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000
NOUS46 KOTX 300944
PNSOTX

PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SPOKANE WA
400 AM PDT TUE APR 30 2013

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

...TORNADO INFORMATION AND SAFETY RULES...

...SPECIAL MARINE WARNINGS TOO...

WESTERN WASHINGTON AND OREGON EACH HAVE HISTORIES OF TORNADOES WITH
EACH STATE AVERAGING BETWEEN ONE OR TWO EACH YEAR.  SOME YEARS ARE
RELATIVELY ACTIVE. IN DEC 2010, AN EF-2 TORNADO STRUCK THE SMALL
TOWN OF AUMSVILLE, OREGON, CAUSING TENS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS IN
DAMAGE. IN 1997, WASHINGTON HAD A RECORD 14 TORNADOES AND IN 2004, 9
TORNADOES.  THOUGH MOST TORNADOES IN THE REGION ARE LESS INTENSE
THAN THOSE EAST OF THE ROCKIES AND LAST ONLY A FEW MINUTES...OUR
AREA DID LEAD THE NATION IN TORNADO DEATHS IN 1972.  AN F3 TORNADO
TOUCHED DOWN IN VANCOUVER ON APRIL 5TH...PLOWING THROUGH A GROCERY
STORE...A BOWLING CENTER AND A SCHOOL...KILLING SIX AND INJURING
SEVERAL HUNDRED.

THIS WEEK IS SEVERE WEATHER AWARENESS WEEK IN THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST
AND TODAY...THE FOCUS IS ON TORNADOES AND WATERSPOUTS.  TORNADOES
ARE DEFINED AS A RAPIDLY ROTATING COLUMN OF AIR IN CONTACT WITH THE
GROUND WHILE WATERSPOUTS ARE IN CONTACT WITH A BODY OF WATER.  A
FUNNEL CLOUD IS NOT IN CONTACT WITH THE GROUND.

TORNADOES AND WATERSPOUTS IN WESTERN OREGON AND WASHINGTON CAN OCCUR
IN ANY MONTH OF THE YEAR...BUT MOST OCCUR DURING THE TRANSITION
SEASONS - SPRING AND FALL.  NEARLY ALL OCCUR DURING THE HEAT OF THE
DAY...BETWEEN 1 PM AND 7 PM.

WHEN CONDITIONS FOR TORNADOES BECOME FAVORABLE...THE NATIONAL
WEATHER SERVICE STORM PREDICTION CENTER (SPC) ISSUES A TORNADO WATCH
COVERING A LARGE AREA FOR THE NEXT FEW HOURS.  THIS IS WHEN YOU NEED
TO REVIEW WHAT YOU WOULD DO IN CASE SEVERE WEATHER THREATENS.  IT
MAY BE TOO LATE TO DEVELOP A PLAN AFTER A WARNING GOES INTO EFFECT.
LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR YOUR LOCAL BROADCAST MEDIA OR
PORTABLE PHONE DEVICES FOR THE LATEST INFORMATION.

WHEN TORNADOES ARE IMMINENT OR DETECTED BY DOPPLER WEATHER RADAR OR
TRAINED SPOTTERS...A TORNADO WARNING IS ISSUED BY THE NWS.  OVER THE
COASTAL WATERS...A SPECIAL MARINE WARNING IS ISSUED FOR THE WATER
EQUIVALENT OF A TORNADO NAMED A WATERSPOUT. SPECIAL MARINE WARNINGS
ARE ALSO ISSUED FOR WINDS IN EXCESS OF 35 KNOTS ASSOCIATED WITH
STRONG THUNDERSTORMS.

IF THE TORNADO WARNING OR SPECIAL MARINE WARNING IS FOR YOUR
AREA...REMEMBER THE FOLLOWING SAFETY TIPS:

IN HOMES OR SMALL BUILDINGS: GO TO THE BASEMENT (IF AVAILABLE) OR TO
AN INTERIOR ROOM ON THE LOWEST FLOOR...SUCH AS A CLOSET OR
BATHROOM.  UPPER FLOORS ARE UNSAFE.  IF THERE IS NO TIME TO
DESCEND...GO TO A CLOSET...A SMALL ROOM WITH STRONG WALLS...OR AN
INSIDE HALLWAY.  WRAP YOURSELF IN OVERCOATS OR BLANKETS TO PROTECT
YOURSELF FROM FLYING DEBRIS.

IN SCHOOLS, HOSPITALS, BUSINESSES, OR SHOPPING CENTERS: GO TO
INTERIOR ROOMS AND HALLS ON THE LOWEST FLOOR.  STAY AWAY FROM GLASS
ENCLOSED PLACES OR AREAS WITH WIDE-SPAN ROOFS SUCH AS AUDITORIUMS
AND WAREHOUSES.  CROUCH DOWN AND COVER YOUR HEAD.  CENTRALLY LOCATED
STAIRWELLS ARE ALSO A GOOD SHELTER.

IN HIGH-RISE BUILDINGS: GO TO INTERIOR SMALL ROOMS OR HALLS.  STAY
AWAY FROM EXTERIOR WALLS OR AREAS CONTAINING GLASS.

IF CAUGHT OUTDOORS: SEEK SHELTER IN A BASEMENT, SHELTER, OR NEARBY
BUILDING.  IF YOU CANNOT QUICKLY WALK TO A SHELTER AND ARE CLOSE TO
A CAR...GET INTO THE VEHICLE, BUCKLE YOUR SEAT BELT AND TRY TO DRIVE
TO THE CLOSEST STURDY SHELTER.  IF FLYING DEBRIS HITS YOUR VEHICLE
WHILE DRIVING...PULL OVER AND PARK. DO NOT PARK UNDERNEATH BRIDGES
OR OVERPASSES.  AS A LAST RESORT, STAY IN THE CAR WITH YOUR SEAT BELT
FASTENED. PUT YOUR HEAD DOWN BELOW THE WINDOWS COVER YOURSELF IF
POSSIBLE. IF YOU CAN SAFELY GET LOWER THAN THE LEVEL OF THE ROAD,
EXIT YOUR CAR AND LIE FLAT IN THE NEAREST DITCH OR DEPRESSION AND
USE YOUR HANDS TO COVER YOUR HEAD.

IF BOATING...GET TO LAND IMMEDIATELY AND SEEK SHELTER. REMEMBER
LIGHTNING IS ALSO AN EXTREME DANGER WHEN ON WATER.

HERE ARE A FEW TIPS TO HELP YOU. TORNADO SURVIVORS OFTEN REPORT
HEARING A LOAD ROARING SOUND WITH TORNADOES.  IF YOU GET GOLF BALL
SIZED HAIL OR LARGER...YOU ARE NEAR THE MOST DANGEROUS PART OF THE
STORM THAT COULD BE FOLLOWED BY A TORNADO.  IF YOU SEE ROTATING
DEBRIS EVEN WITHOUT THE EXISTENCE OF A FUNNEL CLOUD...IT COULD BE A
DANGEROUS DEVELOPING TWISTER.

REGARDLESS...THE KEY TO TORNADO SURVIVAL IS TO BE PREPARED AND TAKE
IMMEDIATE ACTION WHEN A WARNING IS ISSUED OR WHEN YOU SPOT A TORNADO
OR WATERSPOUT.  THE ACTIONS YOU TAKE DURING A TORNADO EVENT MAY SAVE
YOUR LIFE AND THE LIVES OF YOUR FAMILY.

***********************************

THIS WEEK IS SEVERE WEATHER AWARENESS WEEK IN THE PACIFIC
NORTHWEST.  NOW IS THE TIME TO GET PREPARED FOR THUNDERSTORMS AND
WILDFIRES.  PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENTS WILL BE ISSUED THROUGHOUT
THE WEEK...PROVIDING SAFETY INFORMATION AND HELP SO YOU KNOW HOW TO
RESPOND WHEN SEVERE WEATHER THREATENS.

LEARN MORE AT:

WWW.WRH.NOAA.GOV/PQR/SEVEREAWAREWEEK.PHP

WWW.WEATHER.GOV/SAFETY.PHP

THIS MESSAGE IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY YOUR LOCAL NATIONAL WEATHER
SERVICE OFFICE.

$$