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NOUS41 KALY 031059
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PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ALBANY NY
800 AM EDT FRI MAY 3 2013

...SEVERE WEATHER AWARENESS WEEK CONTINUES...

APRIL 28 TO MAY 4 IS SEVERE WEATHER AWARENESS WEEK IN NEW
YORK...VERMONT...CONNECTICUT...AND MASSACHUSETTS. ALL
RESIDENTS ARE URGED TO BE WEATHER READY BY PROTECTING
THEMSELVES FROM THE HAZARDS OF FLOODING...TORNADOES...AND
SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS.

TODAY THE FOCUS IS ON FLASH FLOODING.

FLASH FLOODING IS A RAPID RISE...TYPICALLY WITHIN SIX HOURS...OF
WATER ALONG A STREAM OR LOW LYING URBAN AREA. DURING THE
SUMMER...THE MOST COMMON CAUSE OF FLASH FLOODING IS DOWNPOURS
ASSOCIATED WITH THUNDERSTORMS. HOWEVER...FLASH FLOODING CAN ALSO
RESULT FROM DAM BREAKS AND HEAVY RAIN FROM TROPICAL STORMS. FLASH
FLOODING IS MEANT TO IMPLY THE THREAT IS URGENT.

EASTERN NEW YORK AND WESTERN NEW ENGLAND ARE PARTICULARLY
SUSCEPTIBLE TO FLASH FLOODING BECAUSE OF TOPOGRAPHY. HEAVY RAIN
FALLING ON STEEP TERRAIN CREATES AN IDEAL SITUATION FOR FLASH
FLOODING. FLASH FLOODING PRESENTS A THREAT TO THE URBAN MOTORIST
AS WELL. UNDERPASSES CAN FILL RAPIDLY WITH WATER. DRIVING INTO A
FLOODED UNDERPASS CAN QUICKLY PUT YOU IN FIVE OR SIX FEET OF
WATER. IN 2011...TROPICAL STORM IRENE AND THE REMNANTS OF TROPICAL
STORM LEE BROUGHT WIDESPREAD FLASH FLOODING TO THE REGION.

FLASH FLOODING CAN BE DEADLY. NEVER UNDERESTIMATE THE POWER OF
WATER. ALMOST HALF OF ALL FLASH FLOOD RELATED DEATHS OCCUR IN
AUTOMOBILES. TWO FEET OF FLOWING WATER WILL CAUSE MOST CARS TO
FLOAT...SMALLER CARS WILL FLOAT IN LESS WATER. FLOODING HAZARDS
ARE INCREASED AT NIGHT WHEN VISIBILITY IS REDUCED. THE NATIONAL
WEATHER SERVICE URGES YOU TO RESPECT ALL BARRIERS THAT WARN OF
FLOODED ROADS. TURN AROUND...DONT DROWN.

THOSE WITH INTERESTS ALONG RIVERS...CREEKS AND STREAMS SHOULD
REMAIN ALERT FOR FLASH FLOODING. CAMPERS ARE PARTICULARLY AT RISK.
A NORMALLY PLACID STREAM CAN SWELL TO A 10 FOOT DEEP RAGING RIVER
IN LESS THAN AN HOUR IF THUNDERSTORM DOWNPOURS INUNDATE AN AREA.
REMEMBER...SIX INCHES OF FLOWING WATER IS OFTEN ENOUGH TO KNOCK A
PERSON OFF THEIR FEET. WHEN OUTDOORS...KEEP ALERT FOR...MUDDY
RAPIDLY RISING STREAMS...OR A LOUD ROARING SOUND UPSTREAM. IF
OBSERVED...HEAD FOR HIGHER GROUND IMEDIATELY.

NOAA WEATHER RADIO OFFERS ONE WAY TO RECEIVE IMMEDIATE RELAY OF
ANY SEVERE WEATHER WARNINGS. MANY LOCAL TELEVISION AND RADIO STATIONS
ALSO BROADCAST WEATHER ALERTS. COMPUTERS AND WIRELESS DEVICES CAN
ALSO RECEIVE WARNINGS. THE RED CROSS...SOME STATE EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT
AGENCIES AND PRIVATE VENDORS HAVE WIRELESS APPLICATIONS THAT WILL ALERT
YOU OF SEVERE WEATHER BY RELAYING NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WARNINGS.

FOR MORE INFORMATION ON SEVERE WEATHER AWARENESS WEEK...GO TO OUR
WEB SITE WWW.WEATHER.GOV. THEN CLICK ON EASTERN NEW YORK OR
WESTERN NEW ENGLAND. FINALLY...SELECT OUR SEVERE WEATHER AWARENESS
LINK.

TOMORROW WE CONCLUDE SEVERE WEATHER AWARENESS WEEK WITH A LOOK
BACK AT THE KEY POINTS CONCERNING SEVERE WEATHER.

$$

DIRIENZO