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NOUS41 KCAR 031136
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PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CARIBOU ME
740 AM EDT FRI MAY 3 2013

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS DECLARED THE WEEK OF APRIL 29
THROUGH MAY 3, SEVERE WEATHER AWARENESS WEEK IN NEW ENGLAND. THIS IS
THE LAST IN A SERIES OF FIVE PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENTS ON
VARIOUS TOPICS RELATED TO SEVERE WEATHER AWARENESS.


SEVERE WEATHER AWARENESS - FLOODS AND FLASH FLOODS

IN ADDITION TO LIGHTNING, HIGH WINDS, HAIL, AND TORNADOES,
SUMMERTIME THUNDERSTORMS ALSO BRING THE THREAT OF FLOODING AND FLASH
FLOODING TO NORTHERN NEW ENGLAND. IN THE SUMMERTIME, MOST FLASH
FLOODS ARE CAUSED BY HEAVY, SLOWLY MOVING THUNDERSTORMS WHICH CAN
PRODUCE EXCESSIVE RAINFALL IN AN AREA IN JUST A SHORT PERIOD OF
TIME. IN ADDITION TO THE RAINFALL, TOPOGRAPHY, SOIL CONDITIONS AND
GROUND COVER HELP DETERMINE HOW MUCH OF THE RAINFALL SOAKS INTO THE
GROUND AND HOW MUCH OF THE RAINFALL RUNS OFF INTO STREAMS AND RIVERS.

NATIONWIDE, FLOODS AND FLASH FLOODS ARE THE GREATEST STORM-RELATED
KILLER, CLAIMING THE LIVES OF ABOUT 90 PEOPLE ANNUALLY. SIMILAR TO
THE REST OF THE NATION, FLOODS AND FLASH FLOODS ARE THE NUMBER ONE
STORM-RELATED KILLER IN NEW ENGLAND. IN ADDITION, FLOODS AND FLASH
FLOODS ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR A CONSIDERABLE AMOUNT OF PUBLIC AND
PRIVATE PROPERTY DAMAGE.

AS LITTLE AS 2 FEET OF WATER WILL FLOAT MOST CARS AND SMALL TRUCKS.
IF YOUR VEHICLE BEGINS TO FLOAT, YOU LOSE COMPLETE CONTROL OVER THE
VEHICLE. IF YOUR VEHICLE STALLS IN A FLOODED ROADWAY, ABANDON IT
IMMEDIATELY AND SEEK HIGHER GROUND. THE WATER MAY SWEEP THE VEHICLE
AND ITS OCCUPANTS AWAY.

DAM FAILURES CAN ALSO LEAD TO FLOODS OR FLASH FLOODS. WHILE NOT
ALWAYS CAUSED BY THE WEATHER, DAM FAILURES CAN LEAD TO EXTREMELY
FAST RISES IN RIVER AND STREAM LEVELS.

HERE ARE SEVERAL FATAL FLOOD AND FLASH FLOOD EVENTS THAT OCCURRED IN
MAINE AND NEW HAMPSHIRE SINCE 1996.


  OCT 21 1996  SCARBOROUGH, MAINE - FOUR TO 19 INCHES OF
               RAIN CAUSED VERY SERIOUS FLOODING IN NEW
               HAMPSHIRE AND WESTERN MAINE. ONE MAN
               DROWNED WHEN HE DROVE HIS CAR INTO A
               FLOODED ROADWAY. UNKNOWN TO THE MAN, THE
               ROAD HAD ALREADY BEEN WASHED AWAY.

  MAR 31 1998  FRANKLIN COUNTY, MAINE - SNOWMELT, CAUSED
               BY RECORD-BREAKING WARMTH, COMBINED WITH
               RECENT RAINFALL TO CAUSE MANY RIVERS AND
               STREAMS TO RISE. ONE MAN DROWNED WHEN HE
               DROVE HIS TRUCK INTO A FLOODED ROADWAY.

  APR 16 2007  LEBANON, MAINE - A WOMAN AND HER 4-YEAR OLD
               GRANDDAUGHTER THAT SHE WAS CARRYING WERE SWEPT
               TO THEIR DEATH AS THEY ATTEMPTED TO CROSS A
               FLOODED ROADWAY ON FOOT.

  JUN 23 2012  BROWNVILLE, MAINE - SIX TO EIGHT INCHES
               OF RAIN IN FOUR HOURS CAUSED FLASH FLOODING
               IN THE BROWNVILLE AREA. A MAN WAS KILLED WHEN
               HIS VEHICLE CRASHED INTO A GULLY WHICH HAD
               BEEN CUT BY THE PLEASANT RIVER FLASH FLOODING.
               THE DRIVER WAS KILLED FROM THE IMPACT OF THE
               ACCIDENT RATHER THAN DROWNING.


TO ALERT THE PUBLIC TO THE THREAT OF FLOODING, THE NATIONAL WEATHER
SERVICE ISSUES FLOOD AND FLASH FLOOD WATCHES AND WARNINGS. A FLOOD
WATCH INDICATES FLOODING/FLASH FLOODING IS POSSIBLE, AND IS USUALLY
ISSUED IN ANTICIPATION OF HEAVY RAINFALL. A FLOOD/FLASH FLOOD
WARNING INDICATES THAT FLOODING IS IMMINENT OR IS ALREADY OCCURRING.
IF YOU HEAR THAT A FLOOD/FLASH FLOOD WARNING HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR
YOUR AREA, MOVE IMMEDIATELY TO HIGHER GROUND IF FLOOD WATERS
THREATEN.

HERE ARE SOME FLOOD/FLASH FLOOD FACTS AND SAFETY TIPS.

   *  NEVER DRIVE A CAR INTO A FLOODED ROADWAY. MORE THAN
      HALF OF ALL FLASH FLOOD FATALITIES ARE VEHICLE RELATED.

   *  KEEP AWAY FROM STREAMS DURING HEAVY RAINFALL EVENTS.
      SWIFTLY MOVING WATER IS EXTREMELY POWERFUL AND CAN
      EASILY OVERPOWER A PERSON.

   *  KEEP CHILDREN INSIDE AND AWAY FROM FLOODED STREETS,
      CULVERTS, AND STREAMS.

   *  REPORT ANY FLOODING TO THE APPROPRIATE AUTHORITIES.

   *  IF ADVISED TO EVACUATE, DO SO IMMEDIATELY.

   *  OBEY ALL ROAD BLOCKS AND BARRIERS, EVEN IF THE FLOODING
      HAS RECEDED. FLOOD WATERS MAY HAVE UNDERCUT THE ROAD
      SURFACE OR LEFT DANGEROUS DEBRIS IN THE ROADWAY.

   *  IF YOU LIVE IN A FLOOD PRONE AREA, HAVE A PLAN IN CASE
      THE WATER STARTS RISING QUICKLY.

HERE IS A LIST OF TOPICS COVERED IN PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENTS
ISSUED BY THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE THIS WEEK.

MONDAY......SEVERE WEATHER AWARENESS - BASIC DEFINITIONS
TUESDAY.....THUNDERSTORMS AND LIGHTNING
WEDNESDAY...SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS - DOWNBURSTS, MICROBURSTS, AND HAIL
THURSDAY....TORNADOES
FRIDAY......FLASH FLOODS

$$

RUNYAN