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Public Information Statement
Issued by NWS New Orleans/Baton Rouge, LA
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NOUS44 KLIX 211200
PNSLIX

PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NEW ORLEANS LA
600 AM CST FRI FEB 21 2014

          ...SEVERE WEATHER AWARENESS WEEK IN LOUISIANA...
            ...FEBRUARY 17 THROUGH FEBRUARY 21 2014...

THE WEEK OF FEBRUARY 17 THROUGH FEBRUARY 21 HAS BEEN DESIGNATED AS SEVERE
WEATHER AWARENESS WEEK IN LOUISIANA.  LATE WINTER AND SPRING MONTHS
TYPICALLY BRING THE HIGHEST FREQUENCY OF SEVERE WEATHER TO GULF
COAST REGION. SEVERE WEATHER AWARENESS WEEK IS GOOD TIME TO REVIEW
SEVERE WEATHER SAFETY PLANS AND ENSURE YOU HAVE A MEANS TO RECEIVE
TIMELY WARNINGS.

THE TOPIC TODAY IS ABOUT HOW TO RECEIVE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM AND
TORNADO WARNINGS.

SEVERE WEATHER IN SOUTHEAST LOUISIANA AND COASTAL MISSISSIPPI CAN OFTEN
DEVELOP RAPIDLY. ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT FEATURES OF YOUR SEVERE
WEATHER SAFETY PLAN IS TO HAVE A RELIABLE MEANS TO RECEIVE
INFORMATION ABOUT SEVERE WEATHER..INCLUDING WHETHER SEVERE WEATHER
WATCHES AND WARNINGS HAVE BEEN ISSUED.  A BATTERY OPERATED NOAA
WEATHER RADIO IS AN EXCELLENT MEANS TO RECEIVE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM
AND TORNADO WATCHES AND WARNINGS.

NOAA WEATHER RADIO BROADCASTS CONTINUOUS WEATHER INFORMATION INCLUDING
CURRENT CONDITIONS FOR THE LOCAL AREA FORECASTS WATCHES AND
WARNINGS. WEATHER RADIOS CAN BE PROGRAMMED TO AUTOMATICALLY ALERT IF
WARNINGS ARE ISSUED FOR YOUR PARISH OR COUNTY.  WEATHER RADIOS CAN
BE PLACED IN STANDBY MODE AND IF A WATCH OR WARNING IS ISSUED FOR
YOUR PARISH OR COUNTY THE RADIO WILL AUTOMATICALLY SOUND A TONE
ALERT THEN PLAY THE AUDIO PORTION. THIS FEATURE IS ESPECIALLY
IMPORTANT IN THE GULF SOUTH REGION WHEN MANY SEVERE WEATHER EVENTS
OCCUR AT NIGHT.

YOU CAN BUY NOAA WEATHER RECEIVERS AT MANY RETAIL
OUTLETS...INCLUDING ELECTRONICS...SPORTING GOODS...AND BOAT AND
MARINE ACCESSORY STORES AND THEIR CATALOGS. WEATHER RADIOS CAN ALSO
BE PURCHASED VIA THE INTERNET FROM ONLINE RETAILERS OR DIRECTLY FROM
MANUFACTURERS.

A RELATIVELY NEW WAY TO RECEIVE WEATHER WARNINGS IS FROM THE WIRELESS
EMERGENCY ALERT FEATURE ENABLED ON MANY NEWER MODEL CELL PHONES. THIS
NEW WARNING DISSEMINATION AVENUE ALLOWS GOVERNMENT AGENCIES TO SEND
URGENT CRITICAL MESSAGES DIRECTLY TO CELL PHONES IN AN IMPACTED AREA.
SPECIAL APPLICATIONS OR ADDITIONAL SOFTWARE ARE NOT NEEDED.  WHILE
MESSAGES WILL LOOK VERY SIMILAR TO TEXT MESSAGES WHEN RECEIVED...
THEY INCLUDE A SPECIAL TONE AND VIBRATION REPEATED TWICE. REGARDING
SEVERE WEATHER...TORNADO WARNINGS ARE CURRENTLY DISSEMINATED THROUGH
THE WIRELESS EMERGENCY ALERT SYSTEM. FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON
THE WIRELESS EMERGENCY ALERT FEATURE VISIT THE NWS WEATHER READY
NATION WEB SITE OR YOUR CELL PHONE PROVIDER.

FOR MORE INFORMATION ON SEVERE WEATHER VISIT THE NATIONAL WEATHER
SERVICE WEB SITE AT WWW.SRH.NOAA.GOV/LIX... OR CONTACT THE NATIONAL
WEATHER SERVICE FORECAST OFFICE IN SLIDELL LA AT TELEPHONE NUMBER
985-649-0357.

$$

24/RR
National Weather Service Weather Forecast Office
