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NOUS46 KOTX 031056
PNSOTX

PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SPOKANE WA
400 AM PDT FRI MAY 3 2013

...THE WEEK OF APRIL 28 THROUGH MAY 4 IS SEVERE WEATHER AWARENESS
WEEK IN IDAHO...OREGON...AND WASHINGTON...

...UNDERSTANDING OUTLOOKS...WATCHES AND WARNINGS...

DURING SEVERE WEATHER AWARENESS WEEK...THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE
(NWS) REMINDS YOU HOW WE INFORM YOU ABOUT HAZARDOUS WEATHER
EVENTS...AND WHAT ACTIONS YOU SHOULD TAKE WHEN SEVERE WEATHER
THREATENS.

NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FORECASTERS KNOW WHEN WEATHER CONDITIONS
ARE FAVORABLE FOR SEVERE WEATHER TO DEVELOP.  WHEN THESE CONDITIONS
ARE EXPECTED OR OCCURRING...THE NWS WILL ISSUE OUTLOOKS...WATCHES
AND WARNINGS TO INFORM YOU OF THE THREAT.  THESE NATIONAL WEATHER
SERVICE MESSAGES SERVE TO HEIGHTEN YOUR AWARENESS AND ALERT YOU TO
ACTIONS YOU CAN TAKE AS SEVERE WEATHER APPROACHES.

OUTLOOKS

EVERYDAY...NWS FORECASTERS IN THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST ASSESS THE
CHANCE FOR SEVERE WEATHER.  A HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS ISSUED TO
ALERT PEOPLE WHEN CONDITIONS ARE FAVORABLE FOR SEVERE WEATHER TO
DEVELOP WITHIN THE NEXT FEW DAYS.

WATCHES

A SEVERE WEATHER WATCH IS ISSUED BY THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE
WHEN CONDITIONS ARE FAVORABLE FOR SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS OR TORNADOES
TO DEVELOP.  A WATCH IS USUALLY ISSUED FOR LARGE AREAS INVOLVING
MANY COUNTIES.  IT HEIGHTENS YOUR AWARENESS OF THE POSSIBILITY OF
SEVERE WEATHER IN THE NEXT SEVERAL HOURS.  IF YOU ARE IN THE AREA
COVERED BY A WATCH...CONTINUE WITH YOUR NORMAL ACTIVITIES...BUT AT
THE SAME TIME MAKE A PLAN WHERE YOU WOULD GO FOR SHELTER IF SEVERE
WEATHER WERE TO STRIKE SUDDENLY.  IF HIGH WINDS ARE A PRIMARY
THREAT...TYING DOWN OR BRINGING LOOSE OBJECTS INDOORS IS A GOOD
IDEA.

WARNINGS

A SEVERE WEATHER WARNING IS AN URGENT MESSAGE TO TELL YOU THAT
SEVERE WEATHER IS IMMINENT OR OCCURRING.  WARNINGS ARE USUALLY FOR
SMALL AREAS...PART OF A COUNTY...OR A COUNTY OR TWO AT A TIME.  A
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM OR TORNADO WARNING IS USUALLY IN EFFECT FOR 30
MINUTES TO ONE HOUR.  TAKE IMMEDIATE ACTION IF YOU ARE IN THE PATH
OF THE STORM.

IN TIMES OF SEVERE WEATHER...YOU CAN GET ALL THESE VITAL NATIONAL
WEATHER SERVICE MESSAGES ON NOAA WEATHER RADIO.  MANY WEATHER RADIO
RECEIVERS HAVE A BUILT IN TONE ALARM...THAT IS ACTIVATED BY THE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WHEN WATCHES AND WARNINGS ARE ISSUED.  YOU
CAN ALSO GET WEATHER INFORMATION...BASED ON NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE
PRODUCTS...FROM YOUR LOCAL RADIO OR TELEVISION STATIONS OR FROM OUR
WEB PAGE AT WEATHER.GOV.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION CAN BE FOUND ON THE WEB AT:
HTTP://WEATHER.GOV.

THIS MESSAGE IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY YOUR LOCAL NATIONAL WEATHER
SERVICE OFFICE IN SPOKANE WASHINGTON

$$