winds of 30-35 mph and gusts of 45-55 mph

·        Southwest Virginia: winter storm warnings for much of this region with snow accumulations and potential for blizzard conditions in far southwest Virginia due to high winds and blowing snow

Power Outages

·        Approximately 3,000 statewide.  Mainly concentrated in pockets along Eastern Shore, Norfolk, Hampton Roads, Middle Peninsula and southside (i.e. Chesapeake, Suffolk, etc.)  Another pocket of outages in Roanoke County.

Governor’s Actions

·          The governor issued a limited mandatory evacuation order for low-lying areas in coastal Virginia.  This order gives authority to local government officials to determine specific locations to be evacuated and times that evacuations will start, based on best information about the storm’s impact.

•        The governor declared a state of emergency Friday, Oct. 26, at 9:50 a.m. to help quickly get supplies, equipment and staff to those who need it.

Traffic Information

·        DC Metro closed Monday.

·        Amtrak Northeast Corridor Services – to include Virginia – are cancelled Monday.

·        VDOT reports the following road closures: one primary road (numbered 0-599) and 19 secondaries (numbers 600 and above) are closed as of 7 a.m.

·        The tide gate to the Midtown Tunnel in Hampton Roads has been lowered, and the tunnel is now closed to motorists. 

·        The Hampton Roads Bridge-Tunnel is open.  Crews are in place and are making preparations should the expected high tide require it to close.

·        Jamestown-Scotland Ferry resumed service at 3 a.m., and the Pocahontas will run until further notice.  The ferry departs the Surry dock on the hour and the Jamestown dock on the half hour.

• Crews in the western region of the state are standing by for snow removal.  The storm is expected to cause cold weather, producing heavy snow fall in the higher elevations of western Virginia.

For a full list of road closures and conditions, click http://www.511virginia.org/mobile/?menu_id=conditions

What to watch out for:

• If a traffic signal is out, drivers are advised to treat the intersection as a four way stop.
• Never drive through water flowing across a road. It takes only six to 12 inches of water to float a small vehicle.
• Never drive around barricades. Remember, the road has been closed for your safety.
• Slow down when driving through standing water. Driving too fast through water could cause you to lose control and hydroplane.
• Avoid flood-prone areas, especially along creeks and other low-lying areas. Water in those areas can rise quickly and without warning during heavy rains.
• In the event of a flash flood warning for your area, seek high ground immediately.
• Watch for debris on the roadway. If you encounter a downed power line, do not try to move the line. Downed trees may contain power lines. Contact VDOT or Dominion Virginia Power.

Messages to motorists:

• Limit travel during height of storm.
• Monitor local weather and traffic reports before getting into the car.
• Before heading out the door, get the latest road conditions by calling 511, visit www.511virginia.org or download the mobile app from the 511 web site.
• Use 9-1-1 only in emergencies. Dial #77 on cell phone to report traffic crashes or traffic emergencies to State Police.
• State law requires headlights to be on when windshield wipers are activated.
• Motorists must use extreme caution on the road and never attempt to drive through flood waters.
• Remain alert to avoid fallen trees.
• Drive free of distractions and always buckle up.

What should residents be doing now?

•         Final emergency preparations should be completed now.   

•        Stay tuned to local TV and radio stations for instructions and information.  Those in eastern Virginia who live in low-lying areas should be ready to evacuate if told to do so by local officials.

• 25 shelters have been opened for residents on the Eastern Shore, Northern Neck, Middle Peninsula, and Hampton Roads localities. The best source for local shelter information is local media and local government websites.  As of 6 a.m., Monday, October 29, to include:

Localities with Open Shelters

Accomack County

City of Chesapeake

City of Colonial Heights

City of Hampton

King William County

Lancaster County

Mathews County

New Kent County

City of Newport News

City of Norfolk

Northampton County

Northumberland County

City of Portsmouth

City of Richmond

Surry County

City of Virginia Beach

York County/Poquoson

•         If power is out, use flashlights, not candles.

·        Remember – Carbon monoxide is a silent killer.  Do not bring generators into the house. Don’t use camp stoves and lanterns without ventilation.  Never use stoves for heating.  Any of these can cause deadly buildup of carbon monoxide. If using a space or kerosene heater, practice proper safety procedures.

•        Keep your refrigerator and freezer closed as long as possible to maintain the cold temperature.

Numbers to Call for Information

•         2-1-1 Virginia is serving as the public inquiry number for Virginia residents.

•        5-1-1 is to be used for the latest in road conditions. Only call 9-1-1 in a true emergency.

•       #77 on a cell phone to report a traffic crash or traffic emergency

•        Residents should call their locality’s non-emergency number for updated storm-related and shelter information.  Only call 9-1-1 in a true emergency. 

State and federal preparations

·        State offices in Richmond are closed Monday, October 29, 2012.

·        Federal government in DC is closed Monday, October 29, 2012.

·        The Virginia Emergency Operations Center is coordinating the state’s response with increased staffing 24 hours a day.

·         Virginia State Police personnel have been pre-positioned on the Eastern Shore to assist localities with traffic and emergency response.  The Virginia State Police Search & Recovery dive teams are standing by on the Eastern Shore, Hampton, Richmond and Northern Virginia. State police are also preparing for response to snow-related traffic and emergencies in western and Southwest Virginia.

•         Virginia National Guard personnel have been pre-positioned to the eastern shore and other potentially impacted areas.  Additional personnel are on state active duty.

•        Chainsaw crews from the Virginia Department of Forestry are standing by with emergency response personnel to help with debris removal.

•        Virginia Department of Transportation crews are ready to clear roads of debris and snow and ensure roads are safe for travel.  Crews will work in 12-hour shifts throughout the storm.

•         The Virginia Department of Health is coordinating with hospitals and long-term care facilities to ensure they are prepared for storm impacts. Regional Storm watch officers are tracking and communicating with waterworks across the state.

•         Close coordination is under way between the VEOC and Virginia’s power and telecommunications providers to handle potential disruptions in services.

•        The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) incident management advance team is in the Virginia Emergency Operations Center (VEOC) to assist in coordinating response.

•         Representatives from the U.S. Coast Guard and U.S. Department of Defense are in the VEOC to assist in coordinating response.

Resources

•         211 – Call toll-free for information on many topics related to the storm.

      511 - Call toll-free for the latest in road conditions and closures; or www.511virginia.org 

•         vaemergency.gov – Go online or on your smart phone for statewide storm updates.

•         @vdem – Twitter feed for storm updates from the VA Dept. of Emergency Management

•         VAemergency – Facebook page for the Virginia Department of Emergency Management

10.29 0700 hrs briefing

Most of the activity overnight occured in the tidewater area. Significant inland impacts are expected today.

Weather Forecast:

Hurricane Sandy is on northern track due east of Cape Hatteras NC. Sandy has strengthened as expected with winds now at 85 mph as she transitions to a strong Nor’Easter. Moderate to potentially severe tidal flooding is forecast for coastal VA during periods of high tides today.   The moderate to severe tidal flooding along the Eastern Shore is forecast thru Tuesday. 

Coastal Virginia and eastern shore localities remain under a high wind warning until midnight tonight for sustained winds of 35/45 mph and wind gusts to 60 mph.  In general, winds will be less severe further inland, with gusts to 40 to 45 mph expected across much of the Interstate 95 corridor including Richmond, with 35-40 mph gusts west of this region. 

Five to seven (5-7) inches of rain is expected in Hampton Roads and eight to ten (8-10) inches along the Eastern Shore.  The heaviest rainfall is expected today, Monday, and Monday night, with highest amounts over eastern Virginia near the Bay and the coast (these areas are under a Flood Watch).

• Blizzard Warning Dickenson & Buchanan Counties from Noon today until 4AM Wednesday

• Snow accumulations up to 6 inches (below 2,000 feet)

• Snow accumulations up to 1 to 2 feet in higher elevations

• Wind gusts up to 50 mph

• Winter Storm Warning & Watches far Southwest VA until 8AM Wednesday

• High Wind Warning until Wednesday Morning for areas along & west of the Blue Ridge & Northern Virginia

• Winds from 25-35 mph, Gusts to 45  mph

Links You Might Find Helpful

The following links maybe of some interest and HELP.

Find Your Local Emergency Manager Director             https://lemd.vdem.virginia.gov/Public/Default.aspx

Virginia Road Condition   www.511virginia.org

Traffic Cameras   http://trafficland.com

           

Power Outages Links       

Allegheny Power Outage Summary https://www.firstenergycorp.com/outages_help/current_outages_maps.html

     

Appalachian Power Outages

 https://www.appalachianpower.com/outages/

Delmarva Power Outages    http://www.delmarva.com/home/emergency/maps/stormcenter/

Dominion Outage Map            

https://www.dom.com/storm-center/dominion-electric-outage-map.jsp

Dominion Outage Summary

http://www.dom.com/storm-center/dominion-electric-outage-summary.jsp

LG&E/KU/ODP Outage Map

http://stormcenter.lge-ku.com/default.html

Northern Neck Electric Cooperative Outages

http://outages.nnec.coop/

Rappahanock Coop Outage Map

http://www.myrec.coop/outage-center/outage-map.cfm

Rappahanock Coop Outage Summary

 http://www.myrec.coop/outage-center/outage-summary.cfm

Southside Electrical Cooperative

http://outage.sec.coop:8181/

PEPCO

http://www.pepco.com/home/emergency/maps/stormcenter/

NOVEC

http://stormcenter.novec.com/index.cfm

  

National Hurricane Center          http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/

National Weather Service            http://www.weather.gov/

Wildfires erupting all across the west and mid-west as the drought continue to expand.

With 12 of 14 type 1 incident management teams assigned to incidents and firefighters  and resources being stretched the outlook does not look well for the next several weeks. Wildland agencies east of the Mississippi are stepping up to the call for assistance.

For the first time this summer, the Virginia Department of Forestry is sending fire-fighters to aid in the suppression of wildfires in the west.  Eight (4 full time and 4 part-time) employees will be part of an interagency 20 person crew that is heading to Idaho. The remainder of the crew will be comprised of USFWS and America corp. employees.  From the Great Dismal Swamp National Wildlife Refuge. According to the National Interagency Fire Centre there are currently 63 large fires burning involving over 1,273,351 acres.  We are reminded all too often that it does not have to be a large fire to cause serious damage and even be deadly. A USFS fire-fighter was killed on a 48 acre wildfire in ID when a tree fell hitting her.

(CNN) -- Blistering hot temperatures will blast the normally tepid Pacific Northwest again Thursday as dozens of wildfires burn across large sections of the western United States.

The mercury is expected to soar near triple digits in Portland, Oregon, with Seattle forecast to reach the lower 90s, the National Weather Service said. The coastal region is roasting under an excessive heat warning.

At least 70 large fires were burning across 13 states west of the Mississippi River, according to the National Interagency Coordination Center. California had the most with 13, followed by Nevada with 12 and Idaho with 10, the center said.

The Marines joined the fight on Wednesday, with helicopter units from California joining U.S. Air Force Reserve and Air National Guard units from Colorado, Wyoming, North Carolina and California in fighting the fires by air. The Marine units will help fight fires around San Diego.

Wildfires raging in 13 Western states

In California alone, 8,000 firefighters were fighting a dozen fires, the state Department of Forestry and Fire Protection said Wednesday. The state issued a burn ban, saying only some campfires are allowed.

Conditions could worsen in some places over the next few days. The National Weather Service said a weather pattern developing in parts of Oregon could produce conditions favorable to "explosive fire growth."

SAN FRANCISCO—Officials were concerned that thunderstorms and strong winds expected to hit Northern California early Thursday could make the work of firefighters more difficult as they scramble to shore up containment lines at several raging wildfires.

"That's the biggest question," fire spokeswoman Alissa Tanner said. "If the thunderstorms will just be rain and not gusts of winds that will be a real blessing. If not, then it could spread the fire in many different directions."

Among nearly a dozen major wildfires burning across the state, a 66-square-mile blaze in Plumas National Forest has proven problematic given the remote, rugged location. More than 900 homes were under threat, and authorities have urged residents to leave.

The National Weather Service expected isolated thunderstorms for the remote area, but only a 20 percent chance of precipitation. Crews re-established containment lines on Wednesday, but officials were concerned about the stormy forecast, Tanner said.

Some 8,000 firefighters were battling California's largest wildfires, said state fire spokesman Daniel Berlant. Fire officials issued a statewide burning ban Wednesday that will stay in effect pending a significant change in the weather or the end of fire season.

Elsewhere in Northern California, firefighters made significant progress against a wildfire in Lake County, despite dry weather and triple-digit temperatures. Hundreds of evacuees were allowed to return

home after the blaze burned more than 12 square miles and threatened nearly 500 homes in the Spring Valley community.

"We're definitely getting the upper hand on this fire," Berlant said.

In Southern California, wildfires threatened dozens of homes in the midst of a brutal heat wave.

In rural San Diego County, a group of five wildfires caused by lightning burned more than 24 square miles of wilderness, state fire Capt. Mike Mohler said. Evacuation orders covering about 180 homes and 400 residents were issued for the communities of Ranchita and Santa Fe.

The two largest fires were above the desert floor in an area subject to erratic winds. Forecasts called for a return of monsoonal moisture that could create thunderstorms with even more erratic winds Thursday, Mohler said.

Meanwhile, a 4 1/2-square-mile blaze in the foothills of Riverside County's San Jacinto Mountains threatened 47 homes, though officials lifted an evacuation order Wednesday. The fire near the community of Aguanga, east of Temecula, burned four structures, including at least one home.

A resident living in a trailer was seriously burned and a second resident received lesser injuries after the fire broke out Tuesday, authorities said. Two firefighters received minor injuries.

Elsewhere in Southern California, military helicopters dropped water on two fires that blackened more than 12,000 acres in the rugged Kern County mountains above the Mojave Desert about 80 miles north of Los Angeles. The fires forced the Bureau of Land Management to temporarily close about 20 miles of the popular Pacific Crest Trail, which runs through three western states between Canada and Mexico.

Berlant said officials were concerned that wildfire season began earlier than usual in the state.

"We have definitely seen an increase in fires this season in comparison to previous years," Berlant said. "Most of the damaging fires happen in September and October, not during the summer months."

He said the rest of the region also has been hit with fires relatively early in the season.

"We're starting to see the same level of activity that's been occurring in Arizona, Colorado and New Mexico," Berlant said. "We're just like the rest of the West; We continue to be hot and dry, just like them."

  

Fort Complex	Klamath National Forest	California, USA	3,657
Mistake Peak Fire	Tonto National Forest	Arizona, USA	4,800
Rush Fire	Northern California Resource Area	California, USA	101,000
Jawbone Complex	California Desert District	California, USA	12,462
Charley Fire	Tonto National Forest	Arizona, USA	2,300
Holloway	Winnemucca District	Nevada, USA	436,560
Ramsey	Stanislaus National Forest	California, USA	1,000
Chips	Plumas National Forest	California, USA	42,136
Halstead	Salmon - Challis National Forest	Idaho, USA	58,269
Trinity Ridge Fire	Boise National Forest	Idaho, USA	68,284
Mustang Complex	Salmon - Challis National Forest	Idaho, USA	85,537
Springs Fire	Boise National Forest	Idaho, USA	6,150
Butte Creek Fire	Bridger - Teton National Forest	Wyoming, USA	1,000
Faust	Salt Lake Field Office	Utah, USA	22,045
West Garceau	Flathead Agency	Montana, USA	8,800
Condon Mountain Fire	Flathead National Forest	Montana, USA	998

Daily statistics 8/15/12
Number of new large fires	20	States currently reporting large fires:
Number of active large fires (number includes full suppression and resource managed fires)	63	Arkansas (3) Arizona (6) California (13) Idaho (10) Montana (6) Nevada (10) New Mexico (1) Oklahoma (2) Oregon (2) Texas (6) Utah (2) Washington (1) Wyoming (1)
Acres from active fires	1,273,351
Fires contained since 8/14/12	6
Year-to-date large fires contained	585