Tornadoes Strike OK, KS, MS, AR, NE, IA

EXTREME WEATHER & CLIMATIC EVENTS
DEADLY TORNADOES
TORNADO EMERGENCIES
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Deadly Tornadoes Swoop on Central U.S., Oklahoma and Arkansas Declare Emergencies

A twister hit Quapaw, Ottawa County, Okla., about 5:30 p.m. Sunday, killing at least two people and causing damage, according to the sheriff’s office. The extent of damage was unknown, as of posting.

• The tornado destroyed the fire station in Quapaw, and caused heavy damage to north end of the town.

• Arkansas Game and Fish HQ east of Mayflower has been heavily damaged, said SPC.

• At least 17 confirmed tornado reports in six states were received by the Storm Prediction Center (SPC), as of posting.

Tornadoes, Wind and Hail Reports (Filtered) received by SPC as of 1:25UTC on Monday 28, April, 2014.

Tornado Warnings

NWS has issued a Tornado Warning for Polk County, MO.

• A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR NORTH CENTRAL WHITE, WEST CENTRAL JACKSON AND SOUTH CENTRAL INDEPENDENCE COUNTIES, AR, UNTIL 915 PM CDT, April 27.

• AT 845 PM CDT, STORM SPOTTERS AND NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE METEOROLOGISTS WERE TRACKING A CONFIRMED TORNADO WITH REPORTS OF DAMAGE. THIS POTENTIALLY DEADLY TORNADO WAS LOCATED 6 MILES NORTHEAST OF STEPROCK, OR 17 MILES NORTHEAST OF SEARCY, MOVING NORTHEAST AT 45 MPH.

• THIS IS A TORNADO EMERGENCY FOR THIDA AND OIL TROUGH. TAKE COVER NOW.

The national Weather Service (NWS) has also issued the following forecast.

High Risk of severe weather for Arkansas and adjacent areas

Severe weather will affect large portions of Central and Southern U.S. well into Sunday night. The greatest tornado risk (indicated by the High Risk area issued by the NWS Storm Prediction Center) will be centered on Arkansas, where a few strong and long-track tornadoes will be possible late into the night. Also, heavy rainfall could cause flooding in parts of the Miss. & Tenn. Valleys.

U.S. Weather Hazards Map (Hazmap) for April 28, 2014. UPDATE.

States of Emergency Declared for NY & CT

EXTREME WEATHER AND CLIMATIC EVENTS
STATES OF EMERGENCY
DEADLY ICE & SNOWSTORM
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Major Storm Continues to Pound U.S. Northeast

States of emergency have now been declared for 12 states in the south, southeast and northeast since the weekend, as a deadly storm continues to track up U.S. Northeast.

New York: Gov. Cuomo declared a state of emergency Thursday, his  fifth so far this year, as the deadly snowstorm impacted much of New York and the East Coast.

Cuomo’s  declaration is for Clinton, Essex, Franklin and St. Lawrence counties and covers the mid-to-lower Hudson Valley, New York City and Long Island, as well as the North Country, central New York and the Capital Region.

“The roads are dangerous,” declared Cuomo!

Connecticut: Gov. Malloy declared a State of Emergency in Vermont as the storm dumped up to 12 inches of snow on parts of the states, straining Vermont’s reserves of road salt.

Additional snow was forecast to fall early morning Friday, keeping schools closed.

120 Million of People Affected

The massive storm system has affected an estimated 120 millions people in 22 states from Texas to Maine, leaving at least 14 people dead and many injured, as of posting.

Winter Storm Warnings, Watches and Advisories were in effect from Georgia to Maine, Tuesday through Friday. Forecasters have warned the powerful system could dump up to 18 inches (46 cm) of snow over the Atlantic Coast through Saturday.

• 7-day Storm Animation [valid February 8 – 14, 2014 ]

Latest Weather Forecast by NWS

Winter Storm Moving through the Northeast

The same storm that brought heavy snow and significant ice accumulations to the Southeast and Mid-Atlantic has moved up the East Coast, bringing significant winter weather to the Northeast. Heavy snow and gusty winds are expected in parts of the Appalachians and New England into Friday. Conditions will begin to improve as the storm pulls away into the Canadian Maritimes by Friday afternoon.

U.S. Weather Hazards Map (Hazmap)  for Thursday, February 14, 2014. Issued at 3:32UTC. Source: NWS. UPDATE

States of Emergency Declared for 12  States

Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, Maryland, New Jersey, Tennessee, New York and Connecticut have now declared States of Emergency due to the massive storm.

“This is not the storm we had two weeks ago, where we were playing in the snow and building snowmen. This is an ice storm,” said Gov Haley, as she declared a State of Emergency for South Carolina.

Flight Cancellations and Delays

More than 12,000 flights into, within, or from the United States have been canceled and thousands more delayed Tuesday through early Friday. The trend is expected to continue through weekend.

Federal Emergency Disaster Declared for the State of Georgia

The White House has declared a federal emergency in the State of Georgia resulting from a severe winter storm beginning on February 10, 2014, and continuing.

The emergency disaster declaration will provide federal disaster relief to “lessen or avert the threat of a catastrophe” in the counties of Banks, Barrow, Bartow, Carroll, Catoosa, Chattooga, Cherokee, Clarke, Cobb, Dade, Dawson, DeKalb, Douglas, Elbert, Fannin, Floyd, Forsyth, Franklin, Fulton, Gilmer, Gordon, Gwinnett, Habersham, Hall, Haralson, Hart, Jackson, Lincoln, Lumpkin, Madison, Murray, Oconee, Oglethorpe, Paulding, Pickens, Polk, Rabun, Stephens, Towns, Union, Walker, Walton, White, Whitfield, and Wilkes.

White House Issues Federal Emergency Disaster Declaration for South Carolina

The White House has declared a  Federal Emergency Disaster in the State of South Carolina resulting from a severe ice and snowstorm beginning on February 10, 2014, and continuing.

Energy Emergency

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) extended on Wednesday the regional States of Emergency Declarations, Waivers, Exemptions & Permits for transporting propane throughout the United States.

A total of at least 36 states and District of Columbia are currently impacted by shortages of propane and other heating fuels.

States covered by the emergency declarations include:

• Western Service Center: North Dakota and South Dakota
• Southern Service Center: Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina and Tennessee
• Eastern Service Center: Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia and West Virginia
• Midwestern Service Center: Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Ohio and Wisconsin

Colorado Gov Issued Emergency Declaration to Authorize Temporary Exception to Hours of Service Regulations for CMVs Used for Propane Transport on February 7, 2014.

Texas Gov Renews Proclamation Declaring Liquefied Petroleum Gas Emergency [Feb. 4, 2014.]

Connecticut Provides Emergency Exemption from Hours of Service of Drivers [Feb. 11, 2014.]

S. Carolina Gov Issues Emergency Declaration for Severe Winter Weather Impact [Feb. 11, 2014.]

S. Carolina Gov Issues Executive Order to Waive Truck Restrictions  [Feb. 11, 2014.]

N.  Carolina Governor Temporarily Suspends Motor Vehicle Regulations … [Feb. 11, 2014.]

Related Links

• State of Emergency Declared in Tennessee February 13, 2014
• NJ Declares State of Emergency Ahead of Deadly Snowstorm February 13, 2014
• State of Emergency Declared in Maryland February 12, 2014
• Virginia Declares State of Emergency Ahead of Deadly Storm February 12, 2014
• Deadly Ice and Snow Blanket U.S. South February 12, 2014
• States of Emergency Declared in 4 States February 11, 2014
• States of Emergency Declared in New York, Pennsylvania February 6, 2014
• Disaster Emergency Declared in Multiple States Feb. 5, 2014
• State of Disaster Emergency Declared in Kansas Feb. 5, 2014
• State of Emergency Declared in New Jersey  February 4, 2014

Energy Emergency Links

• Never Mind the Salt, Propane Shortage Biting Hard Feb.  6, 2014
• Deadly Winter Storm Prompts States of Emergency in Georgia, Carolinas  January 29, 2014
• States of Emergency Declared in Alabama, Louisiana, Minnesota, Mississippi …  January 28, 2014

• Wisconsin Declares State of Emergency over Extreme Cold, Fuel Shortage January 26, 2014
• Louisiana Declares 2nd State of Emergency due to Dangerous Cold January 25, 2014
• State of Emergency Declared for Louisiana January 24, 2014

• Energy Emergency Declared for Alabama January 24, 2014
• Tennessee Declares Statewide Energy Emergency January 22, 2014
• Ohio Declares Statewide Energy Emergency January 20, 2014
• State of Emergency Declared in Oklahoma due to Propane Shortage January 8, 2014

State of Emergency Declared in 31 Montana Counties due to Wildfires

Explosive wildfires prompt state of emergency declaration in Montana

Gov Bullock has issued an executive order declaring a state of emergency in 31 Montana counties, enabling the state to tap the Montana National Guard for helicopters, personnel and other resources.

“To the extent that we need to, we can call on the National Guard to use their assets — their air assets and individuals to help out on state fires,” Bullock said. “First and foremost, we need to ensure individuals are safe, that firefighters are safe. We can figure out the cost of resources later.”

Hundreds under evacuation order as Lolo Complex wildfire spreads

West Fork Fire approx 10 miles west of Lolo, Missoula, MT. August 20, 2013. Credit: Lolo National Forest/USFS.

West Fork Fire approx 10 miles west of Lolo, Missoula, MT. August 20, 2013. Credit: Lolo National Forest/USFS.

Sparked by lightning on August 19, the ferocious Lolo Creek Complex Wildfire has grown explosively consuming more than 5,000 acres, destroying at least 8 structures, prompting hundreds of evacuations and threatening to join the Schoolhouse fire.

“This is a troubling fire for a number of reasons,” said Montana State Forester Bob Harrington. “All along this canyon, along with the side canyons, we have hundreds of homes, as well as the commercial districts in the town of Lolo. This is very problematic.”

U.S. Weather Hazard Map

Red Flag Warnings, other Warnings, Watches and Advisories for August 20, 2013. Source: NWS. Map enhanced by FIRE-EARTH.

Towns across Central Kansas Evacuating due to Flooding

Reno County declares local disaster

Reno County has declared a local disaster due to flooding in Hutchinson and deluged roads around the county, said a report.

Meantime,  towns across central Kansas have been evacuating residents as torrential rains triggered widespread flooding across the region, the report quoted officials as saying.

“Reno County officials were urging people not to play in the floodwaters because septic and sewer systems have backed up and deposited waste materials into the water. There has also been “considerable” amount of run-off from fields that have had chemicals applied to crops. Those chemicals are now in the rivers, creeks and floodwaters,” the report said.

Flooding was also reported elsewhere in central Kansas, especially in Barton and Rice counties.

Large swathes of central, eastern and southeastern Kansas were under Flood Warnings, Flood Watches, or Flash Flood Watches, as of posting.

Weather Hazards Map for August 5, 2013 @ 15:39 UTC. Source: NWS

Other Evacuation News

Train Derails in Lawtell, La., 100 Homes Evacuated: More than 100 homes remained evacuated Monday as emergency teams worked to clean up the site of a Union Pacific train derailment near Lawtell, about 60 miles west of Baton Rouge, said a report.

An evacuation order was in effect for homes and businesses within a 1-mile radius of the derailment, as of posting.

The train was carrying both the lethal sodium hydroxide, and the extremely flammable vinyl chloride.  At least one of the railcars was leaking sodium hydroxide, said a company spokesperson.