Public Information Statement
Issued by NWS Boston, MA

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PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAUNTON MA
855 AM EDT MON APRIL 29 2013

...SEVERE WEATHER PREPAREDNESS WEEK - DEFINITION OF A SEVERE
THUNDERSTORM...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN TAUNTON HAS DECLARED THE WEEK OF
APRIL 29 - MAY 3 AS SEVERE WEATHER PREPAREDNESS WEEK IN SOUTHERN NEW
ENGLAND. THE FOLLOWING IS THE FIRST IN A SERIES OF FIVE PUBLIC
INFORMATION STATEMENTS THAT WILL BE ISSUED THIS WEEK.

A `SEVERE THUNDERSTORM` IS DEFINED AS A THUNDERSTORM THAT PRODUCES
WIND GUSTS OF AT LEAST 58 MPH AND/OR HAIL 1.00 INCHES IN DIAMETER OR
LARGER...THE SIZE OF A QUARTER. SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS CAN AND
OCCASIONALLY DO SPAWN TORNADOES.

A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IS ISSUED BY THE STORM PREDICTION CENTER
IN NORMAN OKLAHOMA FOR LARGE PORTIONS OF THE REGION WHEN THE
POTENTIAL EXISTS FOR SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS. A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM
WARNING IS ISSUED BY THE LOCAL NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FORECAST
OFFICE...SUCH AS IN TAUNTON...WHEN SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ARE IMMINENT
BASED ON RADAR OR ALREADY OCCURRING BASED ON SPOTTER OBSERVATIONS.

NOTE THAT TORRENTIAL DOWNPOURS OF RAIN THAT CAUSE FLOODING ARE NOT
PART OF THE DEFINITION OF `SEVERE.` THEY WOULD PROMPT THE ISSUANCE
OF FLOOD OR FLASH FLOOD WARNINGS...BUT NOT SEVERE THUNDERSTORM
WARNINGS. IT IS IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT FREQUENT LIGHTNING ALSO IS
NOT A CRITERIA FOR WHAT IS TERMED `SEVERE.` OF COURSE LIGHTNING CAN
BE EXTREMELY DANGEROUS...BUT EVERY THUNDERSTORM HAS LIGHTNING --
THAT IS WHAT CAUSES THE THUNDER. IT IS NOT PRACTICAL TO ISSUE A
WARNING FOR EVERY THUNDERSTORM...THUS WE ISSUE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM
WARNINGS FOR THOSE STORMS THAT COULD PRODUCE LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING
WINDS.

NOAA WEATHER RADIOS...WITH WARNING ALARM TONES...WILL ALERT YOU WHEN
A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING IS ISSUED. HOWEVER...THEY WILL NOT
SOUND AN ALARM FOR NON-SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS...WHICH STILL CAN
PRODUCE DEADLY LIGHTNING. WE RECOMMEND THAT LIFEGUARDS AT BEACHES
AND POOLS HAVE HAND-HELD LIGHTNING DETECTORS. THE SAME IS TRUE FOR
ATHLETIC COACHES...CAMP DIRECTORS...AND PARKS AND RECREATION
WORKERS. EVEN WITHOUT EQUIPMENT...YOU CAN PROTECT YOURSELF BY MOVING
INDOORS TO A PLACE OF SAFETY AT THE FIRST RUMBLE OF THUNDER. IF YOU
CAN HEAR THE THUNDER...THE STORM IS USUALLY CLOSE ENOUGH FOR YOU TO
HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO BE STRUCK BY LIGHTNING.

$$
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