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000
NOUS44 KMEG 161200
PNSMEG
ARZ008-009-017-018-026>028-035-036-048-049-058-MOZ113-115-MSZ001>017-
020>024-TNZ001>004-019>021-048>055-088>092-170600-

PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEMPHIS TN
600 AM CST SUN FEB 16 2014

SEVERE WEATHER AWARENESS WEEK BEGINS TODAY WITH A LOOK AT THE
IMPORTANT ROLE OF SKYWARN SPOTTERS.

SEVERE WEATHER CAN STRIKE DURING ANY MONTH OF THE YEAR AT ANY
TIME OF THE DAY OR NIGHT. WHEN SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS THREATEN...THE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CALLS SKY WARN VOLUNTEERS INTO ACTION.
SKY WARN VOLUNTEERS ARE THE EYES AND EARS OF THE NATIONAL WEATHER
SERVICE...PROVIDING INSTANT REPORTS OF SEVERE WEATHER...INCLUDING
HAIL...HIGH WINDS...AND DANGEROUS CLOUD FORMATIONS.

SKYWARN SPOTTERS KEEP A CLOSE EYE ON THE SKY ANYTIME SEVERE
THUNDERSTORMS APPROACH. MANY COMMUNITIES DEPLOY SPOTTERS
AROUND THE EDGE OF THE CITY AND USE THEIR EARLY REPORTS OF
IMPENDING HAZARDOUS WEATHER TO WARN THE COMMUNITY. SOME
SPOTTERS RELAY REPORTS FROM THEIR HOME OR BUSINESS WHILE
OTHER MORE ADVENTUROUS VOLUNTEERS BRAVE THE ELEMENTS AND TRY TO
GET AS CLOSE TO THE STORM AS POSSIBLE.

WHO ARE THESE SKY WARN VOLUNTEERS? A LARGE NUMBER OF SKY WARN
STORM SPOTTERS IN THE MID SOUTH ARE AMATEUR RADIO OPERATORS...OR
HAMS. THESE PUBLIC-SERVICE MINDED INDIVIDUALS MAKE IDEAL STORM
SPOTTERS...SINCE THEY HAVE THE ABILITY TO COMMUNICATE THEIR REPORTS.
THEY ARE WILLING TO BE TRAINED AND THEY HAVE A REAL INTEREST IN
HELPING THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE...AND THEIR LOCAL COMMUNITIES
PREPARE FOR SEVERE WEATHER.  AMATEUR RADIO OPERATORS ARE ON CALL 24
HOURS A DAY...365 DAYS A YEAR...EVEN THOUGH THEY RECEIVE NO
COMPENSATION OF ANY KIND FOR THEIR HARD WORK.

MANY OTHER GROUPS PARTICIPATE IN THE SKY WARN PROGRAM...INCLUDING
LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES...FIRE DEPARTMENTS...UTILITY COMPANIES...
RESCUE SQUADS...AND THE NEWS MEDIA. IN SOME AREAS...INDIVIDUAL
CITIZENS ARE TRAINED AS SPOTTERS...AND ARE ASKED TO RELAY THEIR
REPORTS TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE. SPOTTERS ARE A VITAL LINK IN
THE WARNING PROCESS...AND IT IS IMPORTANT TO HAVE AS MANY TRAINED
SPOTTERS IN EACH COUNTY AS POSSIBLE.

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CAN HELP YOUR COMMUNITY SET UP A
SKY WARN SPOTTER NETWORK. FOR MORE INFORMATION ON SKY WARN AND
HOW YOU CAN HELP...CONTACT THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OFFICE
IN MEMPHIS TENNESSEE.

FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT SEVERE WEATHER AWARENESS WEEK VISIT OUR
WEBSITE AT HTTP://WEATHER.GOV/MEMPHIS/?N=SVRWXAWAREWEEK.
$$