National Weather Service Text Product Display

Public Information Statement
Issued by NWS Cheyenne, WY

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PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHEYENNE WY
355 PM MDT MON MAR 24 2014

...PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT...

2014 SEVERE WEATHER AWARENESS WEEK FOR NEBRASKA.

THOUGH SPRING IS ALMOST UPON NEBRASKA, IT IS NEVER TOO LATE TO
PREPARE FOR SEVERE WEATHER SEASON. TODAY IS MONDAY AND THE FIRST
DAY OF SEVERE WEATHER AWARENESS WEEK FOR THE STATE OF NEBRASKA...WHICH
WILL END FRIDAY, MARCH 28TH.

SEVERE WEATHER AWARENESS WEEK PROVIDES THE NATIONAL WEATHER
SERVICE WITH AN OPPORTUNITY TO TEST COMMUNICATION SYSTEMS AND TO
GET POTENTIALLY LIFESAVING INFORMATION OUT TO THE PUBLIC. NOW IS
THE TIME FOR EVERYONE TO REVIEW THEIR SAFETY PLANS AND BE PREPARED
FOR THE SEVERE WEATHER SEASON.

THE TOPIC FOR TODAY IS SEVERE WEATHER TERMINOLOGY.

IT IS IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND THE TERMS YOU MAY HEAR IN A PRODUCT
ISSUED BY THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE. A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM IS A
THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING HAIL ONE INCH IN DIAMETER OR
LARGER...WINDS THAT ARE EQUAL TO OR GREATER THAN 58 MILES PER
HOUR...OR A TORNADO.

A TORNADO IS A VIOLENTLY ROTATING COLUMN OF AIR WHICH EXTENDS FROM A CONVECTIVE CLOUD AND IS IN CONTACT WITH THE GROUND. THE ENTIRE COLUMN OF AIR ASSOCIATED WITH A TORNADO IS NOT ALWAYS VISIBLE, AND MAY ONLY BE VISIBLE ONCE IT HAS PICKED UP ENOUGH DIRT AND DEBRIS.
A TORNADO CAN STRIKE WITH LITTLE OR NO WARNING.

A FLASH FLOOD IS A RAPID RISE IN WATER THAT OCCURS WITH LITTLE OR
NO WARNING...AND IS USUALLY THE RESULT OF INTENSE RAINFALL OVER A
RELATIVELY SMALL AREA IN A SHORT AMOUNT OF TIME.

A WATCH IS ISSUED WHEN CONDITIONS ARE FAVORABLE FOR THE DEVELOPMENT
OF SEVERE WEATHER IN AND CLOSE TO THE WATCH AREA. THE SIZE OF THE
WATCH DEPENDS ON THE SITUATION...AND IS USUALLY ISSUED FOR A
DURATION OF 4 TO 8 HOURS.

A WARNING IS ISSUED WHEN SEVERE WEATHER HAS EITHER BEEN DETECTED
BY RADAR OR REPORTED BY STORM SPOTTERS. INFORMATION IN THE
WARNING WILL INCLUDE THE LOCATION...THE PRIMARY THREAT...AND PATH OF
THE STORM. WARNINGS CAN BE ISSUED WITHOUT A WATCH ALREADY IN
EFFECT. PEOPLE IN THE AFFECTED AREA SHOULD SEEK SHELTER
IMMEDIATELY.

BEFORE SEVERE WEATHER STRIKES, DEVELOP A PLAN OF ACTION.
IDENTIFY A PLACE FOR YOU AND YOUR FAMILY TO TAKE SHELTER IN THE
EVENT OF SEVERE WEATHER. ONCE YOU HAVE A PLAN OF ACTION...CONDUCT
FREQUENT DRILLS TO ENSURE EVERYONE KNOWS WHAT TO DO AT ALL TIMES.

ANYTIME THE THREAT FOR SEVERE WEATHER EXISTS...STAY UPDATED ON
THE LATEST WEATHER INFORMATION BY GOING TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER
SERVICE WEBSITE...HTTP://WWW.WEATHER.GOV, OR BY TUNING IN TO NOAA
WEATHER RADIO ALL HAZARDS...OR YOUR LOCAL TELEVISION AND RADIO
STATION. MAKE SURE TO WATCH FOR SIGNS FOR APPROACHING
STORMS...SUCH AS DARKENING SKIES...INCREASING WINDS...FLASHES OF
LIGHTNING...AND THUNDER.

MORE INFORMATION ABOUT SEVERE WEATHER AWARENESS WEEK CAN BE FOUND
AT: HTTP://WWW.WEATHER.GOV/CHEYENNE

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