Today’s EM Morning Brief covers a multi-day severe weather outbreak across the central and southern United States, including a destructive tornado in Mineral Wells, Texas, a Particularly Dangerous Situation warning in Stone County, Arkansas, and confirmed tornadoes in Illinois, Kentucky, and Missouri. Governor Abbott issues a disaster declaration for North Texas storms, while Governor Whitmer expands Michigan’s flooding emergency to 41 counties and three municipalities. CISA adds two vulnerabilities to the Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog, FAA ground stops cascade through Chicago O’Hare, Atlanta, and Nashville, and Signature Healthcare in Brockton, Massachusetts continues ambulance diversion after a cyber incident. Wildfires in Georgia and Florida remain active, the Federal Register confirms SBA loan deadlines for the Northern Mariana Islands typhoon disaster, and Kilauea’s summit eruption is paused at Volcano Advisory. EM Morning Brief is your concise daily update on national and state-by-state emergency management news. Produced by Sitch Radio, an EOC Voices podcast.

Key Takeaways

• Severe weather threat continues. Mineral Wells, Texas tornado damage and injuries Tuesday; SPC keeps a Memphis to Dallas corridor risk in place today for hail, damaging winds, a few tornadoes, and excessive rainfall.

• Texas disaster declaration. Governor Abbott declares a state disaster for North Texas counties affected by April 28 storms and directs TDEM to begin damage assessments with SBA.

• Michigan flooding state of emergency expanded. Governor Whitmer adds the Village of Holly and Tuscola County, bringing the total to 41 counties and three municipalities under emergency.

• CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities updated. Two new entries added April 28 covering ConnectWise ScreenConnect and a Microsoft Windows protection mechanism failure, with required federal remediation.

• Massachusetts hospital cyber incident. Signature Healthcare continues ambulance diversion; chemotherapy infusion services canceled and prescription fills disrupted.

• FAA ground stops nationwide. Severe weather drove ground stops at Chicago O’Hare, Atlanta, and Nashville on April 28 with more than 5,500 delays and 350 cancellations.

• Southeast wildfires remain active. Georgia’s Pineland Road Fire is at 32,331 acres and 23 percent contained; Florida’s Highway 41 Fire is burning 2,500 acres in the eastern Everglades.

• Northern Mariana Islands disaster assistance. Federal Register confirms SBA disaster loan deadlines for Super Typhoon Sinlaku: physical loan applications by June 22, 2026 and EIDL by January 25, 2027.

• Kilauea status. Summit eruption paused; Volcano Advisory and Aviation Color Yellow; episode 46 forecast May 2 to May 6.

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Sources

CISA

• CISA Adds Two Known Exploited Vulnerabilities to Catalog, April 28, 2026

• CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities Catalog

FEMA and Federal Register

• Federal Register: Presidential Declaration of a Major Disaster for the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, April 29, 2026

• FEMA Current Disasters

NIFC

• NIFC Incident Management Situation Report, April 28, 2026

NWS and SPC

• SPC Day 1 Convective Outlook, April 29, 2026

• NWS Louisville Damage Surveys, April 28, 2026

USGS

• USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory Notice, April 28, 2026

• USGS Kilauea Volcano Updates

FAA

• CBS News Atlanta, ground stop and delays at Hartsfield-Jackson, April 28, 2026

• Travel and Tour World, FAA ground stop at Nashville International, April 28, 2026

Severe Weather Summary

• CNN, tornado devastates Mineral Wells, Texas on sixth straight day of severe storms

• The Watchers, severe storms leave more than 260,000 without power across Midwest

Arkansas

• The Watchers and CNN reporting on Stone County Particularly Dangerous Situation tornado warning

California

• CAL FIRE Carbon Fire incident page

Florida

• WGCU, Highway 41 Fire 2,500 acres east of Shark Valley, April 28, 2026

Georgia

• Georgia Emergency Management and Homeland Security Agency, April 2026 Wildfires

• Action News Jax, historic Georgia wildfire 32 percent contained, Florida crews mopping up

Hawaii

• USGS HVO Kilauea Volcano Notice, April 28, 2026

Illinois

• The Watchers, Germantown tornado damage and Midwest outbreak summary

Indiana

• WHAS11, NWS confirms multiple tornadoes in Kentucky and southern Indiana

Kansas

• WIBW, Kansas Governor issues state of disaster emergency due to severe weather

Kentucky

• NWS Louisville, Damage Surveys for April 28, 2026

• WHAS11, multiple tornadoes hit Kentucky during Monday’s storms

Massachusetts

• SecurityWeek, Massachusetts hospital diverts ambulances as cyberattack causes disruption

Michigan

• Detroit News, Whitmer expands emergency declaration; 41 counties now under order

• CBS Detroit, Michigan Gov. Whitmer expands state of emergency to Village of Holly, Tuscola County

Mississippi

• Action News 5, severe storms pummel Mid-South including at least one unconfirmed tornado

Missouri

• KSDK, St. Louis meteorologists confirm three tornado touchdowns from Monday’s storms

Oklahoma

• KTEN, powerful storms leave path of destruction across Texoma

Tennessee

• Action News 5, severe storms pummel Mid-South

• Travel and Tour World, FAA ground stop at Nashville International, April 28, 2026

Texas

• Office of the Texas Governor, Abbott issues disaster declaration for North Texas storms

• TDEM press release, Governor Abbott issues disaster declaration

• KERA News, tornado in Mineral Wells damages buildings, causes multiple injuries

• Henderson News, Murvaul Water Supply issues boil water notice

Northern Mariana Islands

• Federal Register, Northern Mariana Islands Major Disaster Declaration notice