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PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CARIBOU ME
819 AM EDT MON APR 29 2013

...SEVERE WEATHER AWARENESS WEEK...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS DECLARED THE WEEK OF APRIL 29
THROUGH MAY 3, SEVERE WEATHER AWARENESS WEEK IN NEW ENGLAND. THIS IS
THE FIRST IN A SERIES OF FIVE PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENTS ON
VARIOUS TOPICS RELATED TO SEVERE WEATHER AWARENESS.

TRAGICALLY EACH YEAR, SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS AND TORNADOES HIGHLIGHT
THE DEADLY THREAT CAUSED BY NATURES MOST VIOLENT STORMS. THE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ENCOURAGES THE PUBLIC TO BECOME MORE AWARE
OF THOSE THREATS SO THEY CAN ACT APPROPRIATELY WHEN SEVERE STORMS
THREATEN.


SEVERE WEATHER AWARENESS - SOME BASIC DEFINITIONS

NEW ENGLAND WILL TRANSITION FROM EARLY SPRING-LIKE WEATHER TO A
MORE SUMMER-LIKE WEATHER PATTERN THROUGH THE UPCOMING WEEKS. WITH
WARMER WEATHER COMES AN INCREASING THREAT OF THUNDERSTORMS. BY
DEFINITION, EVERY THUNDERSTORM CONTAINS LIGHTNING AND IS,
THEREFORE, A POTENTIALLY DEADLY STORM. IN ADDITION, CERTAIN
THUNDERSTORMS PRESENT OTHER THREATS, AS WELL. THESE THREATS
INCLUDE HIGH WINDS, HAIL, TORNADOES AND FLASH FLOODING.

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE USES A WATCH AND WARNING PROGRAM TO
ALERT THE PUBLIC TO POTENTIALLY THREATENING WEATHER. IN THE
SUMMERTIME, WATCHES AND WARNINGS ARE ISSUED FOR SEVERE
THUNDERSTORMS, TORNADOES AND FLASH FLOODING. SPECIAL MARINE
WARNINGS ARE ISSUED FOR GUSTY WINDS IN MARINE AREAS. HERE ARE
SOME BASIC DEFINITIONS.

A WATCH INDICATES THAT THE ATMOSPHERIC CONDITIONS ARE FAVORABLE
FOR SEVERE WEATHER TO DEVELOP.

     IF A WATCH HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR YOUR AREA, KEEP AN EYE ON THE
     SKY, AND MONITOR NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR YOUR LOCAL BROADCAST
     MEDIA FOR ANY POSSIBLE WARNINGS.

A WARNING INDICATES THAT SEVERE WEATHER IS IMMINENT OR IS ALREADY
OCCURRING.

     IF A WARNING HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR YOUR AREA, BE PREPARED TO
     SEEK A SAFE SHELTER IF YOU ARE IN THE PATH OF THE STORM.

HERE ARE SOME BASIC DEFINITIONS OF THE EVENTS FOR WHICH WATCHES
AND WARNINGS ARE ISSUED.

     SEVERE THUNDERSTORM - A THUNDERSTORM THAT PRODUCES DAMAGING
     WIND GUSTS OF 58 MPH OR MORE, AND/OR HAIL 1 INCH OR GREATER
     IN DIAMETER.

     TORNADO - A VIOLENTLY ROTATING COLUMN OF AIR THAT EXTENDS
     FROM THE CLOUD TO THE GROUND.

     FLASH FLOOD - FLOODING THAT OCCURS VERY RAPIDLY, USUALLY DUE
     TO VERY HEAVY RAIN FROM A SLOW MOVING THUNDERSTORM.

IN ADDITION TO THESE WARNINGS WHICH ARE ISSUED FOR LAND AREAS,
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ISSUES SPECIAL MARINE WARNINGS FOR
MARINE AREAS.

     SPECIAL MARINE WARNING - ISSUED FOR MARINE AREAS FOR STORMS
     WITH FREQUENT WIND GUSTS OF 34 KTS (ABOUT 39 MPH) OR GREATER.

ONE OF THE BEST WAYS TO MONITOR THESE CONDITIONS IS BY PURCHASING
AN ALERT-ACTIVATED NOAA WEATHER RADIO FOR YOUR HOME OR BUSINESS.
IF YOU ARE WITHIN THE BROADCAST RANGE OF A NOAA WEATHER RADIO
TRANSMITTER, TONE ACTIVATED NOAA WEATHER RADIOS CAN BE SET TO
AUTOMATICALLY TURN ON WHEN A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM, TORNADO OR
FLASH FLOOD WARNING HAS BEEN ISSUED BY THE NATIONAL WEATHER
SERVICE. IN ADDITION, ALERT-ACTIVATED WEATHER RADIOS CAN BE
PROGRAMMED TO ACTIVATE ONLY IF THE WARNING HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR
THE COUNTY(IES) THAT YOU ARE INTERESTED IN. FOR MORE INFORMATION
ON PURCHASING A NOAA WEATHER RADIO, CONTACT THE NATIONAL WEATHER
SERVICE. NOAA WEATHER RADIOS CAN OFTEN BE PURCHASED AT STORES
THAT SELL SMALL ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT.

FINALLY, IF YOU ARE CAUGHT IN A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM OR TORNADO,
KNOW WHAT TO DO TO MINIMIZE THE RISK THAT YOU OR SOMEONE WITH YOU
COULD BE KILLED OR SERIOUSLY INJURED FROM THE STORM. AND, AFTER
THE STORM, BE SURE TO REPORT STORM DAMAGE TO LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT
AGENCIES AND ASK THEM TO RELAY THE INFORMATION TO THE NATIONAL
WEATHER SERVICE.

HERE IS A LIST OF TOPICS COVERED IN PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENTS
ISSUED BY THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE THIS WEEK.

MONDAY......SEVERE WEATHER AWARENESS - BASIC DEFINITIONS
TUESDAY.....THUNDERSTORMS AND LIGHTNING
WEDNESDAY...SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS - DOWNBURSTS, MICROBURSTS, AND HAIL
THURSDAY....TORNADOES
FRIDAY......FLASH FLOODS

$$

RUNYAN