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Hurricane Polo Drives Major Flash Flood Crisis Across 11 States
Episode 267 • 29th September 2026 • EM Morning Brief • Brian Colburn
00:00:00 00:14:29

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I report that Hurricane Polo's moisture plume is driving the country's largest life-safety problem this morning. Its remnants came ashore south of Las Barrancas as a Category 2 late Monday and are fueling a widespread flash flood event from the Lower Colorado across the Four Corners into the southern High Plains. The Weather Prediction Center places a moderate risk of excessive rainfall from south-central Arizona through the Texas Panhandle and western Kansas, and flood watches now cover eleven states with roughly 14 million people in the flash flood threat area. Overnight warnings ran in four states with confirmed road impacts in California, Nevada, Arizona and Utah, and severe flooding is affecting slot canyons and backcountry areas in southern Utah. We also report that Hurricane Nolo, a Category 3 storm, threatens Pacific atolls and western Hawaiian islands with high surf and rain, and that federal and state responses continue, including a Texas disaster declaration addressing diesel supply and fuel standards.

Takeaways:

  • I report that Hurricane Polo's moisture plume is generating the nation's principal life-safety threat today, producing widespread flash flooding from the Lower Colorado across the Four Corners into the southern High Plains.
  • We place a moderate risk for excessive rainfall from south central Arizona through the Texas Panhandle and western Kansas, with a slight risk extending into the Central Plains and southern Minnesota.
  • I confirm that flood watches cover eleven states and that forecasters identify roughly fourteen million people within the flash flood threat area, requiring heightened public caution and readiness.
  • We observed concurrent flash flood warnings and confirmed road impacts across California, Nevada, Arizona, and Utah, with rapid river rises and canyon flooding imperiling backcountry visitors and canyoneering traffic.
  • I note additional hazards and response actions: Hurricane Nolo threatens Hawaiian atolls with heavy rain and dangerous surf, Texas issued a thirty-day diesel supply disaster declaration with regulatory waivers, Alaska volcanoes remain on elevated alert, and Washington continues to manage multiple large wildfires under a national preparedness level of two.

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Sources

Tropical Cyclones

Flooding and Weather

Wildfire

Alaska

Hawaii

Texas

Northeast Storm Recovery

Water and Public Health

Indiana Recovery

Transcripts

Cedric:

Good morning, I'm Cedric and this is your EM Morning Brief

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for Tuesday, September 29, 2026.

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Hurricane Polo's moisture plume

is driving the country's largest

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life safety problem this morning.

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Polo came ashore south of Las Barrancas in

Baja California Sur late Monday night as a

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Category 2 hurricane, and its remnants are

feeding a flash flood event that runs from

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the lower Colorado River across the Four

Corners and into the southern High Plains.

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The Weather Prediction Center carries

a moderate risk of excessive rainfall

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today from south central Arizona

through the Texas Panhandle and western

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Kansas, with a slight risk reaching the

Central Plains and southern Minnesota.

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Flood watches cover 11 states,

including most of Arizona and New

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Mexico plus parts of Utah, Colorado,

Kansas, Nebraska, Iowa and Texas, and

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forecasters place roughly 14 million

people in the flash flood threat area.

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Overnight warnings ran in four states

at once, with road impacts confirmed in

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California, Nevada, Arizona and Utah.

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In the Pacific, Hurricane Nolo is

a Category 3 storm with 115 mile

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per hour winds, centered about 300

miles south southeast of French

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Frigate Shoals and moving north

northwest at 15 miles per hour.

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The Central Pacific Hurricane Center

holds a Hurricane Warning for the

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Papahanaumokuakea Marine National

Monument from Nihoa to French

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Frigate Shoals, where large waves are

expected to inundate low lying atolls.

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Outer bands east of the track will drop

3 to 6 inches of rain on Kauai and Niihau

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from today into Thursday, with flooding

and mudslides possible in steep terrain.

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On the federal and state policy side,

Governor Greg Abbott issued a statewide

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disaster declaration in Texas over

diesel supply and price, opening dyed

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off road diesel for use on public

roads and suspending state low emission

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diesel standards to federal limits.

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Let's run through the states.

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Alaska.

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The Alaska Volcano Observatory issues a

volcano notice keeping Great Sitkin at

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Volcano Alert Level Watch and Aviation

Color Code Orange, with slow lava effusion

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continuing inside the summit crater.

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The same notice keeps Shishaldin at

Advisory and Yellow, citing low level

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unrest, elevated seismicity and satellite

detected sulfur dioxide emissions.

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Aviation and marine operators

in the Aleutians should plan

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against both color codes.

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Arizona.

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The National Weather Service in

Flagstaff issues a Flash Flood Warning

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for Yavapai County at 3:27 this morning

after the Granite Creek gauge near

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Prescott records a rapid four foot rise.

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Named impact areas include Prescott, Chino

Valley, Prescott Regional Airport, Watson

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Lake, State Route 69 and State Route 89.

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Ten minutes later the same office

warns Coconino County after a Paria

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River gauge upstream in Utah rises 4.47

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feet and sends the flood wave toward

Paria Canyon, Vermilion Cliffs

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National Monument and Lees Ferry.

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Through Monday afternoon and evening

the Las Vegas office ran a repeating

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series of flash flood warnings for west

central Mohave County, reporting 1 to 1.5

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inches of rain in 30 to 45 minutes

over Laughlin and Golden Valley before

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storms moved into the Kingman metro.

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That threat ended just before midnight,

and the office advises the public to keep

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heeding road closures still in place.

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California.

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The San Diego office issues a Flash

Flood Warning for Riverside County Monday

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evening, and its follow up statement just

after midnight reports mud, rocks and

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boulders covering parts of Dillon Road

near and northwest of Indio Hills, with

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radar estimated rainfall above two inches.

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In San Bernardino County, the California

Highway Patrol reports flooding on

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the roadway of US 95 north of Goffs,

and further warnings cover Interstate

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40 between Amboy and Goffs and the

Chemehuevi Wash crossing of US 95.

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In the Sierra, the Dome Fire in Mariposa

County stands at 5,291 acres and 31

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percent containment under a National Park

Service jurisdiction, with the Chilnualna

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Falls Trail and areas near the fire closed

while Yosemite National Park stays open.

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Connecticut.

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Eversource and United Illuminating

report restoring service to more than

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171,000 customers since the weekend

nor'easter began, with 2,597 Fairfield

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County customers still out and crews

clearing more than 350 blocked roads.

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Hawaii.

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Kauai County is the focus today

as Nolo's outer bands arrive, with

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3 to 6 inches of rain forecast

through Thursday and dangerous surf

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along south and west facing shores.

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The county keeps hurricane resource

centers open at the Hanalei and Koloa

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neighborhood centers weekdays from 9

in the morning to 4 in the afternoon,

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and Salt Pond park facilities, the

Kaumakani pavilion and Hanapepe

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Stadium facilities stay closed.

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On Maui, the Maui Emergency Management

Agency lifted the Olowalu Village

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evacuation order at 5:45 Monday

morning, covering residents from Luawai

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Street to Ehehene Street, after the

Olowalu brush fire reached 95 percent

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containment at more than 100 acres.

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Hawaiian Electric began phased restoration

at:

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West Maui customers who lost power

when storm damage struck transmission

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lines above Papalaua Wayside Park, and

reported all major storm damage outages

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restored by 1:30 in the afternoon.

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The county closed the Lahaina

Civic Center Gym shelter at 4 p.m.

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Monday.

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Hawaii County resumes normal operations.

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Three county shelters close, public

schools and the University of Hawaii

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at Hilo reopen, and Hawaiian Electric

restores about 660 customers.

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Kohala Mountain Road stays closed for

high winds, state parks stay closed,

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and an essential water use only notice

stays in effect for Naalehu, Waiohinu,

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Discovery Harbour and South Point.

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We have more to cover this morning, but

first, a quick word from our sponsors.

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Thanks for supporting our sponsors who

help make EM Morning Brief possible.

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Now, back to this morning’s updates.

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Illinois.

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The Chicago office upgrades observed

flooding on the Des Plaines River

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near Russell in Lake County from minor

to moderate, with the stage at 7.6

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feet against a 7.0

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foot flood stage and a warning

running into Thursday evening.

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Indiana.

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FEMA reports more than 111 million

dollars approved in Individual Assistance

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under the DR-4933 declaration, reaching

more than 26,800 households, with

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the Individual Assistance application

deadline set for October 25 and the

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Public Assistance deadline for designated

municipalities set for October 24.

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A recovery one stop shop opened Monday

in Gary and runs through Friday.

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Iowa.

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The Quad Cities office continues a

Flood Warning on the Wapsipinicon

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River near De Witt, with moderate

flooding occurring at 12.2

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feet against an 11.0

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foot flood stage and overbank

flooding affecting residences

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between Wheatland and Calamus.

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Kansas.

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The Kansas Department of Health and

Environment expands the Eskridge boil

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water advisory in Wabaunsee County from a

four block area to the entire city after

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finding the loss of distribution pressure

more widespread than first reported.

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The cause is an equipment failure

in the water system control

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system, and the advisory stays in

effect until certified laboratory

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testing confirms the water is safe.

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Michigan.

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A 10 inch water main break shuts

off water to the Village of

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Constantine at about 8:30 Monday

morning, and a gas line rupture at

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the repair site delays the work.

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Service returns about 12:45 in the

afternoon, a boil water advisory

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remains in effect until further

notice, and Constantine Public

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Schools cancelled classes for the day.

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Nevada.

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The Las Vegas office issues a Flash

Flood Warning for south central

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Lincoln County Monday midday, with 0.75

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to 1.5

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inches of rain reported near US

93 and Kane Springs Road, and

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cancels it early afternoon with

road closures still in place.

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A second series covering south central

Clark County, including Searchlight

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and Cottonwood Cove, runs from mid

afternoon until just before midnight.

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The ending statement notes remaining road

closures and a Flood Watch for southern

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Nevada that ran until 5 this morning.

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New Jersey.

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Coastal Flood and Flood Warnings remain

in force for Monmouth and Ocean counties

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into Monday afternoon as the state

works through nor'easter recovery.

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All Ocean City bridges and streets

reopen, with police and fire responding

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to numerous disabled vehicles and

several lithium ion battery fires in

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electric vehicles, and high water rescue

vehicles moving patients from flooded

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areas to EMS teams in Upper Township.

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The Shelter Road Recycling Center

opens six days a week for storm debris.

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Separately, a federal request is

moving: Representative Frank Pallone Jr.

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asks the state Department of

Environmental Protection, the state

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Office of Emergency Management, the

Army Corps of Engineers and FEMA to

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survey damage in the Sixth Congressional

District, citing 6 to 7 feet of tidal

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flooding, damaged piers and bulkheads,

submerged vehicles and coastal erosion.

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New York.

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PSEG Long Island reports 6,108

customers still without power

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Monday morning out of 1.2

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million on Long Island and the Rockaways,

more than 95 percent of affected customers

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restored after more than 124,000 outages

across 72 hours, with more than 1,350

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local and off Island field workers

committed and more than 1,150 trees down.

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New York City Emergency Management

asks residents, business owners and

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nonprofits to file damage reports

at the city's reporting portal to

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support a potential request for federal

assistance, citing water levels of 8.95

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feet in Jamaica Bay, 8.31

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feet at the Battery and 11.8

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feet at Little Neck Bay, with

severe flooding in the Rockaways,

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City Island and Howard Beach.

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North Dakota.

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The Grand Forks office issues a

Flood Warning for northwestern Barnes

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County and southern Griggs County

after 2 to 3 inches of rain fall,

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with flooding ongoing at Cooperstown,

Wimbledon, Hannaford, Dazey and Walum.

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Rhode Island.

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Rhode Island Energy reports power

restored to all customers affected by the

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nor'easter, more than 50,000 in total,

in under 48 hours, after more than 270

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crew members worked over 270 tree related

outages and replaced 20 broken poles.

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Texas.

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Governor Abbott's statewide

disaster declaration runs

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30 days and is extendable.

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It permits dyed off road diesel on public

roads, suspends Texas Low Emission Diesel

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standards to federal limits, raises

allowable weight for fuel, agricultural

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and timber loads, and accompanies

a request that the Environmental

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Protection Agency waive federal

ultra low sulfur diesel requirements.

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AAA put the state average

for diesel at 5.86

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dollars a gallon.

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On the weather side, the Amarillo office

places 13 Panhandle areas under a Flood

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Watch through Wednesday afternoon with

creeks and streams already running

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high, and the El Paso office ran a Flash

Flood Warning Monday evening covering

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El Paso east of downtown, Horizon

City, Clint, San Elizario and Socorro.

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Utah.

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Southern Utah carries the heaviest flash

flood load in the country this morning.

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The Salt Lake City office issued a

Flood Warning late Monday night for

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east central Washington County and

west central Kane County stating

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flooding is already occurring, naming

Zion National Park, Springdale,

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Rockville, every slot canyon in Zion

and both forks of the Virgin River.

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A second warning covers south

central Garfield and eastern Kane

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counties including Escalante,

Boulder, Coyote Gulch and the slot

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canyons near Hole in the Rock Road.

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A third, issued at 1:40 this morning,

runs until mid morning across Emery,

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Garfield, Kane and Wayne counties,

naming Hanksville, Capitol Reef

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National Park, Bicknell, Torrey, Hite

Marina, Bullfrog and Halls Crossing.

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At 4:20 the office extended a Flash Flood

Warning for southwestern Emery County

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covering Goblin Valley and the Little

Wild Horse, Crack, Chute, Ding and Dang

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slot canyons, and at 5:10 added the Paria

River, Wahweap Creek, Big Water, Buckskin

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Gulch and Wire Pass in Kane County.

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Backcountry and canyoneering traffic

is the exposed population here.

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Virginia.

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The Town of Chatham issues a boil water

advisory until further notice following

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a water main problem, affecting Chatham

High School, Chatham Middle School,

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the Pittsylvania Career and Technical

Center and the Regional Alternative

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School and STEM Academy, with drinking

water supplies delivered to the schools.

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Washington.

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The national situation report puts

four large fires in Washington.

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Three Queens stands at 9,575 acres

and 32 percent containment with

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residences and critical infrastructure

threatened, and the Sisi Fire sits at

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4,325 acres and 15 percent containment.

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Two larger incidents continue with

structures threatened: Little Giant at

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172,891 acres and 81 percent containment

with 40 structures threatened, and

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Sinlahekin at 166,007 acres and 93 percent

containment with 33 structures threatened.

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Nationally, the preparedness level

is 2, with 17 uncontained large

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fires and 5,697 personnel committed.

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That wraps today's EM Morning Brief.

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New episodes drop Monday through

Friday in the 5:00 AM hour P.T.,

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so the day starts with

clarity instead of catch-up.

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Follow on your favorite podcast player.

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EM Morning Brief is an EOC Voices Podcast.

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Stay Safe.

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